CATEGORY FOCUS HEALTHY EATING, LOW-AND-NO ALCOHOL DRINKS

Prepare for January’s wellness boom

Many of your customers will begin the New Year striving for a better lifestyle, so it’s a good time to think about how you’ll stock up on healthier lines and low- & no-alcohol drinks (starting on page 42)

Compiled by Lynda Searby

Dovebrook is on a mission to “elevate vegetables” with a range of seasonal, frozen, plant-based ready meals. Persian Dried Lime Stew and Jerusalem Artichoke Pappardelle with Asparagus are two of the recipes that promise a “refined, hasslefree experience”. RRP £7.50-8.65 for an individual meal in home-compostable packaging.

dovebrook.com

Reading-based MiKimchi launched during the COVID-19 lockdown when South Korean-born Miyoung Finch was asked to supply kimchi to her local café. She says hers is authentic – made with “tons of garlic, ginger and spring onions”, using a family recipe taught to her by her grandmother. RRP £6.50 for 280g.

miyoungfinch.com

Bamboo Story has combined two organic Peruvian ‘superfoods’ –Criollo cacao nibs and yacon syrup – to create nuggets to use as a snack, in baking or as a dessert topping. The juice of the yacon (sweet potato) is reduced to a syrup to temper the bitterness of the raw nibs. RRP £7.95 for 200g.

bamboo-story.com

Knotty’s has given peanut butter an extra boost, by adding biotics and vitamin- and mineral-rich ingredients. There are three variants in the Nutri Butters range: Defence (with maca, acai berry and cinnamon); Energise (with bee pollen, chia seeds and baobab) and Gut Friendly (with live cultures, turmeric and ginger). RRP £3.99 for 180g.

knottys.co.uk

Kensal Provisions has a new organic herbal looseleaf tea to help people get through the winter. Featuring biodynamic yarrow, peppermint, hawthorn berry, calendula, rosehip and elderberry, Heal & Restore Tea is said to offer vitamins and antioxidants to calm the mind, fight inflammation and nurture the body. RRP £15.40; trade price £11.

kensalprovisions.com

HumaniTea claims to have launched the UK’s first ready-to-drink plant-based tea lattes. Brewed with tea and oat milk, the lattes are said to provide natural energy and an antioxidant boost without a “coffee caffeine crash” or sugar rush (they contain less than 5% sugar). Available in Matcha Green Tea and Classic Earl Grey flavours. RRP £2.50 for 250ml.

humanitea.co.uk

Juno Bamboo Water blends infused bamboo leaf with citrusy yuzu in a sugar-free sparkler with an flavour reminiscent of Japanese herbal tea. For every bottle sold, a donation is made to fund global reforestation projects. Trade £1.33, 250ml.

bamboo-water.com

Clearspring says it has created miso that contains 25% less salt than its flagship Organic Brown Rice Miso, while delivering an authentic Japanese umami punch. The salt content has been reduced by blending a selection of miso pastes to achieve a rich flavour. RRP £4.99 for 270g.

clearspring.co.uk

The Gnawbles range now features a Salted Caramel variant. The crunchy rice-based chocolate-coated balls are free from all top-14 allergens and are said to contain 39% less sugar than the market-leading brand. RRP £1.79 for 30g.

creativenaturesuperfoods. co.uk

With promotions on HFSS (high in sugar, salt and fat) foods to be restricted from next October, the Mindful Snacker Company has launched Simply Roasted as a ‘healthier’, non-HFSS alternative to traditional fried potato crisps.

The crisps are produced from whole sliced potatoes via a patented roasting process that results in a 50% lower fat content and fewer than 99 calories per serving.

They come in Sea Salt, Mature Cheddar & Onion, Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar and Black Truffle flavours, with an RRP of £1.29 for an impulse bag and £2.39 for a sharing bag.

The start-up is backed by venture management specialists Pilot Lite Group

simplyroastedcrisps.co.uk

A Swiss start-up is aiming to make vitamin-taking a more enjoyable experience by elevating supplements “from yuck to yummy”.

About to hit Selfridges and Amazon, Frank Fruities are based on real fruit, rather than using synthetic fillers to give them bulk. With a fruit content of over 90%, each 200g can (RRP £19) contains the equivalent of over 1.4kg fruit and 80 gummies (the daily allowance is three per day).

