Beverage Social Media Listening
Listening Dates: April 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019
Started from the Mud Now We Here
This is not your typical cup of Joe – with 1/7th the caffeine of coffee, MUD\WTR gives you natural energy and focus without the jitters and crash. Since its grassroots launch in 2018, this muddy marvel has taken off. “We weren’t mad at coffee, just disappointed” said MUD\WTR CEO, Shane Heath in an article he wrote for Medium Corporation. Heath describes his motivation to make this unique blend of adaptogenic mushrooms (reishi, chaga, lions mane, and cordyceps) + cacao, chai, turmeric, cinnamon and sea salt by saying, “I wanted something that wasn’t just for energy, but that benefited mind, body and soul. Using Blue Lotus Masala Chai as a base, I began experimenting with various compounds that grabbed my attention. Turmeric was added to fight off inflammation, and it paired amazingly with the chai, which has black pepper and complimentary spices. I was intrigued by cacao for the flavor but found it to have properties that enhance mood and alertness. I had been doing intermittent fasting and added cinnamon to help with cravings during my non-feeding window. But MUD wasn’t MUD until I found out about mushrooms.” And they did not skimp on the fungi, featuring four different types of mushroom for maximum health benefits. If you want to meet Shane and his dedicated team in-person, stop by their Coffee-less café in LA sometime. They would love to have you.
Rain on Your Coffee, Not Your Parade
There’s a storm brewing in Shanghai and Singapore coffee shops. No need to bust out your umbrella though, because this rain will fall right into your cup! Mellower Coffee’s “Sweet Little Rain” is a new take on the Americano, where freshly spun white cotton candy is positioned over your cup to melt sugary raindrops into your drink, sweetening the espresso’s bold flavor. The end product is a unique, visual experience that will dazzle your Instagram followers, with the added bonus of solving your morning caffeine and sugar needs!
Cool down with fiery summer flavors from Starbucks
Back by popular demand, Starbucks heralded the return of warmer weather by bringing back the S’mores Frappuccino, a blend of marshmallow-infused whipped cream, milk chocolate sauce, coffee, graham cracker crumble, and pretty much all your favorite summer memories. This flavor offering is only available for a limited time, so make sure you get some more s’mores while you still can!
For those craving a fruitier drink, Starbucks has its new Dragon Drink, which combines mango, dragonfruit, and creamy coconut milk. With its bright pink color, this delicious drink is just as ‘grammable as it is refreshing.
Sparkling Summer
LaCroix, makers of the trendy flavored sparkling waters, hopes to continue its success with their new line of hibiscus-flavored drinks, branded as HI-Biscus and inspired by the classic tea flower. The new flavor hit store shelves in May after nearly two years without the brand introducing a new flavor, and built anticipation by asking their Instagram followers to guess what the new flavor would be (most were unsuccessful). As one Instagram user noted, “IT FINALLY HAPPENED FLOWER FLAVOR LA CROIX I MIGHT CRY!!” Sounds like they have at least one repeat customer.
Stranger Things than New Coke back on the market?
Are you a New Coke fan or a Classic Coke die-hard?
If you identify with the former, your taste buds may be in for a blast from the past because in late May of this year Coca-Cola announced they would be producing 50,000 cans of the infamous New Coke as part of a promotional campaign to reach Stranger Things fans. The controversial cola revamp was created as a clap-back to Pepsi gaining market share in the mid-sixties and boy did it make some people mad. Popular Netflix show Stranger Things stayed true to 1985 American culture by featuring this iconic marketing flop in episode seven. Lovable pre-teen Lucas stands up to the haters and touts the soda for its sweeter, smoother taste (a taste more in-line with Pepsi’s flavor profile). Lucas was not alone in his love for New Coke, as many of Classic Coke’s most vehement supporters could not actually tell the difference between the New and Old formulas, however the idea of changing a beverage so deeply ingrained in American culture (and taste buds) proved to be nearly impossible and the beverage was pulled from shelves a mere 12 months after its arrival. Get yours today on Coke’s retro website.
