Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., a leading international provider of consumer cannabis products, announced the launch of Zero Proof, a new brand of THC drinkables in fast-acting, sessionable and easy-to-use formats. The brand’s inaugural product offering, Squeeze, is now available at all Curaleaf locations in Illinois, US and will be followed by additional SKUs in the coming months.
Zero Proof Squeeze follows Select’s popular THC-infused beverage enhancer, Select Squeeze, originally launched in March 2021. While similar in functionality and effect, Zero Proof Squeeze has been reformulated with natural sweetener to provide a significantly lighter taste and balanced flavour profile for enhanced mixability. The beverage complement offers a uniquely controllable and customisable experience with an easy-to-pour dispenser and compact design delivering 2.5 mg THC per dose for discreet enjoyment on the go.
Utilising nanotechnology, Zero Proof Squeeze provides a truer-to-flower experience with effects felt in as little as 15 – 30 minutes, significantly faster than traditional edibles. By turning cannabis oil into tiny water-soluble molecules, the THC compounds dissolve evenly into any beverage and are more rapidly and efficiently absorbed into the bloodstream. At launch, four delicious, low calorie and gluten-free flavours will be available including Dash of Cherry, Dash of Orange, Dash of Lime and Dash of Sweet.
“Zero Proof exemplifies our commitment to providing high-quality, consistent consumer products in familiar and approachable formats that model traditional consumer packaged goods,” said Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf. “Curaleaf has been on the forefront of creating sophisticated cannabis experiences which we believe will ultimately redefine the way people socialise. We’re proud to bring Zero Proof Squeeze to our patients and customers in Illinois first before expanding to additional markets.”
According a new Gallup poll, the rate of alcohol consumption in the U.S. continues to decline with 62 % of adults under age 35 reporting they drink alcohol, down 10 % from two decades ago. Zero Proof is the latest addition to Curaleaf’s brand portfolio that seeks to redefine how people socialise by delivering a fast-acting, sessionable alternative to alcohol.
Zero Proof Squeeze is now available at all Curaleaf dispensaries in Illinois as well as wholesale dispensaries across the US.
About Curaleaf Holdings
Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to enhance lives by cultivating, sharing and celebrating the power of the plant. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. In the United States, Curaleaf currently operates in 19 states with 152 dispensaries and employs nearly 5,500 team members. Curaleaf International is the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction and production. Curaleaf is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol CURA and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol CURLF.
Alvinesa Natural Ingredients has successfully acquired Genosa. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Alvinesa’s growth strategy and strengthens its position as a key player in the upcycled natural ingredients market.
Alvinesa Natural Ingredients is a “circular economy” leader of sustainable plant-based ingredients. Alvinesa upcycles and transforms agricultural coproducts from wine industry into valuable natural ingredients for the Food, Beverage, Animal Health and Nutraceutical industries. With a rich heritage and years of expertise, Alvinesa has established itself as a trusted provider of high-quality natural ingredients to customers worldwide.
Alvinesa’s portfolio of natural ingredients is the result of years of research and development, driven by its belief in harnessing the power of nature to deliver valuable ingredients. Among its esteemed offerings is the flagship brand, Vintera™, which focuses on grape extract rich in polyphenols. The Vintera™ brand has gained recognition for its exceptional quality, food protection capabilities and the numerous health benefits associated with its polyphenol content. In addition, its portfolio includes natural colour, grape seed oil, natural flavour (wine concentrate) and natural tartaric acid.
Genosa stands as a global leader and trailblazing company in the production and commercialisation of upcycled natural hydroxytyrosol (Hytolive®) derived from olive fruit. Since its establishment in 2001, the company has made substantial investments in human expertise and financial resources, prioritizing the production of premium natural extracts and delivering added value to its valued customers.
A true pioneer, Genosa was the first to introduce high-purity natural hydroxytyrosol extracts derived from olive fruit. Their patented international process utilises only physical and mechanical methods, ensuring the utmost quality and environmental responsibility by abstaining from the use of solvents in the extraction of hydroxytyrosol.