One of the company’s founders, Simona Simniskyte, says: “We started the company because we were regularly throwing away half-filled plastic bottles of supplements. We realised taking vitamins is not fun because they are tasteless and often need to be taken with water. Even the vitamin gummies on offer taste rubbery and are made of mostly fruit flavours and gelatine.”

There are four variants of Frank Fruities: Help Gut, Build Immunity, Pump Iron and Skin, Hair & Nails.

frankfunctionalfoods.co

Yorkshire start-up Ginger Health Foods has worked with a nutritionist to develop a range of glutenfree, high-fibre oat-based breakfast bowls that can be enjoyed as porridge or mixed with kefir/yoghurt. Each product packs in ingredients, like chia seeds, hemp seeds, nuts and fruit for a rounded nutritional profile. RRP £7.50 for 500g.

gingerhealthfoods.com

The plant-based and protein trends have converged in Grounded, a new coconutbased plant protein shake that contains nothing artificial. Organic sunflower protein, fair trade cocoa and coconut cream are blended to create a vegan shake that is as close as possible to a dairy shake. It comes in m*lk chocolate and mint choc flavours in a 490ml carton. RRP £2.50-3.25.

grounded.co.uk

With the bee population in decline, consumers are looking for honey alternatives. Jack Berry is says its Vegan Societyregistered No BEE Vegan HONEE “smells, tastes and behaves like honey”. It is a combination of glucose and fructose, floral scents and wildflower esters, and citric acid from fruit. RRP £4.70 for 370g.

jack-berry.com

As well as a refillable glass jar service for its GoGo Bites, Suffolk’s GoodToGo has launched Bite Box – a wall-mounted vending machine – with Ipswich Hospital its first location. GoGo Bites are 20g snacking balls that are loaded with dried fruit, nuts, seeds, coconut and spices. They are also gluten- and dairy-free.

goodtogoltd.co.uk

Wibble plant-based jelly pots were born out of Laura Jones’ frustration that most jellies are either aimed at children or loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. She says hers are the first to be made from pressed juices and nothing artificial. They come in three flavours: Strawberry & Vanilla, Raspberry & Coconut and Orange & Ginger. RRP £1.50; trade price £0.90.

wibblefoods.co.uk

Protein powders are evolving beyond wheybased formulations for bodybuilders, and Juspy’s new Collagen & Cacao Protein Blend is a good example. This collagenbased, high-protein complex can be mixed into a smoothie or hot drink to nourish with ingredients like organic coconut milk powder, pea protein and baobab. RRP €33.95.

juspy.com

Dragon fruit, jackfruit and mangosteen are three of the adventurous SKUs in an exotic new dried fruit snacking range from newcomer Kooky. Sourced from Thailand and either freezedried or dried naturally with no added sugar, the fruit snacks come in single-serve pouches.

iamkooky.com Pureety Gourmet Flavours

has launched a five-strong range of gluten-free seasonings to help home cooks elevate dishes including Sausage Casserole, Bolognese, Cottage Pie and Creamy Stroganoff. The new seasonings contain “nothing artificial ever”.

pureety.com

Dizzy Bee Kitchen has moved Nourishingly Nutty Granola and Quinoa & Pecan Gluten-free Granola into 400g boxes (RRP £5.90) and launched Busy Bars for on-the-go snacking. They come in two gluten-free varieties: Cacao Now and Nut & Seed. RRP £2.20.

dizzybeekitchen.co.uk

Start-up Sipp’d has built on the success of its inaugural product – Essex-pressed apple juices – with the launch of two natural sodas flavoured with nothing but real fruits and spices and sweetened with unrefined cane sugar: Madagascan Vanilla Pod Cream Soda and Cardamom & Sea Salt Limeade (‘Twisted Limeade’). RRP £3.

sippd.co.uk

REAL Kombucha has launched its Royal Flush and Dry Dragon styles in 750ml Champagne bottles to reinforce its positioning as non-alcoholic sparkling wines. Royal Flush is produced by fermenting first-flush Darjeeling tea, while Dry Dragon uses Chinese pan-roasted Dragon Well green tea for citrus notes. RRP £8-8.50.

