Spacegoods has launched its first ready-to-drink canned product, expanding its Rainbow Dust mushroom-adaptogen coffee blend into a grab-and-go oat latte format. The launch brings Spacegoods’ blend of coffee extract, mushrooms and adaptogens into a canned format designed for occasions such as commuting, workdays, travel, gym bags and weekends on the move. Spacegoods Oat Mushroom Latte is launching in two flavours: Coffee and Coffee Caramel. Spacegoods has built its brand around offering an alternative to conventional coffee, positioning Rainbow Dust as a product designed to support energy, focus and everyday performance without the jitters or crashes often associated with caffeine. The new ready-to-drink range contains ingredients including lion’s mane, ashwagandha, chaga, maca root and coffee extract. According to the brand, the products are vegan, cruelty-free and made with natural ingredients. Matthew Kelly, founder of Spacegoods, said: “I started Spacegoods because I was done with what coffee was doing to my mind and body. Now it's in a can, in a range of flavours, and you can take it anywhere. This is the version of coffee I always wished existed.” The UK brand’s new Spacegoods Oat Mushroom Latte is available via the company's website.

Yum Brands has entered into definitive agreements to sell Pizza Hut for an aggregate $2.7 billion, subject to certain purchase price adjustments. Under the agreements, Pizza Hut, excluding Mainland China, will be acquired by private equity firm LongRange Capital for approximately $1.5 billion. Pizza Hut in Mainland China will be acquired by Yum China Holdings for approximately $1.2 billion. The sale follows a strategic review of Pizza Hut, which Yum began in November 2025. The company said its leadership team and board determined that the transactions provide the strongest path to maximise shareholder value, while giving Pizza Hut an ownership structure tailored to its distinct markets, competitive strengths and long-term priorities. Chris Turner, chief executive officer of Yum, said: “These transactions enable Yum to be a more focused company that continues to leverage scale, technology and talent to accelerate our raising the BAR priorities and deliver sustained value for our stakeholders". "Under LongRange and Yum China, Pizza Hut will be well positioned for future growth with ownership that brings deep expertise in the restaurant industry. Pizza Hut is one of the most iconic restaurant brands in the world, and we are proud of the important role it has played in Yum’s history. Pizza Hut was built by the passion and dedication of our team members, employees and franchisees, and we’re excited for the next chapter.” Yum said it expects to receive approximately $2.3 billion in net proceeds after taxes, closing adjustments and transaction-contingent fees, excluding a potential $75 million earn-out from LongRange by 2030. The company also expects to incur one-time expenses of approximately $85 million during the remainder of 2026 to complete the separation. Following completion, Yum will continue to provide Byte by Yum, its proprietary technology platform, to Pizza Hut outside China. It will also provide certain corporate services under a transition services agreement to support the separation. Yum! Brands and Yum China said they remain committed to their partnership, with the companies agreeing to certain financial incentives that are expected to generate value for both sets of shareholders if KFC China’s future system sales growth rates accelerate. The companies also plan to work together on long-term growth plans for Taco Bell in Mainland China. The transactions have been unanimously approved by Yum’s board of directors and are expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Once completed, Yum will no longer report Pizza Hut as a division. Separately, Yum’s board has approved an additional $4 billion authorisation for the repurchase of common stock. The company said the net after-tax proceeds from the Pizza Hut sale will be used in line with its capital allocation strategy, including investing in the business and returning excess capital to shareholders.

