REBBL®, the original organic and plant-powered functional beverage brand, launched WELLNESS, its debut line of juice-based functional beverages and the first juices ever made with Aquamin™ calcified sea algae – a super ingredient clinically proven to support bone, joint and gut health¹. Offered in two refreshing varieties, Tropical Greens and Berry Roots, both WELLNESS juices are available at Whole Foods Market locations in the US.
REBBL WELLNESS packs a punch with 4,700 mg of Aquamin™ calcified sea algae to deliver over 73 essential minerals in every bottle. Derived from red algae, Aquamin™ offers a range of research-backed benefits, from improving digestive health and gut microbiome to helping combat inflammation to support joint and bone health.
Ideal any time of day for delicious hydration, WELLNESS juices are formulated without added sugar and are light and refreshing while supporting immunity-boosting nutrition with 100 % organic fruits and greens.
WELLNESS Benefits:
Supports gut, bone, and joint health*
Calcified sea algae from Aquamin™
Organic and non-GMO
Vegan and gluten-free
80 calories or less
No added sugar
No artificial flavours
Zinc for immune support
WELLNESS Tropical Greens
Made with only the highest quality ingredients straight from the source, a blend of tropical fruits, including pineapple, orange, passionfruit, nutrient-dense spinach, and cucumber with a twist of lime, delivers a bright and refreshing taste any time of day.
WELLNESS Berry Roots
Formulated with zinc gluconate to support immunity, Berry Roots offers a blend of antioxidant-packed blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry with beets and carrots that produces a sweet, revitalising flavour with nourishing benefits.
¹Published research: McClintock et al, 2020, Attili et al., 2019, Aslan et al., 2019, McClintock et al., 2018
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Unilever announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Liquid I.V., a U.S-based health-science nutrition and wellness company.
Based in El Segundo, California, Liquid I.V. was founded in 2012 by entrepreneur Brandin Cohen. Liquid I.V.’s electrolyte drink mixes utilise Cellular Transport Technology (CTT®) which enhances the rapid absorption of water and other key nutrients into the bloodstream, helping people feel better, faster. Based on the World Health Organization’s guidelines for the clinically proven Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), that prevents and treats dehydration, one serving of Liquid I.V. can provide up to 2–3 times the hydration of water alone.
Liquid I.V. provides a 360-degree approach to wellness with a product range that includes Hydration, Energy and Sleep. Liquid I.V. is also non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, soy free and dairy free.
Fabian Garcia, President of Unilever North America, said: “Liquid I.V. is an impressive and innovative brand in the fast-growing health, wellness and personal nutrition space. Liquid I.V. shares Unilever’s purpose to improve people’s health and wellbeing, as well as our ambition to create sustainable products that have a positive social impact. We are delighted to welcome Liquid I.V. to Unilever’s portfolio of purpose-driven brands.”
Brandin Cohen, Liquid I.V. founder and CEO, stated: “We are excited to work together with Unilever to scale the brand and amplify Liquid I.V.’s mission to help people everywhere live better lives – to optimise the body, hydrate those in need, and better the planet.”
Liquid I.V. will continue to be based in El Segundo, California, and led by Brandin Cohen, who will remain as Chief Executive Officer and Founder.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
Many of today’s busy consumers are juggling their careers, families and social lives while striving to maintain healthy lifestyles, both physically and mentally. Food and diet plays an essential role in this, with innovation increasingly looking to support consumer choices as many endeavor to balance the benefits and costs of these hectic lifestyles. This, in turn, raises the demand for nutritious foods that are easy to prepare, convenient and portable, while indulgent treats also play a role in relaxation and enjoyment.
The Right Bite was one of Innova Market Insights Top Trends for 2020 , reflecting how food and drinks supporting lifestyle choices can fall into a number of areas. These all aim to help those wishing to embrace healthy lifestyles, balance busy schedules and/or reject their current lifestyles and search for change.
Consumers embracing a healthy lifestyle tend to love having many things do and are dedicated (working long hours, exercising, etc.), but need to plan their time efficiently to get the best benefits. Healthy snacks, energy-boosting food/drinks and on-the-go food and beverages are all of interest, with high protein and energy claims of particular significance. According to Innova Market Insights data, global snacking launches featuring high protein claims had a CAGR of 16.8 % between 2015 and 2019, while the use of energy/alertness claims rose 13.7 % over the same period.
Those seeking healthier lifestyles also looked to find a balance between health and indulgence, while also looking for individual needs and preferences to be met, including the development of more balanced and complete concepts in terms of their nutritional needs.
Balancing busy lifestyles is necessary as consumers live life to the full (holidays, dining out etc.) and benefit from this, but feel that it also takes a toll on them, with ‘fast’ lifestyles also necessitating compromise and rebalancing. Convenience is key in this area, prompting a demand for meals that are easy to prepare and cook, which in turn provides opportunities for ready meals and meal kits. The demand for home cooked food has boosted interest in meal kits, with 28 % growth in the number of launches tracked globally by Innova Market Insights (CAGR 2015-2019).
On the other hand, consumers looking for a change in lifestyle are likely to increasingly distract and distance themselves from their busy lives and try to wind down. Emotional comfort is key here, with interest in comforting, relaxing and sleep-inducing food and drinks, particularly carrying mood, energy and sleep improving claims.
Stress and anxiety are key concerns in modern life as awareness of their negative impact on mental and physical health grows. In a 2019 Innova Consumer Survey 32 % of UK consumers and 39 % of US consumers claimed to experience stress at least once a day, rising to over half in India. The industry response has included more products targeted at improving low mood, tiredness and fatigue and sleep.
As this year saw the rise of the sober-curiousness trend, non-alcoholic drinks such as wine waters have a great market potential, due to their natural antioxidants content and their functionality. Wine water, either still or sparkling, is promoted as healthy and naturally functional, with a distinctive wine taste. According to GlobalData’s Q3 2019 global consumer survey, 92 % of surveyed consumers consider that eating healthily creates a feeling of wellness and 60 % say they believe antioxidants have a positive impact on their health.
Ana-Maria Iscru, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, explains: “A new water concept, wine water is different from alcoholic seltzers, non-alcoholic wine and fruit flavored waters, in that it does not contain alcohol but does have a wine-infused flavor, for a more sophisticated taste. The wine essence water from Wine Water Ltd., for instance, was released last year and has already sparked interest. The brand taps into a few consumer trends, namely the absence of alcohol, low sugar content, low calories and an elegant glass bottle packaging instead of plastic.”
Another slightly similar brand is Napa Hills, flavored water ‘with red wine’s natural antioxidants’, but without a wine flavour. PepsiCo also gave the trend a try, releasing a limited-edition rosé-flavored sparkling cola, which was served at the first edition of the BravoCon in November. Moreover, Walmart recently introduced a rosé wine drink enhancer, but it is not expected to come too close to the wine taste.
Iscru adds: “Wine waters are seen as much lower in calories and sugar than actual wine, enough to respond to the growing health & wellness demands. All of this while not ditching the classic wine taste that a lot of people love.
“The category is yet to grow, as there is not a large variety of wine waters, but it has potential in the way it is presenting itself: natural, sustainable and tasty. However, until wine water as a category grows globally, for now consumers are just left wanting more.”
