A first-of-its-kind, French Kiss blends the signature grand bubbles of Maison Perrier^® with real fruit juice and prebiotics

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, get ready for your tastebuds to fall in love with Maison Perrier^® French Kiss, the brand’s first-ever sweetened sparkling water innovation – with benefits!

Adding a kiss of sweetness to the signature grand bubbles of Maison Perrier, French Kiss is more than a sip of sparkling water – it’s a flirtation with your senses. Artfully blending the flavours of real fruit with prebiotics, the first-of-its-kind sweetened sparkling water features at least 10 % real fruit juice, natural flavours, 6 grams of fiber and less than 1 gram of sugar to create a love match in every can.

Inspired by Paris–the city of love–and bottled in the south of France, each can of Maison Perrier French Kiss comes in four delectable flavours that pairs two fruit flavours for a perfect combination:

• Blackberry & Lemon – a zesty duo with the berry best vibes.
• Peach & Cherry – As juicy as a summer fling.
• Mango & Coconut – Flirting with tropical beach bliss in every sip.
• Raspberry & Lime – A tart and sweet power couple you’ll want to toast with every day.

Maison Perrier French Kiss is the latest innovation joining the Maison Perrier portfolio and the first to offer prebiotic benefits, providing even more to love with every sip.

Available now, Maison Perrier French Kiss can be found on Amazon and Harris Teeter in the US for a suggested MSRP of $ 8.49 for a 6-can pack.

Roquette, a global leader in sustainable plant-based solutions, announces that its NUTRIOSE^® soluble fibers that hold clinical evidence of health benefits have now also gained NutraStrong^™ Prebiotic Verified product certification from SGS Nutrasource. This recognition reinforces Roquette’s commitment to science-backed nutrition, according to the company.

NutraStrong^™ Prebiotic Verified, which is provided by the third-party certification body SGS NutraSource, is an industry-spanning program that validates the efficacy of prebiotic ingredients. By establishing clear benchmarks regarding manufacturing quality, label compliance and testing protocols, NutraStrong™ safeguards against misleading claims and ensures that only science-based products earn its seal of approval.

Through a rigorous evaluation process, NUTRIOSE^® FM 06, NUTRIOSE^® FB 06, and NUTRIOSE^® FM 15S soluble fibers were found to meet stringent criteria set by SGS Nutrasource in quality manufacturing and science-based claims through clinical evidence to support prebiotic function.

Strong endorsement for plant-based prebiotic fibers

The NUTRIOSE^® portfolio has been developed to help consumers increase their intake of this critical nutrient. NUTRIOSE^® is a range of non-GMO corn or wheat soluble fibers with clinically proven health benefits and excellent digestive tolerance. With a neutral taste, high solubility, and outstanding process stability, NUTRIOSE^® enables manufacturers an easy integration across food and beverages applications, without altering original tastes or textures.

Research shows that NUTRIOSE^® promotes beneficial bacteria in the gut and modulates the gut environment.^1,2,3,4 Moreover, NUTRIOSE^® has demonstrated microbiota-related health benefits such as blood glucose management, satiety, weight management and sustained energy release.⁵ More recent studies demonstrate initial evidence around immune health and mental wellbeing. Roquette has 25 years of scientific expertise in the fiber field, supported by more than 26 clinical studies and over 30 preclinical studies.

Feeding consumer appetite for fiber-fortified food

Consumers are increasingly interested in fibers and prebiotics in food and beverages, largely due to their associated gut health benefits. Consumers see gut health as a gateway to holistic wellness, with 59 %⁶ of them believing gut health is important for the entire body. Moreover, awareness about prebiotics is growing: 64 % of people globally have heard of them – with over half of those (52 %) having purchased prebiotic products in the last twelve months.⁷ As such, investment in fiber-focused innovations is expected to significantly grow over the coming years.

The NutraStrong^™ Prebiotic Verified product certification applies to NUTRIOSE^® FM 06, NUTRIOSE^® FB 06, and NUTRIOSE^® FM 15S, which are also all low-FODMAP certified and non-GMO Project Verified.