realkombucha.co.uk

Spotting a gap in the mixers market for alternatives to tonics, Nuissance Drinks has launched a trio of botanical sparklers inspired by the British countryside. The Wild Nettle, Mint, Cucumber & Chilli and Wild Bramble & Rosemary sodas have an RRP of £2.15 for a 250ml can and a trade case price of £12.99.

nuisancedrinks.co.uk

Infinite Session has relaunched its alcoholfree craft beer range with new recipes and on-pack designs. It says that a new malt selection and a lighter filtration process have created a beer with better body, fuller mouthfeel and more complex flavour. All three beers – IPA, Lager and Pale – are now gluten-free. RRP £1.30 for 330ml.

infinitesession.com

Xachoh (Za-Ko) has been conceived to fill a gap in the market for an alcohol-free spirit that is 100% distilled and not made of extracts and flavourings. So far, there are two expressions based on silk route spices and botanicals: Blend No. 5 is intense, fragrant and clear and Blend No 7 is rich and dark. RRP £15.50 for 35cl; £28.99 for 70cl.

xachoh.co.uk

Ginger Sour is soon to be added to NIO (Needs Ice Only) Cocktails’ alcoholfree menu, expanding the options for those who want to enjoy a mocktail at home without the hassle of making it. This gingerspiced aperitif joins existing mocktails Lemongrass Citrus and Virgin Bitters (an alcohol-free take on Negroni) in the line-up. RRP £19.50 for a pack of three.

niococktails.co.uk Maison Goubet’s

ambition is to offer the non-alcoholic drinker the essence of a Grand Cru wine, but without the fermentation. Made from organic Bordeaux grapes with no preservatives or sulphites, the cépages jus range includes sparkling and still Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sémillon, in 250ml and 850ml bottles, with respective RRPs of £4.40-5.50 and £10-12.

didiergoubet.com The Paisley Drinks

Company is championing the ‘real soda revolution’ with a range that is “free from anything artificial”. Very Berry Raspberry Lemonade, Dreamy Strawberry Snowball, Mystical Rhubarb Cream Soda, Darkest Blueberry Ginger, Fiery Ginger Beer and Zesty Lemon & Lime are all sweetened with unrefined sugar.

paisleydrinkscompany. com

Ready to drink cold straight from the can

Last month [November] saw the launch of a new Cherry with Mango & Goji Berry variant from hard seltzer brand Bodega Bay. The 4% ABV sparkling water is also available in two other expressions: Apple with Ginger & Açai Berry and Elderflower with Lemon & Mint. Bodega Bay is the brainchild of entrepreneur Charlie Markland, formerly of Asahi UK and Kopparberg. His goal was to provide an alternative to high-calorie and high-sugar alcoholic beverages.

bodegabay.co.uk

The Sausage Man has started wholesaling a low-alcohol version of Engel brewery’s Kellerbier. The 0.5% ABV German craft beer is said to be a lively drink with a fruity taste and a stronger wheat flavour than Engel’s original Kellerbier. Trade price £21.75 for a case of 15 bottles.

sausageman.co.uk

Non-alcoholic spirits brand Crossip has released its first limited-edition flavour. Rich Berry features dark fruits interwoven with winter spices, floral notes of raspberry and eucalyptus and bitter notes of wormwood and gentian. RRP £22 for 50cl.

crossipdrinks.com

Scottish soft drink label Bon Accord has launched Rhubarb Soda, Cloudy Lemonade and Ginger Beer in 750ml bottles (RRP £2.99), and introduced a four-pack format for Rhubarb & Soda and Ginger Beer (RRP £4.99 for 4 x 275ml bottles). The drinks are naturally sweetened with coconut nectar and fruit juice.

bonaccordsoftdrinks.com

Non-alcoholic craft beer brand UNLTD has built on the success of its Lager, with the launch of an 0.5% IPA. Described as having “aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, deep and complex malt flavours and a perfectly balanced bitter backbone”, the IPA has an RRP of £1.99 for a 330ml bottle.

unltd.beer

Mr Shanks 2.6% ABV is a low alcohol Norfolk Pale Ale that is brewed by Barsham Brewery with malted Maris Otter barley and British hops. It is named after the racehorse that won the Foxhunters’ Chase at Aintree in 1956.

barshambrewery.co.uk

12 months after launch, Nonsuch has made Shrubs, the “fruitful herbaceous infused uplifting drinking vinegars”, available in a gift box format.