This acquisition presents a unique opportunity for Alvinesa Natural Ingredients to further expand its ingredient range and leverage the synergies between both companies to drive innovation and customer value.
As part of the integration process, Alvinesa will be exploring ways to leverage Genosa’s expertise and technologies to enhance its existing product range.
Latest innovation offers added functionality for consumers with great-tasting formula
BODYARMOR Sports Nutrition announced the launch of its first-ever rapid rehydration beverage, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. Designed to deliver the latest in active hydration and functionality for consumers without compromising on taste, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. is scientifically formulated to ensure the perfect balance of carbohydrates and electrolytes for faster absorption and replenishment.
Developed with the same great-tasting, coconut water base as BODYARMOR Sports Drink, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. offers consumers the ability to refuel, replenish and recover with more electrolytes than the competition, added functionality with Zinc, Vitamins B and C to support a healthy immune system, and the same BODYARMOR promise of no artificial flavours, sweeteners, or dyes.
BODYARMOR Flash I.V. comes in a 20 oz, square bottle and contains over 2200 mg of electrolytes – more than traditional sports drinks – for rapid and sustained rehydration for quick recovery. BODYARMOR Flash I.V. will launch in four great-tasting flavours including Grape, Strawberry Kiwi, Orange, and Tropical Punch. New packaging for BODYARMOR Flash I.V. will feature vibrant flavour colours and highlight key functional benefits to create an eye-catching lineup at retail.
Launching in retail stores regionally this May, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. will be available in-stores nationwide and online via Amazon nationally in 2024. In support of BODYARMOR Sport Nutrition’s first new product offering in more than two years, the brand will feature BODYARMOR Flash I.V. in a variety of social media extensions, OOH media, retail activations, and sampling events in local markets across the US.
Tate & Lyle PLC announced a new addition to its sweetener portfolio – ERYTESSE™ Erythritol. Through a strategic partnership distribution agreement with a leading supplier of erythritol, this addition expands the companies ability to help customers deliver on consumer demand for healthier, sugar and calorie reduced products, and extends Tate & Lyle’s position as one of the world leaders in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages.
ERYTESSE™ Erythritol has 70 % the sweetness of sucrose and a similar temporal profile, with zero1 calories2. It can be used in a range of categories, including beverages, dairy, bakery and confectionery. Erythritol fits well into our existing portfolio and can be used alone or in combination with natural sweeteners, like stevia and monk fruit, and high potency sweeteners like sucralose. It offers a full sugar-like taste experience and helps customers formulate sugar reduced foods and beverages at an acceptable cost in use. It can also be used to create sweetening solutions for manufactured food products, including bulking and mouthfeel when sucrose is reduced or removed. In addition, it offers good stability in high levels of heat or acidity during processing, making it suitable for a host of formulations.
The Compound Annual Growth Rate for all new product launches globally with low/no/reduced calorie claims containing erythritol (either on its own or in combination with other sweeteners such as stevia and sucralose) for the last five complete calendar years was 22 %3, indicating strong and consistent demand for erythritol. The strategic partnership agreement will provide security of supply and can meet both the short-term and long-term demands of Tate & Lyle’s customers.
The perception and awareness of the benefits of erythritol are increasing with 67 % of industry professionals feeling positive about the ingredient, and an increasing number of US consumers likely or very likely to buy a product which contains erythritol now at 23 % (up from 6 % in 20204).
1This information value may vary from country to country, Tate & Lyle recommend reviewing applicable local regulation.