¹GUERIN-DEREMAUX L, HOBDEN MR, ZHANG C, NEUT C, THABUIS C, VAZHAPPILLY R, GIBSON GR, KENNEDY OB NUTRIOSE® soluble fiber selectively modulates gut microbiota composition in healthy volunteers. Poster shared at 13th European Nutrition Conference – Dublin, Ireland, October 15-18 2019
²Lefranc-Millot, C.; Guérin-Deremaux, L.; Wils, D.; Neut, C.; Miller, L.; Saniez-Degrave, M. Impact of a Resistant Dextrin on Intestinal Ecology: How Altering the Digestive Ecosystem with NUTRIOSE^®, a Soluble Fibre with Prebiotic Properties, May Be Beneficial for Health. J Int Med Res 2012, 40 (1), 211–224. https://doi.org/10.1177/147323001204000122
³Thirion, F.; Da Silva, K.; Plaza Oñate, F.; Alvarez, A.-S.; Thabuis, C.; Pons, N.; Berland, M.; Le Chatelier, E.; Galleron, N.; Levenez, F.; Vergara, C.; Chevallier, H.; Guérin-Deremaux, L.; Doré, J.; Ehrlich, S. D. Diet Supplementation with NUTRIOSE, a Resistant Dextrin, Increases the Abundance of Parabacteroides Distasonis in the Human Gut. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 2022, 66 (11), 2101091. 202101091″https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.202101091.
⁴BARBER C, SABATER C, ÁVILA-GÁLVEZ MA, VALLEJO F, BENDEZU RA, GUÉRIN-DEREMAUX L, GUARNER F, ESPÍN JC, MARGOLLES A, AZPIROZ F Effect of resistant dextrin on intestinal gas homeostasis and microbiota. Nutrients, 2022; 14 (21): 4611. 10.3390/nu14214611
⁵Hobden, M. R.; Commane, D. M.; Guérin-Deremaux, L.; Wils, D.; Thabuis, C.; Martin-Morales, A.; Wolfram, S.; Dìaz, A.; Collins, S.; Morais, I.; Rowland, I. R.; Gibson, G. R.; Kennedy, O. B. Impact of Dietary Supplementation with Resistant Dextrin (NUTRIOSE^®) on Satiety, Glycaemia, and Related Endpoints, in Healthy Adults. Eur J Nutr 2021, 60 (8), 4635–4643. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02618-9.
⁶Top 10 F&B Trends 2026, Global, Innova Market Insights
⁷FMCG Gurus 2025

PulPac is pleased to announce that SIG InnoVentures and Optima, a global technology leader in advanced packaging machine solutions, will join the company as new shareholders. This strategic investment broadens PulPac’s existing group of investors and underscores the confidence both SIG InnoVentures and Optima have in PulPac and its Dry Molded Fiber technology – paving the way for innovative and responsible alternatives to single-use plastic.

“Over the past year, we’ve achieved significant progress with our technology, expanding its range of applications and opening new possibilities that have attracted major players seeking scalable, eco-friendly solutions across additional packaging categories,” said Linus Larsson Green, CEO of PulPac. “Having SIG and Optima come on board as shareholders strengthens our capacity to meet this demand. SIG, with its extensive range of packaging solutions, has the reach to create a significant market shift, while Optima’s expertise in packaging and bespoke machinery for Dry Molded Fiber helps us accelerate the implementation of our technology on a global scale.”

SIG’s Chief Markets Officer, Christoph Wegener, explained how closer involvement with PulPac aligns with SIG’s mission to bring food and beverage products to consumers around the world in a safe, sustainable, and affordable way: “We see great potential in PulPac and Dry Molded Fiber. We believe PulPac and Dry Molded Fiber have an important role to play in meeting the growing demand for ever more responsible solutions.”

Fredric Petit, Packaging Partner at Emerald and SIG’s investment advisor, commented, “PulPac’s Dry Molded Fiber technology stands out as one of the most scalable and impactful innovations in sustainable packaging today. Its ability to deliver high-performance, cost-efficient fiber solutions at industrial scale makes it a natural fit for forward-thinking leaders like SIG. We believe this investment not only advances SIG’s commitment to sustainability but also accelerates the broader industry transition away from single-use plastic.”

