Consumables

PURCHASE, N.Y. — PepsiCo is testing the waters of a new beverage segment with Kickstart, a new breakfast drink that's a mix of Mountain Dew and 5% real fruit juice. The beverage comes in two flavors, orange citrus and fruit punch, and has 80 calories per 16-oz. can, about half the calories found in a typical soda.

So far, Kickstart is being positioned as an alternative to coffee or juice, and not as an energy drink.

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Odwalla this week announced new food bars designed specifically for kids made with whole grains and fruits, the company said.

Odwalla Bars for Kids come in three flavors: Chocolate Chip Kick, Strawberry Score and Banana Dunk. Each flavor contains 11 to 12 g of organic whole-grains, equal to about 25% of the whole grains needs as recommended by the Whole Grains Council. Each bar also contains 130 to 140 calories, and is a good source of fiber and calcium.

PLANO, Texas — SunChips, part of PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, has introduced the company's first barbecue flavored chips into its lineup with new Sweet and Spicy BBQ.

New SunChips Sweet & Spicy BBQ snacks feature molasses, brown sugar and honey flavors blended with hints of spice, like chipotle, for balance. Each 1-oz. serving of SunChips Sweet & Spicy BBQ snacks — approximately 15 chips — is 140 calories and contains 18 g of whole grains. The recommended consumption of whole grains is at least 48 g per day.

Brewers finally have something to celebrate. After three years of flat performance, the category is up 5.3% due to a flurry of new introductions. In an attempt to keep the momentum going, Anheuser-Busch InBev introduced several new products just in time for the Super Bowl.

The newest launch is Budweiser Black Crown, a beer the brewer claims has more body, color and hop character than the flagship lager, as well as a slightly higher alcohol content, at 6% alcohol by volume.

MIAMI — Miami-based Hispania Public Relations, Inc., has been chosen the Hispanic Public Relations agency of record by Beech-Nut Nutrition Corp. The announcement was made today by Hispania co-owner and president Sergio Lopez-Miro.

BETHESDA, Md. — Honest Tea, maker of organic bottled teas, is expanding its line of Honest Fizz naturally sweetened, zero-calorie sodas nationwide after a successful pre-launch, the company announced last week.

Honest Fizz is naturally sweetened with a blend of stevia leaf extract and erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol. None of the ingredients in Honest Fizz contain GMOs. There are four varieties to choose from in the new line of soda drinks: Lemon Limey, Orange Pop, Professor Fizz, and USDA Organic Root Beer.

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. — Popcorn, Indiana has announced a new flavor to add to its line of FIT popcorn snacks: FIT Real Butter.

FIT Real Butter received certification from the American Heart Association and earned the Heart-Check mark, meeting the organization¹s requirements for heart-healthy foods as part of an overall healthy diet.

It has been just over a year since Frank Scorpiniti took the helm at Canada's Rexall Pharma Plus. And, as the Canadian retail market continues to heat up, the company has officially taken the lid off a reinvention of its business, from its stores and its brand, to the products and services in its stores.