One of the fastest growing nutraceutical markets, functional beverages, continues to expand, with many new products and line extensions debuting in the last year. What follows is a quick rundown of the latest innovations in the beverage category.


Teas Of Many Colors
The most recent introduction from Honest Tea, Bethesda, MD, is Community Green Tea, which contains Chinese tea leaves and Maltese orange extract. The tea is brewed in spring water and sweetened with organic cane sugar and is a reflection of the company's goal to contribute to society. A portion of the proceeds of the sales of Community Green tea are being donated to City Year. City Year is a program run by AmeriCorps, a non-profit organization that connects 17-24 year old Americans who wish to perform service work with communities in the U.S. that are in need of assistance. Over 1000 service members participate in the program.

Recently brewed at Stash Tea, Tigard, OR, is a fusion of green and white tea. Fusion Green and White Tea is a blend of green tea common to mainstream America and rare white tea, found mainly in Fukien province in China. The white tea is unique because it is steam dried rather than oxidized or rolled. Researchers tout white tea as potentially one of the most potent antioxidant-containing teas, due to the steam dried technique, which maintains a high level of polyphenols. Fusion Green and White Tea is available in individually wrapped tea bags.

A new tea and a new sampler of teas are the latest products from Traditional Medicinals, Sebastopol, CA. The new tea, Lemon Echinacea Cold Throat Tea, utilizes traditional herbals such as althea root, licorice root, slippery elm bark, wild cherry bark, fennel seed, cinnamon bark, orange peel, lemon extracts and echinacea to soothe the throat and respiratory passages. The althea root and slippery elm bark actually form a protective mucilaginous coating that is released when it comes into contact with hot water.

The Cold Season Herb Tea Sampler is the first tea sampler introduced by the company to target an illness. The sampler includes Breathe Easy, a natural nasal decongestant containing pseudoephedrine, a water soluble form of ephedra, which has been used in traditional Chinese, Japanese and Indian remedies. Peppermint leaf, licorice root, fennel seed, eucalyptus leaf, calendula flower, pleurisy root and ginger rhizome round out the mixture. Echinacea Plus contains organic echinacea angustifolia, echinacea purpurea and echinacea purpurea root, lemongrass leaf and spearmint leaf. Lastly, the sampler includes Gypsy Cold Care, indicated for stuffy nose and sinus passages. The tea is made from peppermint leaves, rose hips, cinnamon bark, yarrow flower, ginger rhizome, safflower petal, elder flower, clove stem, hyssop herb and licorice root dry extract.

The Republic of Tea, Novato, CA has introduced a whole line of products in the red tea category. Scientific research on red tea, also known as rooibos, has shown that red tea may contain larger amounts of polyphenols and flavonoids, greater than even green tea. In addition, red tea is caffeine free, appealing to a large audience. The five flavors include Botswana Blossom, a blend of rooibos with citrus, blossoms and nuts; Capetown Harvest, a combination of rooibos, passion fruit and mango; Cedarberg Mountain Organic, a pure organic rooibos beverage; Good Hope Vanilla, a pairing of rooibos and sweet vanilla beans and Safari Sunset, a mélange of rooibos, cinnamon, orange, cloves and a slight touch of lemon.

Five Roses Rooibos, a bright red tea from Five Roses Quality Tea of South Africa, distributed by John Sommer Inc., Novato, CA, was recently launched in the U.S. The tea is full of polyphenols and flavonoids and studies reportedly show that it has comparable amounts of polyphenols to green tea and even a higher content than black tea. It is naturally caffeine-free and also reported to help relieve constipation, various types of inflammatory dermatitis and even milk allergies in babies. Rooibos also contains calcium, fluoride, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and potassium along with flavonoids quercetin and rutin, among others.

Long Life Teas, Randolph, NJ, recently unveiled a gourmet line of seven ready-to-drink organic GMO-free iced teas. Organic Decaf Green Tea contains honey, echinacea, lemongrass, Siberian ginseng, ginkgo and lemon balm and is sweetened with cane juice; Organic Decaf Black Tea contains South Indian black tea, ginger, chamomile, licorice, cinnamon and cane juice; Organic Golden Chai contains Ceylon black tea, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, honey and agave nectar; Organic Earl Grey Black Tea contains American ginseng, panax ginseng, Siberian ginseng and cane juice; Organic Ceylon Black Tea contains peppermint, lemon balm, kava, passion flower, St. John's Wort and cane juice, Organic Jasmine Green Tea contains green tea infused with jasmine extracts and Organic Green Tea contains peppermint and spearmint.