Optima’s CEO, Dr. Stefan König, highlighted what led the company to also invest in PulPac: “Our initial collaboration on machinery showed immense promise in advancing Dry Molded Fiber solutions. By becoming shareholders, we’re deepening that partnership and combining our engineering expertise with PulPac’s technology. We look forward to scaling Dry Molded Fiber together and enabling sustainable packaging solutions that can truly reduce single-use plastic across the industry.”

This announcement follows PulPac’s existing partnership with Optima, announced in September 2024, which confirmed a shared commitment to advancing sustainable packaging solutions. By leveraging each partner’s unique capabilities, that initiative aims to accelerate the availability of fiber-based caps and closures at scale – offering brands, consumers, and the planet a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to single-use plastic.

PulPac licensee, Stora Enso, announces the opening of a groundbreaking Dry Molded Fiber Production Unit in Skene, Sweden. The facility is the largest and most advanced of its kind, marking a significant milestone in sustainable packaging technology. Production is set to begin in Q4 2024 after successful large-scale testing.

Stora Enso’s Skene Production Unit utilises PulPac’s innovative Dry Molded Fiber process to produce high-performance formed fiber products, such as cup lids, designed to replace traditional plastics in food and beverage packaging. Unlike conventional wet forming, the dry process reduces water and energy consumption significantly, thus offering an even more sustainable manufacturing method for fiber-based packaging. Additionally, any excess material is recaptured and reused, ensuring a circular process with minimal waste.

At the heart of this innovation is the advanced technology developed by PulPac, the leading company in the field. Their Dry Molded Fiber technology provides efficient production at high speeds, enabling Stora Enso to meet growing market demand for fully renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable fiber-based packaging solutions.

The products produced with Dry Molded Fiber offer a significantly lower CO2 footprint compared to single-use plastics. The dry forming process offers also flexibility in barrier additives for customised functionality as well as an excellent surface finish with the option to advanced decoration possibilities.

Sustainability is at the core of Stora Enso’s operations. Implementing Dry Molded Fiber is an example how they continue to lead the transition to circular, low-carbon solutions in the packaging industry, making a lasting impact on both the environment and the communities it serves.

Pomegranate Fiber offers added nutrients to a variety of food applications, continuing POM Wonderful’s commitment to better-for-you ingredients

POM Wonderful, a worldwide leader of California-grown pomegranates and No. 1 pomegranate juice in North America, announced the addition of Pomegranate Fiber to its growing specialty ingredients lineup. The Pomegranate Fiber, which is upcycled from POM Wonderful pomegranate husks after juicing, is a GRAS, fiber-dense powder that can be used in a variety of food applications, including crackers, sauces, dressings, baked goods and plant-based food.

Pomegranate Fiber is made under POM Wonderful’s growing Specialty Ingredients division, which provides raw ingredients to suppliers across the food and beverage industry. Pomegranate Fiber has numerous culinary benefits — it can help draw out flavour and colour, and in baked goods, the powder enhances browning, which ultimately reduces cook times. It has soluble and insoluble fiber plus antioxidant goodness and polyphenols.

Pomegranate Fiber is made from upcycled materials using the husk of pomegranate fruit. POM Wonderful uses a proprietary method to press whole pomegranates to create POM 100 % Pomegranate Juice. After the initial press, the husks are then pressure extracted to create POMxL, a concentrated liquid extract that is also part of POM’s specialty ingredient line-up — the remaining pomegranate husk is dried and milled to create Pomegranate Fiber.

“We are thrilled to add another specialty ingredient to our line-up that is versatile and upholds our commitment to nourishing naturally,” said Jason Horvath, sales manager for POM Wonderful Specialty Ingredients. “With the Pomegranate Fiber, we are providing better-for-you options to the food and beverage industry while continuing our work towards a zero-waste future.”

The addition of the Pomegranate Fiber comes on the heels of POMxL’s Upcycled Certification, further underscoring POM Wonderful’s commitment to sustainability and product innovation.

Sustainability is at the forefront for POM Wonderful. In 2020, POM Wonderful launched the Innovation Challenge, offering $1 million in funding and development resources to innovators who could develop an economical and environmentally friendly solution to upcycle its 60,000 tons of pomegranate husks. In 2022, POM Wonderful transitioned all its 16oz bottles of POM Wonderful juices to 100 % rPET (recycled plastic)* and completed work on its solar farm, which provides more than 90 % of the company’s electricity needs for its Del Rey, California processing facility.

