What's hitting the shelves? New beverage launches: from rum to coffee

New look for Rum Co. of Fiji

Rum Co. of Fiji is rejuvenating its presence in Australia with a rebrand of its RATU and BATI ranges (pictured above).

Now available on Australian shelves, the updated look transitions from tribal to tropical, encapsulating the spirit and heritage of Fiji.

Produced in Fiji, Rum Co. of Fiji honours its heritage through a distinctive Fijian style of rum-making. This process respects the tropical landscape, from hand-cutting sugar cane grown in volcanic soil to distilling it at the foot of the iconic Sleeping Giant Mountain.

The rebrand pays homage to the brand’s deep connection to Fiji: with the new design pack featuring cultural patterns, the iconic Sleeping Giant Mountain, and a bright tropical palette. A new logo, now featuring sugar cane and a cane knife, also incorporates the fitting slogan “Paradise Distilled” symbolizing the essence of the island and craftsmanship for the rum.

Both BATI and RATU ranges are now on Australian shelves at Dan Murphy’s, First Choice Liquor, and independent bottle shops.

Rum Co. of Fiji is owned by Paradise Beverages, part of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.

Bodyarmor x Dude Perfect

BODYARMOR Sports drink has launched a collab with sports and comedy group DUDE PERFECT for an exclusive new flavor and bottle, which will be available for a limited time in US stores this summer.

Perfect Pop is a nostalgic, refreshing flavor inspired by the classic cherry and berry ice pops, and features the same BODYARMOR commitment to real ingredients, real flavor and nothing artificial.

The Dudes were involved in creating the new launch – from testing flavors, creating label designs and even working with the BODYARMOR team to develop a go-to-market strategy for Perfect Pop.

Perfect Pop is available now through the end of August (or until supplies last), and can be found online or at major retailers including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Albertson’s and more.

BrewDog’s Wonderland RTD cocktails

BrewDog Distilling Co. has announced the addition of five new RTD cocktails to its Wonderland Cocktail line-up.

The new flavors – Cosmo, Whisky Sour, Strawberry Daiquiri, Watermelon Margarita and Long Island Iced Tea – are available to purchase online in the UK at £3.90 each or from BrewDog bars.

The drinks come in 125ml cans and have an ABV of 10% – 14%, depending on the flavor.

Steven Kearsley, Managing Director of BrewDog Distilling Co., shared: “We launched Wonderland Cocktail Co. in October 2023, and since then we’ve achieved over 3,000 new distribution points for our bar-quality canned cocktail range. A few months back, we ran a poll on Instagram giving people the chance to vote for the serves they want to join the range – and we’re responding by making them!”

These new cocktails join the existing Wonderland Cocktails range: Mojito, Cantarito Paloma, Espresso Martini, Passionfruit Martini, and Margarita.

Drink with coconut chunks

Food and beverage company Agus is launching Hello Day! Magico – a drink that combines natural fruit juice and crunchy coconut chunks (nata de coco) across Europe this month: starting in Netto, Kaufland and other retailers and distributors.

The new drink is currently available in three flavors: mango, lychee and coconut.

Warsaw-headquartered Agus – whose portfolio includes beverages, snacks and dairy – says the new launch illustrates its strategy to grow, develop, and think outside the box: “Biting into and chewing springy coconut bits is at the heart of the beverage’s pleasure, providing unexpected experiences,” notes the company.

The drinks branding has been created by Italian agency Break Design: with ‘magico’ coming from the English words ‘magic’ and ‘coconut’ – or, quite simply, the word for magic in Italian.

The drink contains less than 5g/100ml of sugar, aligning it with health recommendations and minimizing exposure to sugar taxes (depending on market).

Lewis Hamilton’s Almave

Lewis Hamilton’s alcohol-free spirit brand Almave has launched its second expression: tying in with his British Grand Prix win at Silverstone earlier this month.

The brand is the creation of the Formula 1 superstar and Mexican spirits group, Casa Lumbre, and is distributed in the UK by Mangrove Global.

New launch Almave Blanco complements its sippable predecessor as a liquid that’s designed to be mixed. It captures a naturally balanced sweetness against herbaceous flavors from the agave and a refreshing acidity. Where Almave Ambar reflects the same qualities as a reposado or Anejo tequila or mezcal, Blanco is designed as the ideal base to mix into alcohol-free cocktails.

Agave flavors are captured thanks to the uniqueness of Almave’s distillation: much like tequila, the liquid is distilled from real agave in the Jalisco region of Mexico and is created using an entirely new process that’s based on age-old Mexican traditions.

According to research carried out by the IWSR, the UK’s low and no-alcohol market is expected to see a volume growth of 10% between now and 2026.

Almave Blanco will RRP at £24 and is now available to the on and off-trade through Mangrove Global.

V Rum launches as UK challenger brand

V Rum, a new premium, sustainable British rum brand, is launching in the UK with two expressions.

Founded by British husband-and-wife entrepreneurs, Nicole and Carl Churchill, the brand made its debut on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, championed by Ian Burrell, The Rum Ambassador.

The spirit is made from scratch using locally sourced, premium natural ingredients; and brought to life by Head Distiller, Mikey Melrose, at the brand’s sustainable distillery in Hampshire.

V Rum’s founders launch with the intention of becoming a mainstream British rum brand, while championing a focus on sustainable production. Entrepreneur Carl Churchill launched his first internet business aged 12 and was later tipped as ‘one to watch’ by the Sunday Times Rich List in 2003.

V Rum launches with a Premium White Rum (40% ABV) and an Overproof White Rum (60% ABV), designed for cocktail mixing or sipping neat.

The brand’s cosmic theme and unique recipes come from a 2009 discovery by astronomers and astrobiologists that ‘space smells like rum’.

V Rum’s distillery uses 100% renewable electricity, green gas provided by Ecotricity, an advanced heat recovery system to mitigate emissions, and uses molasses from UK sugar production to limit air miles. The emissions that V Rum cannot avoid are offset via Ecologi’s carbon avoidance initiative, which contributes to tree planting to support future mitigation. Future plans include solar panels and lighter packaging options.

Chocolate coffee pod variety pack

UK coffee company Little’s is launching a new Chocolate Coffee Pod Variety pack, retailing at £4 per pack of 10 Nespresso compatible capsules.

The new pack contains two flavors for mocha lovers: with Mexican chocolate and rich mocha capsules.

Little’s mission is to ‘get you as close to a cup of specialty coffee as possible from the comfort of home’, for as little as 64p a cup: with a range of premium instant coffee, coffee capsules and ground coffee. It hopes to appeal to Gen Z with the same agility, novelty and sense of fun as coffee shops; but via the grocery aisle, which is still dominated by instant coffee.

In 2022 it moved its coffee capsule manufacturing from Europe to the UK to reduce transportation, and is the only brand to manufacture capsules in the UK.

The brand uses a fully traceable specialty grade Honduran coffee for all flavored ground and capsules, and is en route to becoming carbon neutral.