2Regnat K, et al. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018 Jan;102(2):587-595
3Mintel GNPD, 2017 – 2021, 5 Year CAGR, October 2022
4Tate & Lyle USA Ingredient Tracker Wave 4, 2022. QB4 Below is a list of ingredients that are commonly used in food or drinks. Which of these ingredients are you aware of? QC1 Please indicate what impact, if any, these ingredients typically have on your purchase decision if you read it on the label of a product you were thinking about purchasing (variable base sizes)
Symrise AG announced that it has signed a purchase agreement for the acquisition of Giraffe Foods Inc., a Canada based producer of customized sauces, dips, dressings, syrups and beverage concentrates for B2B customers, in the home meal replacement, food service and retail markets. With this transaction, Symrise will take a major step forward in the value chain, providing a wider variety of advanced taste solutions to a larger customer base in North America. This move will drive accelerated growth in the region for Symrise’s Flavor & Nutrition segment. In their fiscal year ended June 2021, Giraffe Foods saw an increase in sales above 25 %, generating revenues of approximately CAD $80 million. The closing of the transaction is expected before the end of 2021. The purchase amount has not been disclosed.
Through this acquisition, Symrise strengthens its market position with a fast-growing customer base in North America and will benefit from Giraffe Foods’ high degree of customer intimacy. Additionally, moving further down the value chain will facilitate access to and further develop new capabilities, including advanced food science and culinary expertise, proprietary recipes as well as new and sustainable packaging formats.
Giraffe Foods Inc. is a leading player in the formulation and manufacturing of custom taste solutions in a wide array of packaging. Based on its advanced R&D and culinary capabilities, customers rely on Giraffe to formulate and produce unique sauces, dressings, syrups, beverage concentrates and more. In addition, customers also value Giraffe for their wide options of packaging and broad range of processing capabilities housed in state-of-the-art facilities. The food service, value added protein and home meal replacement sectors have historically seen strong growth in both North America and Europe.
Symrise will acquire 100 % of Giraffe Foods Inc. from private investment firm Graham Partners and the founding Powell family. Symrise will finance the transaction through a dedicated bank facility. As part of the transaction, Symrise will acquire the existing two production facilities and one warehousing site and integrate the approximately 250 employees of Giraffe Foods.
Smurfit Kappa has launched a new range of eBottle packaging solutions for the rapidly growing online beverage and liquids market. The new portfolio includes a variety of sustainable solutions for single and multi-pack products, including the Rollor bottle pack, BiPack, and Pop-up insert.
The surge in e-commerce due to the Covid-19 pandemic is evident across all sectors and the beverage market has also seen a significant impact. In particular, online sales for alcoholic beverages has increased by 34 % in Europe driving a demand for sustainable, durable and consumer friendly packaging that protects the product during shipment.
Key challenges for the beverage e-commerce channel are product damage, sustainability, consumer experience and the ability to accelerate growth using the right packing processes. Consumer research carried out by Smurfit Kappa also shows consumers are continuing to push for higher standards.
The research found :
- Over two thirds (69 %) of consumers prefer paper-based packaging
- Over half (59 %) of consumers want the parcel to be easy to open
- 1 in 10 consumers will reconsider re-ordering in the case of damage
Commenting on the announcement, Arco Berkenbosch, VP Innovation and Development at Smurfit Kappa Europe said: “Our new eBottle product range offers beverage businesses a suite of fit-for-purpose and bespoke packaging solutions which address the key challenges for their e-commerce channel. The innovative range, combined with our focus on e-commerce processes, supply chain and consumer experience, have all contributed to increased sales and greater efficiencies for our customers.”
Smurfit Kappa also offers a host of automated solutions to optimise packaging processes in addition to the eBottle range. The launch of this new product portfolio is the latest addition to its range of Better Planet Packaging, designed to be more sustainable and coming from a renewable and recyclable raw material. Businesses are already benefitting in the alcoholic beverage segment.
InterDrinks is an eMerchant selling more than 2,500 different types of beers and beer products. Smurfit Kappa introduced a flexible and unique packaging solution that accommodates all the various sized products sold by InterDrinks. It also includes automated assembly that mounts the packs as required.
Herwin Wichers, Market Development Director at Smurfit Kappa said: “The online European alcohol beverage market is worth EUR 5.6 billion and we want to help companies take advantage of the real growth and opportunity in this segment. As a result of the implemented packaging and automation solution by InterDrinks, it has increased its packing and filling capacity by 66 %, allowing it to fulfill more orders, faster.”