Three new flavors, Chai, Strawberry Vanilla and Mandarin Orange, were recently added to the yerba mate offerings at La Merced, Irwindale, CA. Recent studies have suggested that yerba mate has even more polyphenols than green tea; it is also naturally low in caffeine. The La Merced brand of yerba mate is certified organic by the International Agricultural Organization.

Beverage giant AriZona Beverage Co., Lake Success, NY, has made two additions to its beverage line. New to the line of RxHerbal Tonics is RxPower Herbal Punch, a ready-to-drink tea. A decaffeinated, fruit juice-based tea, the product is infused with ingredients such as L-glutamine, L-Proline, guarana, ginseng and creatine. In addition, AriZona Beverage has added its own energy drink in the form of a shot. Extreme Energy Shot contains a 10% blend of real fruit juice, taurine, ginseng, guarana, D-ribose and vitamins B6 and B12. The product comes in an innovative sleek silver package and looks like a small rocket, with the head of the "rocket" doubling as a shot glass.

Phlo Corporation, New York, NY, has created a patent-pending tea to add to its line of beverages. Zo-Vital Cell Defense contains a patent-pending Vitamin E phosphate and phosphatidylcholine combination that is microencapsulated and time released. This formula seeks to nourish cell membranes in the liver, heart and brain. Zo-Vital Cell Defense is available in Lemon, Peach and Raspberry teas, as well as Organic Carrot, Blackberry Cherry, Pink Lemonade, Raspberry Vanilla, Kiwi Strawberry, Cranberry Berry and Tropical Punch juices.

Beverage behemoth SoBe, Norwalk, CT, has made two additions to its beverage family. Love Bus Brew is an herbal chocolate concoction, aimed to re-energize. It contains Siberian ginseng, vitamins A, B6, B12 and E, calcium, iron and niacin. Also recently introduced is SoBe adrenaline rush™, which contains D-ribose, L-carnitine, taurine, inositol, vitamins B12, B6 and C, guarana and ginseng. The beverage is packaged in a 6.5 ounce amber bottle to attract a younger audience.


Juicing It Up
Tropicana, Bradenton, FL, introduced a low acid not from concentrate orange juice this summer. The product, which is a Tropicana Pure Premium line extension, is physically and chemically modified to remove some of the citric acid; sensory data shows the product is smoother and still has a good orange juice flavor.

Also in test market by Tropicana are juice smoothies. The smoothies, which are currently being tested in the Western U.S., contain 50% juice blended with nonfat yogurt and are a good source of 12 vitamins and minerals. Flavors in the test market include Strawberry, Tropical Fruit, Mixed Berry and Peach and the products are available in 11.5 ounce plastic bottles. A gradual national rollout is expected mid-2002.

Launching this month by Minute Maid, Houston, TX-part of PepsiCo-is a line of Disney juices and juice drinks. The line, which is apple juice-based and has reduced sugar, is designed to appeal to children and has interactive packaging with games and educational activities. New products in the line include Disney Xtreme! Coolers, which are vitamin-fortified beverages that feature Mickey Mouse and his pals engaged in extreme sports such as snowboarding and surfing. The drinks are available in five flavors, Kickflip Berry, Shreddin' Strawberry, Overhang Orange, Tropical Waveboard and All Out Apple, and come in single serve pouches and multi-serve bottles.

Also new is Disney Hundred Acre Wood 100% Juice, which is 100% juice fortified with vitamin C and calcium. The juices are available in Apple Strawberry, Apple Grape, Apple Raspberry Peach and Apple Cherry Banana.

In the past year Minute Maid has also debuted its Simply Orange™ not from concentrate orange juice. Currently available only in the Northeast, Simply Orange includes High Pulp, Low Pulp and Calcium-Fortified offerings and is sold in a proprietary carafe-shape PET package that allows consumers to see the product.