To date, The Wonderful Company and its owners, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, have invested more than $1.3 billion in environmental sustainability initiatives to help fight climate change. This commitment includes the historic $750 million gift from the Resnicks to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in support of the school’s environmental sustainability research.

^*Excludes cap

SIG defines ambitious roadmap to 2030

SIG is to raise the proportion of fiber in its aseptic carton structure. The company plans to develop a full-barrier aluminum-free aseptic packaging structure with at least 90 % fiber content by 2030, with an interim target of at least 85 % by 2025.

Increasing the FSCTM-certified (Forest Stewardship Council™) fiber content of its aseptic cartons and expanding its aluminum-free solutions are key to SIG’s strategy of achieving higher recyclability of carton packs.

This supports SIG’s ultimate ambition to enable carton packs to be recycled anywhere in the world, which is especially true for markets that have little established infrastructure for recycling.

Samuel Sigrist, CEO at SIG: “Our carton packs have a low energy intensity, are produced with 100 % renewable electricity, and consist predominantly of renewable resources from the forest. Now we want to take this even further by increasing collection and recycling of cartons through existing beverage carton recycling systems, and via paper streams. Increasing the proportion of fiber content in aseptic cartons opens this opportunity and aligns with the wider trend towards paperization in the packaging industry. The FSC-certified renewable paperboard used in our packs ensures that we are promoting responsible forestry practices that prioritize biodiversity conservation.”

The packaging industry and wider society need to transition to a circular economy, as our planet’s resources are finite and its capacity to absorb waste is limited. Growing consumer demand for more sustainable packaging is an important pull factor for food and beverage companies to transition to ever more sustainable packaging.

SIG’s new commitments are an important step in the company’s journey to create packaging for better. Packaging that gives more to people and the planet than it takes out. This means removing more carbon from the atmosphere than is emitted during the lifecycle of the packaging. It also means packaging that is made from endlessly renewable or recycled materials and that is fully and easily recyclable anywhere in the world.

Read more about SIG’s sustainability strategy and industry-leading goals across the four positives – Climate+, Forest+, Resource+ and Food+: https://www.sig.biz/en/responsibility/sustainability.

Louis Dreyfus Company B.V. announced the successful development of a new product made from not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice, presenting a 30 % reduction in natural sugar content and more than triple dietary fiber content, while preserving original taste (Brix value) and vitamin C level.

Further to a five-year research effort by the Group’s in-house R&D laboratory team of food engineers, chemists and biotechnologists in Bebedouro, São Paulo State, Brazil, LDC has developed a successful process to reduce sugar content in orange juice, in line with the company’s commitment to offer nutritious, high-quality juices that address growing consumer demand.

“Complementing our extensive portfolio of juices and ingredients from Brazilian-grown citrus fruits, this new product represents another positive step in LDC’s strategy to diversify revenue through value-added products, including specialty ingredients and products like this one,” said Juan José Blanchard, LDC’s Global Head of Juice. “Leveraging our global network and partnerships, LDC aims to bring this new product to the global market in collaboration with leading beverage industry players, contributing to the advent of healthy, nutritious juice product options that respond to consumer expectations, while continuing to invest in R&D activities targeting further reductions in sugar content.”

Although commercial roll-out is initially focused on Asia Pacific, with an initial launch planned in early 2023 in China, the new product is available to industry customers worldwide, including in Europe, North America and South America, where the Group sees growing consumer demand for healthy, nutritious, great-tasting diet options.

Functional food company So Good So You, one of the top producers of immune-boosting probiotic juice shots in the US, announces Fiber, its first formulation with fiber. The cold-pressed juice shot features five grams of organic fiber sourced from the seeds of the guar plant, and provides almost 20 percent of the recommended daily value of dietary fiber. Fiber, formulated with organic strawberry, plum, and clementine juices, plus one billion CFUs of probiotics, is launching this month exclusively at Southeastern Grocers, including Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Mas, and Harveys.