As consumers seek functional benefits beyond a traditional caffeine boost, coffee is becoming an increasingly popular platform for ingredients that support energy, focus and wellbeing. One ingredient attracting growing interest is Rhodiola rosea, an adaptogenic plant traditionally used to help the body manage physical and mental stress. Research suggests it may support mental energy, reduce fatigue and enhance cognitive performance, making it a natural complement to caffeine. While caffeine delivers rapid stimulation and alertness, Rhodiola rosea works through different physiological pathways that may help sustain energy and resilience to stress. Refreshment spoke with Elena García, scientific product and communication manager at Nektium, about the company's Rhodiolife ingredient, the opportunities for adaptogens in coffee and where the functional coffee category is headed next. Nektium has recently showcased Rhodiolife coffee concepts. What made coffee the natural next step for this ingredient? Rhodiola rosea is one of nature’s most powerful adaptogens, which are plants that help the body adapt to mental and physical stress. Clinical studies show our Rhodiolife Rhodiola rosea root extract has benefits for mental energy, stress and athletic performance, improving recovery and increasing immune protection after exercise. Those qualities make it a great option for coffee as it complements caffeine’s benefits for energy, alertness and focus. When combined, they create a powerful synergistic effect that optimises energy and performance. The two substances work beautifully together because they operate through complementary physiological pathways. Caffeine acts primarily on the central nervous system as a stimulant by antagonising adenosine receptors, which promotes the release of neurotransmitters to increase alertness and muscle contraction force. Rhodiola rosea works at the cellular and metabolic levels to improve the body's resistance to stress, stimulate ATP synthesis in the mitochondria, improve oxygen utilisation and provide antioxidant defence. A recent clinical study on boxing also showed that supplementing with Rhodiola rosea and caffeine significantly enhances both explosive power and sustained output. This indicates synergies between the two ingredients that create new product development opportunities for coffee and sports nutrition applications featuring Rhodiolife. Functional coffee continues to expand beyond caffeine alone. How do you see consumer expectations changing in this category? There’s such huge demand for coffee worldwide that it opens up significant opportunities for product differentiation. Mushroom coffee is a growing trend, for example, with manufacturers adding adaptogenic and nootropic mushrooms to the coffee beans to provide a smoother, calmer experience. Rhodiolife plays a similar role, turning that morning coffee into something smarter. Caffeine provides the spark, and the Rhodiola rosea helps sustain the effect and provide a smoother experience without the stress and the crash. It’s experiential, too, which gives it a distinct advantage over other adaptogens. How does Rhodiolife complement caffeine in coffee formulations, particularly around energy, focus and resilience to stress? Rhodiolife is scientifically proven to relieve stress, sustain mental energy, help reduce fatigue and enhance memory. Interestingly, it’s been shown to cause a rapid onset of brain activation, with an EEG signature very similar to caffeine, which highlights the potential for synergistic effects when used in combination with caffeine. Many consumers want energy without the crash. Could Rhodiola rosea help brands create a smoother coffee experience? Rhodiola rosea offers a highly promising avenue for brands looking to create a smoother, "crash-free" product or enhance the traditional coffee experience. By blending Rhodiolife with coffee or caffeine-based beverages, brands could leverage these mechanisms to provide the sharp cognitive and physical activation that consumers expect from caffeine, while utilising Rhodiola rosea's adaptogenic properties to stabilise energy metabolism, prevent fatigue accumulation and help eliminate the dreaded post-stimulant crash. Zynamite, our mango tree leaf extract, is another botanical that’s ideal for providing a smoother coffee experience. It offers clinically proven benefits for non-stimulant energy without crashes or jitters. These include enhanced attention, concentration and working memory, faster thinking and reaction times, and greater cognitive flexibility. Zynamite activates brain waves in an almost identical pattern to caffeine, but through a different mechanism of action. This produces mental benefits that are broader and longer lasting than those from caffeine, with no sleeplessness or nervousness issues. Zynamite acts in synergy with caffeine and so can be used to reduce a product’s caffeine content. We’ve developed a water-soluble grade that’s ideal for use in beverages including coffee and tea. From a formulation perspective, what are the main challenges when incorporating Rhodiola rosea into coffee, whether in instant, pods or RTD formats? Historically, production of beverages using Rhodiola rosea has been associated with challenges around flavour, colour, pH and bioactive stability. We developed a water-soluble form of Rhodiolife that overcomes these challenges by delivering shelf-stable flavour, colour and bioactive content, without affecting pH, Brix or microbiological activity. It’s also unaffected by pasteurisation. This makes it possible to harness the benefits of Rhodiola rosea in virtually any beverage application, including all coffee formats. Taste can be critical in coffee innovation. How has Nektium approached flavour and sensory performance when pairing Rhodiola rosea with coffee? The active compounds in powerful adaptogens such as Rhodiola rosea are found in the roots and can therefore have a bitter flavour. Historically, this has tended to make them less suitable for taste-centred products such as coffee. Application trials carried out over a 12-month period for our water-soluble Rhodiolife have demonstrated that it has no noticeable impact on beverage flavour. There was also very little impact on appearance, including colour stability, over the same time frame. Sustainability is increasingly important in both coffee and botanicals. How does Nektium approach sourcing and traceability for Rhodiolife? The rapidly growing market for Rhodiola rosea has put pressure on supplies in general, leading to concerns about over-harvesting. Since February 2023, Rhodiola rosea has been listed as a protected species by CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna. All of Nektium’s Rhodiola rosea raw materials are CITES-compliant and fully documented, following authorised collection and export requirements, and the controlled wild-harvesting programme ensures a sustainable and traceable supply. Our rigorous authentication system includes macroscopic ID, DNA barcoding, HPLC fingerprinting and HPTLC tests to ensure ingredient identity and consistent quality through all of these complementary methodologies. In addition, we’ve become one of the first companies in the botanical sector to secure B Corp status, following a stringent assessment of our social and environmental performance, legal accountability and public transparency. By meeting these requirements, we can help our customers meet their own corporate social responsibility obligations and assure them that we maintain a robust, ethical operation across every dimension of our business. Looking ahead, how do you expect the functional coffee category to evolve over the next three to five years, and what role could ingredients like Rhodiolife play? We’re really starting to see brands explore what functional benefits coffee can offer beyond stimulation. Protein coffee has hit the mainstream now, and collagen, probiotic and immunity-boosting coffee formulations are gaining ground too.