With an RRP of £22, the gift box showcases each of the four flavours – Blood Orange & Bitter Lemon, Bittersweet Apple & Cardamom, Caramelised Pineapple & Ginger and Wild Hedgerow & Rose – in 50ml mini bottles. It also includes a ‘little black book’ of ideas and recipes for each shrub.

Eighth-generation cyder and vinegar maker Henry Chevallier Guild is the brains behind the brand. After growing Aspall vinegar and cyder brands, a desire to moderate his own alcohol consumption brought him into shrubs.

Created using fruit and vinegars, these non-alcoholic syrups can add depth and complexity to both nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages.

nonsuchshrubs.co

Toast Ale, the London-based beer brand that is brewed from surplus fresh bread, now has two alcohol-free beers in its planet-saving range, following the launch of an alcohol-free lager this month. The 0.5% ABV lager is billed as “light and refreshing, with notes of citrus and spice”.

Toast’s other non-alcoholic beer is Raspberry Sour – a tart and refreshing 0.5% ABV beer with fresh raspberry aromas and a taste profile that the brewery likens to jam on sourdough toast. RRP £3.50 for 440ml.

As well as using surplus bread to replace barley, Toast gives all its profits to charity to fund systemic change to “fix” the food system.

toastale.com

Thomas Tipple Aperitif Spritz now has a nonalcoholic counterpart that has recently been awarded a silver medal by the IWSC (International Wine & Spirit Competition). Thomas Teetotal Alcohol-Free Aperitif Spritz is an Italianstyle aperitif that combines an aromatic citrus taste with gentle bitterness. RRP £2.50 for a 250ml can.

thomastipple.com

Originally only available in bottles, Wild Life Botanicals, the sparkling de-alcoholised wine from Cornwall, has launched in 250ml can format to tap into the alfresco drinking opportunity. Available in Nude and Blush varieties, the 0.5% ABV fizz features a blend of botanicals and eight active vitamins and minerals.

wildlifebotanicals.co.uk

Nelson’s Distillery & School has used its distilling knowledge to create a zero-alcohol experience for two of its best-selling spirits. The first two drinks in the 0.0% Naughtical range are Timur Gin and Rhubarb & Custard, which have been distilled using the same botanicals as the Staffordshire producer’s regular gins. RRP £22 for 70cl bottles.

nelsonsdistillery.co.uk

Following its success in Ireland, Parachute CBD is breaking into the UK market. Infused with CBD – an active compound in the cannabis plant – the sparkling drink is designed to help people unwind after a busy day. It comes in three flavours: Pomegranate & Lime, Lemon & Juniper and Apple & Ginger. RRP £2.503.00.

drinkparachute.com

all-natural, semi-sweet non-alcoholic craft cider

Noticing that a genuine Breton 100% pure juicebased non-alcoholic cider was missing from the UK marketplace, Galipette Cidre moved in with its 0% ABV, semi-sweet craft offer.

Pressed from cider apple varieties native to Brittany and Normandy, Galipette 0% has a deep golden amber colour, light sparkle, bright acidity and gentle spiciness. It is already listed with Ocado and Amazon and is distributed via Matthew Clark, Bibendum Wine, Pigs Ears and WDS Group. RRP £1.70 for a 330ml bottle.

galipettecidre.co

Sassy 0% Organic Cider from Normandy will land on British shores this month. Using five cider apple varieties that are native to Normandy to give it the complexity of a traditional cider, Sassy makes the cider to 4% ABV before spinning off the alcohol. RRP £2.10 for 27.5cl.

maison-sassy.com

Berczy is showing that hard seltzer isn’t just for summer with the launch of limited-edition Winter Cola. This 4% ABV twist on a nostalgic cola combines kola nut and lime with the company’s four-times distilled spirit and sparkling spring water. RRP £2.59 for a 250ml can.

berczydrinks.com

Innis & Gunn has unveiled a 0.0% alcohol version of its original Lager Beer. The new lager uses the same hops as its 4.6% parent but at a slightly different rate for a lighter body, and uses pale ale malt to promote flavour that is hard to achieve in alcohol-free drinks.

innisandgunn.com