American fiber consumption is an overlooked health crisis. Only seven percent of Americans are getting their recommended daily amount of fiber, according to recent findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an ongoing study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fiber is the food source, both directly and indirectly, for the hundreds of species of bacteria that live in the human intestinal tract and are essential for a healthy gut. The short-chain fatty acids released by fiber-eating bacteria fight inflammation in the entire body, and chemical signals given off by the same bacteria keep the cells in the intestinal wall functioning. Inadequate dietary fiber can starve these probiotic bacteria, leading to an inflamed immune response, which in turn causes weight gain, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and overall higher mortality.

“Our brand has reached a point where customers help point the way they want us to go, and they have been asking for a shot they can turn to on days they need a little help meeting healthy fiber goals,” says So Good So You co-founder and executive chair, Rita Katona. “Our consumers are invested in their health and want to always feel their best — and are learning fiber might be one of the key pieces. Americans vastly overestimate the amount of fiber in their diets — less than 10 percent are hitting the mark. It’s too easy to get it wrong, and this isn’t the time to take chances with your immune system. We’ve shown up with this organic fiber shot that delivers a gorgeous purple from nutrient-rich plum juice, with a strawberry-plum flavour that really sings.”

Fiber, the newest addition to the So Good So You line of 50 ml cold-pressed juice shots, is made with 18 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber to fight inflammation and support healthy functioning of the immune system; 30 percent of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C; and one billion CFUs of vegan probiotics clinically proven to support digestive and immune health.

The woman-owned, WBENC-certified So Good So You continues to expand store distribution across the US, adding flavours in its best-selling immunity shot and energy shot categories, in addition to Fiber. So Good So You owns 25 percent of the functional juice shot category, and has grown more than 380 percent in the last 24 months by meeting consumer demand for convenient, targeted, immunity-boosting health supplements.

B1U^™ brand will launch functional infused waters, featuring real ingredients including zinc, vitamin C, black tea caffeine, fiber and protein

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., the agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 farmer families, announced the launch of the B1U^™ brand, a new beverage line featuring on-trend functional benefits, simple ingredients, easy-to-understand nutrition, and recyclable packaging. The B1U^™ brand aims to demystify nutrition so everyone can make educated and personalized decisions for their own unique body and ultimately “Own the One You™”.

Ocean Spray is continuing its expansion into the health and wellness categories as 65 % of consumers report wanting more functionality out of their food and beverage products^*. In order to meet this demand; the B1U^™ brand is first unveiling an environmentally conscious, accessible enhanced water as the first product in its line to be followed by further beverage additions in the future.

The B1U^™ brand of functional infused waters features four flavors with no sugar or artificial sweeteners:

• I need a boost^™: Watermelon cucumber infused water with 60 mg of black tea caffeine
• I need rhythm^™: Strawberry basil infused water with 8 g of plant-based fiber
• I need immunity^™: Lemon chamomile infused water with 22 mg of zinc and 128 mg of vitamin C
• I need power^™: Peach kiwi infused water with 10 g of protein

The B1U^™ brand is on-shelf in the U.S. at select Target stores this month, will be available at select Walmart stores in December, and is currently available for purchase on Amazon. B1U is available in 16 oz fully recyclable bottles.

*Kerry Group, Proactive Health: Consumer Demand for Functional Benefits, 2019

Just in time for FIE, the Hamburg- based ingredients specialist Bösch Boden Spies presents a new product in its range: Cranberry Seeds from Ocean Spray.

Seeds are all the rage because they give food texture and provide valuable nutrients. The new Cranberry Seeds from Ocean Spray go one step further: with their bright red color, they are also a visual highlight, and turn every product into an eye-catcher.

The red color is one hundred percent natural and comes directly from the fruit. The seeds also provide valuable fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, and consist of 20 % plant-based protein. In this way they enhance food not just visually, but also functionally, and give it a crunchy texture.

Ocean Spray Cranberry Seeds offer a wide range of possible applications, e.g. in snacks, baked goods, muesli and granola bars, yoghurt and salad toppings, spice mixes, smoothies and drinks.

They are harvested from the flesh of ripe cranberries, from which they are separated using a physical process, and then dried to the desired degree of moisture.

The seeds are a by-product of cranberry production. By making them usable, Ocean Spray is able to utilize the entire fruit – a further step towards sustainability for the company.