Days co-founders Youssef and Rawad Days was awarded the title of Best Coffee Capsule/Pod 2025 at the prestigious World Coffee Innovation Awards. Here, co-founders Youssef and Rawad offers a compelling glimpse into what happens when innovation, design and attention to taste come together in a single pod. Can you tell us a little about your winning entry — what makes it unique or innovative? Our winning entry, Days Espresso Capsules, stands out because it combines premium speciality-grade coffee, local production and real market need with meaningful execution. The blends were developed using single-origin traceable beans (Colombia x Ethiopia x Panama origin profiles), roasted and encapsulated entirely by Days. What makes it innovative is the marriage of craft-quality coffee with capsule convenience, without shortcuts. No additives, artificial aromatics or chemical decaffeination agents. It was built as a product for daily rituals, not for trends, focusing on texture, foam quality, aroma clarity and distinguished aftertastes that perform both in retail and professional espresso environments. How has winning a FoodBev Award impacted your brand, team, or project since the announcement? Since winning at the World Coffee Innovation Awards 2025, the impact has been strategic, not just sentimental. It strengthened confidence internally for the team, validating that a Lebanese-rooted innovation can scale globally. On the market side, it accelerated momentum in the UAE and Lebanon distribution pipeline, helping open B2B conversations with corporate and retail buyers, and increased adoption within speciality and office coffee programmes. Becoming an award-winning capsule, especially from the FoodBev award, increased our sales and allowed new clients to see us in a more credible lense. Most importantly, it affirmed to our partners and suppliers that we’re building a business model that prioritises product standards first, creating alignment across sourcing, packaging, design and logistics decisions moving forward. What does it feel like to have your work recognised on this global stage? It’s both humbling and motivating. Having our work recognised globally reinforced that innovation doesn’t require complexity to matter, it requires clarity, relevance and excellence. Representing Lebanon in a category dominated by legacy European brands and seeing our coffee compete on merit felt like an affirmation that using honest ingredients and ethically building a business does take you places. The recognition from FoodBev Media places responsibility on us to evolve thoughtfully, delivering ambition backed by craftsmanship and storytelling supported by tangible product performance. Looking ahead, what’s next for you and how do you see your innovation evolving in the future? Looking ahead, we’re evolving into a broader coffee-corner ecosystem, where capsules become the foundation for a larger daily ritual, supported by complementary goods and category expansion. We look to expand into the EU and US market within the next year. On the product roadmap, we’re finalising the launch of decaffeinated capsule blends (beginning with Colombia), exploring limited seasonal SKUs, and strengthening capsule performance for consignment and professional espresso programs with machine partners. We see the innovation evolving along 3 layers: Better coffee inputs (traceable, seasonal, micro-lot driven SKUs) Smarter form factors (consistent crema, cleaner aromatics, controlled aftertaste profiles) Scaled rituals around the capsule (community activations, retail + corporate coffee programmes and collaborative seasonal drops) Our north star remains the same: better coffee, slower but more intentional distribution and innovations that earn their place rather than announce it. World Coffee Innovation Awards 2026, in association with Café Business Expo The World Coffee Innovation Awards have returned, showcasing groundbreaking developments across the sector. 2026 marks the fourth year of these awards, celebrating international innovation from the coffee industry. Submissions close: 14 August – Don't miss your chance for global recognition and industry exposure! In association partner The World Coffee Innovation Awards 2026 ceremony will be held at Café Business Expo, presented by FoodBev Media. Café Business Expo is the UK’s leading trade event connecting café owners and operators with the suppliers, technology and ideas shaping the future of the industry. Discover the latest products and connect with innovative brands in the sector. Source new products, compare suppliers and negotiate deals all in one place in London from 29 to 30 September 2026! For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com or email awards@foodbev.com.