Dr. Pepper Takes things to the Dark [Berry] Side
While Dr. Pepper doesn’t typically mess with its classic blend of 23 flavors, the soda brand released a new flavor for the summer – its first in years. Soda fans have had some mixed reactions to the new flavor, but overall, it seems to be a hit. Dr. Pepper Dark Berry adds a dark and fruity twist to the original by featuring flavors of blackberry, black currant, and black cherry. Dark Berry enthusiasts have been hard-pressed to locate the limited edition flavor, often posting on social media when finally able to find it, or calling for it to be made a permanent offering in Dr. Pepper’s line-up. Try to find some while it’s still available – hopefully the internet hype will convince Dr. Pepper to keep it around a little longer!
Summer is for Strawberries… And Rosé… And Vodka!
It’s summer, and that means afternoons spent at the pool, weekend trips to the beach, having friends and family over for a cookout, and most important of all, refreshing fruits and drinks to snack and sip on to beat the heat. Well, two companies are ready to help you with exactly that! Driscoll’s just unveiled rosé berries, light pink strawberries and raspberries that are a perfect blend of sweetness and rosé flavor. These berries are smooth, silky, and creamy in texture and have the peach and floral tastes of a nice bottle of dry rosé.
Meanwhile, Smirnoff has debuted a line of Zero Sugar Infusions, Strawberry & Rose being the flavor people are buzzing about. This new vodka by Smirnoff has a delicate and slightly sweet strawberry flavor with a light rose petal finish that is sure to refresh you during the dog days of summer.
It’s Going Down, I’m Yelling Bimber
Bimber, a London-based distillery, has debuted its Da Hong Pao Tea Gin, made with handpicked oolong tea. The gin variety clocks in at a whopping 51.8% ABV, and is packaged in a bottle that pays homage to the old-timey brown bottles that used to stock the shelves of pharmacies, while the label connotes the time-honored Chinese traditions of herbal remedies. Oolong tea is infused into the gin and “yields a golden yellow liquid that produces a pleasant long-lasting after-taste”. While Da Hong Pao is currently only available via online purchase, we hope it will be making its way across the pond sooner rather than later.
A Summer Twist on America’s Most Popular Beer
In an attempt to build on the success of Bud Light Lime and Bud Light Orange, both of which were released last summer, Bud Light has hit the market with a new Lemon Tea flavor. The brewing process includes real lemon peels and tea leaves and is aimed to quench the thirst of summer beer drinkers everywhere. The brew clocks in at the same ABV as classic Bud Light (around 4.2%) and hopes to capture part of the market on flavored beers with a citrus twist, which have become widely popular as of late.
Blooming Brews for Summer Satisfaction
From fermented Ginger Ale to native Mexican kombucha, it is clear there is a rising taste for home-grown drinks that reduce your intake of processed ingredients and help fuel your body naturally. We wanted to highlight a few trending beverages that can easily be made at home. For those looking to improve gut health, try Mary’s (of Mary’s Nest) Fermented Ginger Ale recipe. Featuring raw ginger, lemon juice, Sucanat (dried cane sugar), and other simple ingredients, this probiotic beverage is good for your body and your budget, not to mention deliciously refreshing! Serve it as an outdoor barbeque mocktail, or in between courses as a palette cleanser. If you want to take it international, try Mexican-inspired fermented fusion, Tapache (their version of kombucha). This popular street-vendor creation is prepared with the pineapple peels, water, piloncillo, cinnamon, cloves and then fermented for a few days to create the live cultures that benefit the production of good bacteria in your gut. This one would be fun at any Mexican-themed meal or gathering. If you have the guts, let it ferment a little longer and make it alcoholic…but beware, if it sits too long you might get vinegar instead!
Content generated by monitoring and mining online social media channels for unsolicited consumer-generated discussions of categories, brands, and flavors. It’s purpose – to keep Givaudan and its partner clients on the forefront of emerging marketplace trends.
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