Chicago-based Imbibe is claiming significant advance in sweetener technology that can get around flavor barriers of non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia via launch of proprietary SweetSense product that's designed to optimize sweetness perception in bevs. Natural flavoring agent, developed via Imbibe's expertise in bev formulation and flavor creation, accentuates inherent sweetness from other ingredients, provides added lift and intensity to characterizing flavors, moderates off-notes and linger that are typical by-products of using natural, non-nutritive sweeteners, and reduces amount of sugar needed to meet taste and mouthfeel requirements by as much as 30%, evp Andy Dratt told BBI. It remains stable thru thermal processing, he said.

Grocery Mfrs Assn and Food Marketers Institute have collaborated on industry-wide initiative to simplify welter of 10 different date labels that are employed on food packaging, looking to get food/bev mfrs to settle for just 2 standard phrases: "best if used by" and "use by." "Best if used by" would describe product quality where product may not taste or perform as expected but is safe to consume, while "use by" would be used for highly perishable products where safety may be issue. They would consolidate confusing array of labels that include likes of "sell by," "expires on," "best before" and "better if used by." The 2 groups are urging retailers and mfrs to start using the 2 terms immediately, in hope of migrating all packaging to new protocol by summer 2018 and reducing food waste and consumer confusion. GMA is umbrella group representing food mfrs while FMI represents food retailers.

Fast growth of kombucha to sales level beyond half billion dollars finally is winning category some of love that lawmakers have come to lavish on craft brewers and cideries. Bipartisan group of Colorado and Oregon lawmakers has intro'd KOMBUCHA Act in Congress, which would increase tax limit on drinks from 0.5% ABV to 1.25%, thereby exempting products from federal alcohol tax and regulation. Sen Cory Gardner and Reps Jared Polis and Scott Tipton, all of Colo, and Ore Sen Ron Wyden said their proposed legislation (approximate acronym for Keeping Our Manufacturers from Being Unfairly Taxed while Championing Health Act) is "commonsense fix" that would eliminate "unintended tax and regulatory burdens" from product category that naturally generates trace amounts of alcohol during tea-fermentation process. Polis and Wyden are Democrats, while Gardner and Tipton are Republicans. Should legislation ultimately reach his desk for signing, it's unclear where President Trump stands on kombucha issues; quick Twitter search yielded no immediate insights.

Coca-Cola appears to have quietly launched tea-and-fruit extension of its Fuze tea/juice brand called Fuze Fusions that's pitched as being "sweet and lightly tart," per label copy. BBI spotted items at indie West Side Market chain in NY in Watermelon Iced Tea and Green Apple Iced Tea flavors, both 130 calories per 20-oz PET bottle and listed as containing no juice. Top of front label sports patch proclaiming them as new, tho there's no sign of brand extension on Coke or Fuze websites or on social media that we checked. Front panel is vertically divided into tea leaf image at left and fruit image at right.

We've seen emergence of hard sodas and then hard seltzers as alcopop categories, so maybe it was inevitable we'd see hard cold-brewed coffees. St Paul, Minn-based Bad Larry's has set May for launch in Midwest of malt-based 6% ABV line in 11.5-oz cans, with Bernick's picking it up in Minn and Wis, with discussions under way with DSD distributors in Ill, Kan, Mont and Iowa. Brand is produced from cold-brew sourced from local Blackeye Roasting, whose founder Matt McGinn helped create recipe, and is produced in La Crosse, Wis, presumably by City Brewing tho co wouldn't say. Each can contains 180 mg of caffeine. SRP is $9.99 per 4-pack. Info at DrinkBadLarry.com.

After successful pilot programs in Chicago and its Milwaukee base, Rishi Tea is moving ahead with national rollout of kegged Craft Brew Sparkling Teas & Botanicals. It's latest effort to offer tea-based twist on on-draft cold-brewed coffee phenomenon, which Rishi founder/prexy Joshua Kaiser views as pick-me-up in office microkitchens and alcohol alternative on-premise. "Cold-brew coffee exploded in the market in part because it offers a feeling of sophistication that we typically experience only during evening sessions at the craft microbrew or cocktail bar," he said. "We wanted to tap into that lifestyle appeal with a greater range of flavor profiles, caffeine levels, and enticing infusion colors to suit any occasion." Co has enlisted Milwaukee Brewing as partner in producing 5-gal recyclable kegs, eliminating need for deposits or keg exchanges, in pair of initial entries. Runner's High is sparkling botanical using organic yerba mate, fermented Japanese green tea, black limon citrus, omija berries and other organic herbs chosen for adaptogenic and restorative properties. Sparkling Turmeric melds turmeric root with ginger, kaffir lime leaf, mango and culinary grade of saffron.

Polar Beverage is seeking to offer consumers some of the flavor benefits of lemonades and limeades without the guilt, via new unsweetened line of canned Polar Seltzer Ades that's breaking in 5 flavors in 12-oz cans. Taking learning gleaned from well-received seasonal entries like Sangria-flavored seltzer, the Worcester, Mass-based bottler is offering new line in Raspberry Pink Lemonade, Watermelon Lemonade, Blueberry Lemonade, Mango Limeade and Tart Cherry Limeade flavors. Co execs confirmed launch last night, saying it's begun to hit store shelves in core Mass territory this week, will shortly hit shelves in area spanning NY metro west to Ohio, and will radiate out to other regions like Pac NW, where indie Pepsi bottlers have taken on Polar portfolio. The 8-pack can configuration is a first for Polar outside of some limited-time offers.

For 20 years husband-and-wife founders of NJ-based Joe Tea have been willing to take their time growing brand, for years eschewing even NYC market right across the Hudson River because complexity, expense and distribution options didn't appeal to them. By now they've assembled extensive self-distribution system comprised of their own vehicles and network of jobbers dispersed around NY/NJ metro. Now, with NJ beer house Peerless unwinding last remnants of its once aggressive push into NA distribution, founders Steve and Ann Prato are ready to hit the gas, absorbing orphaned Boylan and Grown Up Soda brands for NJ coverage and seeking handful of other complementary brands that might need service in populous, prosperous parts of state. Joe Tea, of course, is basic but somehow still trendy glass-bottle line emblazoned with memorable rendering of pickup truck on label; in recent years it's grown to 19 sku's augmented by 13 sku's of Joe retro-style potato chips, available now in most regions of US and lotsa overseas markets.

It's not a bevco but new undertaking at Stonyfield offers further evidence that even brands with good-for-you aura are under pressure to get the sugar out. Co said it's launching comprehensive plan to reduce added sugar across portfolio, using fruits of 2 years of research that found formula reduces tartness and balances sweetness of yogurt in way that cuts sugar at no sacrifice to taste. "We are achieving a lower amount of added sugar in all Stonyfield yogurt without compromising taste or organic standards and are working towards purchasing 25% less sugar as a company this year," said newly appointed mission dir Nichole Cirillo.