Tenzing is expanding its fast-growing Natural Energy+ platform with the launch of Natural Energy +Focus White Peach, a functional energy drink designed to support concentration and sustained mental performance. The launch marks the second addition to Tenzing’s Natural Energy+ range, following the launch of Natural Energy+ Lion’s Mane earlier this year. According to the brand, the Lion’s Mane product has recorded 48% month on month growth since its debut in March. Developed to support focus and concentration, the new drink combines 160mg of natural caffeine with L-theanine in a 1:1 ratio, a formulation recognised for promoting alertness without jitters or the energy crash commonly associated with traditional energy drinks. The product features a triple tea blend of matcha, white tea and green tea, providing both a natural source of caffeine and L-theanine while contributing to a lighter, tea-inspired flavour profile. Additional functional ingredients include Sakura extract, derived from Japanese cherry blossom, and magnesium. Huib van Bockel, founder of Tenzing, said: "We've seen strong success since we launched Natural Energy+ earlier this year, to answer the demands of the next generation who want more from their energy drinks. Building on what Tenzing is known for – good energy that's 100% from nature, low calorie, with no crash – the new White Peach variant is built for focus, when you need to do deep, concentrated work." Founded in 2016, Tenzing was inspired by traditional Himalayan brews consumed by Sherpas, including mountaineer Tenzing Norgay. The brand is now stocked across all major UK retailers, with the Natural Energy + Focus White Peach available via their website and launching on Amazon next month. The product will also be available to the convenience and specialist retail channels through selected wholesalers.

Diamond Brew, a US coffee start-up specialising in shelf-stable, machine-free coffee pods, has closed an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round. Investors in the round include G/7 Venture Studio, Filipp Chebotarev of Cambridge Companies SPG, Beckett Industries, SGL Acquisitions, music executive and strategic advisor Charlie Walk, Kingsland Capital Group, Nobel Partners, Daniel Faierman of Habitat Partners and a group of NFL players including Sean Clifford and DeAndre Hopkins. The round also attracted participation from consumer packaged goods operators Alex Sourry, Lily Rogath and Dom Purpura, whose brand Mela Watermelon Water was recently acquired. Diamond Brew's hexagon-shaped pods use a proprietary flash-freezing process with liquid nitrogen, designed to preserve the flavour profile of freshly brewed espresso. The pods are sealed in 100% recyclable aluminium and contain coffee crystals that dissolve instantly in hot or cold water. According to the company, the pods are third-party lab tested for mould and toxins, while spent coffee grounds from production are upcycled into furniture as part of the brand's zero-waste approach. Since launching, Diamond Brew said its Single Serve Craft Espresso product has sold out three times. The company has since expanded its range with Decaf Bliss and Magic Highland Midnight Roast, which it said were developed in response to direct consumer feedback. Founder and CEO Douglas Yu said he spent more than 2,000 hours on TikTok Live in 2025, using customer interactions to guide product development and better understand shopping behaviours. “Those 2,000 hours aren’t just a content strategy, they’re our R&D. Our customers don’t just buy Diamond Brew, they help build it,” said Yu. “Diamond Brew debunks decades of stigma around instant coffee and reinvents convenient gourmet coffee entirely. One sip, you’ll never go back. This is just the beginning of the Brewless revolution, one hexagon pod at a time.” G/7 Venture Studio has joined the company as both an investor and embedded strategic partner, supporting Diamond Brew across brand, creative and growth strategy. Diamond Brew said the new capital will support product innovation and expansion into new channels, including the military channel through the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. Diamond Brew, formally Onward N Upward, sells its products through its own website, TikTok Shop and Amazon.

Italian liqueur producer Luxardo has expanded its espresso liqueur range with the launch of a caffeine-reduced option for cocktails in the US. Luxardo Decaf Espresso is designed to offer the flavour profile of espresso cocktails without the caffeine content typically associated with coffee-based serves. According to the company, the liqueur is made using decaffeinated arabica beans sourced from Brazil, Vietnam and Uganda. The beans are roasted, ground and infused over 25 days to create an espresso-foward profile, with notes of cocoa, subtle sweetness and a smooth finish. Matteo Luxardo, global export director at Luxardo, said: "Espresso is not simply a flavour profile. It is one of the most defining expressions of Italian culture. Our responsibility as a family producer is to preserve that authenticity in everything we create." "Innovation is never about moving away from tradition, it's about finding new ways to express it. Creating a decaffeinated version of our espresso liqueur allowed us to stay true to tradition and our quality standards while expanding the ways people can enjoy espresso cocktails to their liking in a modern context." The new product had been developed for use in both professional bars and at-home cocktail occasions. Luxardo said it can be used in classic espresso cocktails such as espresso martini, as well as serves including espresso tonic, without requiring fresh espresso. Brian Radics, chief marketing officer at Hotaling & Co, Luxardo’s US importer, said: "For years, espresso cocktails have been one of the most in-demand serves on menus, but there has never been a true decaf solution behind the bar". "As consumers increasingly seek to extend café-style moments into the evening without the effects of caffeine, the decaf liqueur provides a cocktail-ready solution. Espresso Liqueur has been the fastest-growing product in the US Luxardo portfolio. We believe consumers and bartenders will respond similarly to our new decaf offering and embrace decaf cocktails as part of their cocktail programs and at-home occasions." Luxardo Decaf Espresso Liqueur contains 0.4mg of caffeine per ounce and is bottled at 27% ABV. The product is made without added colouring agents The liqueur has an SRP of $29.99 for a 750ml bottle and is available through select US retailers, including BevMo, Total Wine & More and Eataly, as well as on-premise accounts and online.