In the fresh juice category, Odwalla, Half Moon Bay, CA, has rolled out several new juices. Under the Odwalla brand, Glorious Morning debuted last month. A cranberry orange blend, the product is fortified 30% DV of calcium, 25% DV of magnesium and 25% DV of vitamin D as well as three grams of arabinogalactan.

New under the Fresh Samantha name are several products. Mighty Food, with an apple/banana/mango base, contains 990 mg of spirulina per eight ounce serving, while Calci-Yum is an orange/cranberry/apple juice with 30% DV of calcium, 8% Vitamin D, 25% magnesium and three grams of inulin. Finally, Strawberry Desperately Seeking C is a new flavor in the line incorporating strawberries, orange juice, apple juice and grape juice and including 1000% DV of vitamin C, 10% zinc, 80% beta-carotene and 100% DV of vitamin E.

Nantucket Nectars, Cambridge, MA, has introduced its first calcium-fortified juice. The Orange Tangerine juice has 100% of the DV of vitamin C and 20% DV of calcium.

The Ultimate Juice Company, which is owned by North Castle Partners, Greenwich, CT, has been active mainly with its Naked Juice brand. The company recently launched its line of fresh juices on the East Coast, using New York, NY as a springboard to move into other major cities on the East Coast over the next six months. The company continues to keep Fantasia Fresh Juice as a Midwest brand. The company also owns Zeiglers, an apple cider producer, spring water manufacturer Sarotoga Spring and the Orchid Island Juice Co., which is a manufacturer of fresh squeezed orange juice.

On the new product front, the company-under the Naked Juice label-recently debuted Optimal Orange™, which includes added calcium (35% of the recommended daily value), magnesium (15% DV) and vitamin C (250% DV).


Energizing Imbibement
Gatorade/Quaker, Chicago, IL, has relaunched several products under the Gatorade Performance Series banner. One is a carbo-loading energy drink, which has been relaunched as Gatorade Energy Drink. Appealing mainly to the professional market, the product is not sold through retail channels. Also targeting the athlete market is Gatorade Nutrition Shake. The reformulated product, which the company said boasts a dramatic improvement in taste, is a balanced nutritional supplement positioned as a meal replacement.

In the core Gatorade business, three new flavors were introduced this year. New in the "Fierce" line are Fierce Grape and Fierce Berry, while the latest "Frost" flavor is called High Tide.

As an aside, the company's Gatorade energy bar and Propel Fitness Water are also doing extremely well, with the former available nationally and the latter still in regional distribution.

At Coca Cola, Atlanta, GA, news centers around several products that fit into the nutraceutical beverage category. The company's POWERade® sports drink was reformulated this past summer, with the new and improved formula featuring vitamins B3, B6 and B12. The drink still contains 8% carbohydrates and is available in seven flavors.

The company has also debuted POWERade Light, a new beverage that contains 50% fewer calories and also features B vitamins. The drink is available in two flavors, Andean Chill-a clear white grape and strawberry blend, and Aleutian Stream-an apple, pear and cherry blend that is bright green.

An energy drink under the brand name KMX is also new from Coca Cola. Rolled out last fall, the drink is now available in about 50% of the country and is sold primarily in convenience and petroleum stores as well as nightclubs. KMX is slightly carbonated, has a combination of citrus and chili flavors and contains ginseng, guarana and B vitamins.

In other Coca Cola news, the potential joint venture launched in February with Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH, will not occur as originally envisioned, according to a Coca Cola spokesperson. The companies decided during the due diligence process that the proposed plan would not be effective, although the two companies continue talks about potential mutual cooperation. The original venture was supposed to include Coca Cola's Minute Maid® and juice drinks, P&G's Sunny Delight® and Pringles® snacks as well as R&D from P&G.

Also new on the energy drink front is 180 from Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO. The drink, which was test marketed last November, was officially rolled out this spring. 180 is a lightly carbonated orange-flavored energy drink that has 100% RDI of vitamins B6, B12 and C as well as guarana. The drink is sold in convenience stores, high end bars and restaurants and health clubs.

No energy drink review would be complete without the mention of Austrian energy drink Red Bull, the original in the category. Red Bull was launched in 1987 in Austria, then throughout Europe and is now available throughout North and South America, Africa and Australia. The product, which is popular in nightclubs and bars and also available at convenience stores and grocery stores, contains taurine, glucuronolactone and caffeine as well as B vitamins and carbohydrates.