JAB BevCo, a subsidiary of investment firm JAB Holding Company, has sold its remaining stake in Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) following the beverage giant's JDE Peet's acquisition and planned separation. JAB's remaining stake consisted of approximately 59.1 million shares, or around 4.3% of the company's outstanding common stock. The shares were sold through an unregistered block trade managed by JP Morgan Securities. This transaction completes JAB's exit from Keurig Dr Pepper. In May 2025, the investment firm sold 75 million KDP shares in a transaction worth approximately $2.51 billion, reducing its holding to around 4.4% of the company's outstanding common stock. JAB has now sold that remaining stake, which had a market value of approximately $1.85 billion based on KDP's share price at the time of the announcement. Keurig Dr Pepper was formed in 2018 through the merger of Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple Group. JAB played a key role in the creation of the business and had remained one of its major shareholders in the years since the merger. Last year, KDP announced its acquisition of coffee giant JDE Peet's for €15.7 billion, with plans to separate into two US-listed public companies: Global Coffee Co and Beverage Co. JAB said it remains committed to its consumer investment platform and will continue to focus on building consumer businesses through long-term investment. The company added that recent senior appointments have strengthened its team as it pursues opportunities across the consumer sector.

British chocolate drinks chain Knoops is expanding its cold beverage offering with the launch of what it describes as the UK's first dedicated frozen hot chocolate range. The launch builds on the company's existing cold drinking chocolate portfolio, which includes iced and milkshake-style beverages, and is intended to help drive sales beyond the traditional autumn and winter hot chocolate season. The move comes as foodservice operators increasingly invest in iced and frozen beverages to attract consumers during warmer months. According to figures cited by Knoops, 62% of branded coffee shop leaders identify iced drinks as the category with the greatest growth potential, while UK iced coffee sales have grown at a compound annual rate of 22% over the past five years. Developed by founder Jens Knoop, the frozen hot chocolate range is made using the brand's signature chocolate buttons, blended with milk and ice. The drinks are available in two chocolate varieties: 54% Dark Chocolate and 28% White Chocolate. The range includes six core menu options: 54% Dark Frozen Hot Chocolate, 54% Dark Frozen Chocolate Mocha, 54% Dark Frozen Hot Chocolate with Orange Zest, 28% White Frozen Hot Chocolate, 28% White Frozen Hot Chocolate with Lemon Zest and 28% White Frozen Hot Chocolate with Matcha. Customers can further customise their drinks with a choice of dairy or plant-based milk, alongside additional mix-ins from the wider Knoops menu. Jens Knoop said: "We've spent years perfecting the drinking chocolate experience and wanted to create a frozen serve that delivers the same quality, depth of flavour and customisation that customers expect from Knoops. Our real drinking chocolate makes all the difference: creating a drink that remains smooth, indulgent and refreshing whilst still showcasing the character of the chocolate itself." "There’s significant potential for drinking frozen chocolate as consumers seek premium alternatives to traditional iced coffees, milkshakes and blended beverages during the summer months." The new drinks will be available across all 27 Knoops locations from 19 June, with early access for app users already available.

Exchange For Change, the organisation responsible for delivering the UK's forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), has announced a new package of retailer support measures, including expanded exemption criteria and £60 million in grant funding, ahead of the scheme's planned launch in October 2027. The measures are designed to help retailers prepare for the introduction of the DRS across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, under which consumers will pay a refundable deposit on eligible drinks containers. Under existing regulations, retailers in urban areas with a retail footprint of less than 100 square metres are automatically exempt from operating a return point for DRS containers. Exchange For Change has now secured agreement from regulators in all three nations to broaden the exemption criteria. The changes will allow urban retailers with a sales area of between 100 square metres and 199 square metres, as well as rural retailers with less than 200 square metres of sales space, to apply for a size-based exemption. Additional exemptions may also be granted where factors such as proximity to another return point, heritage or listed building restrictions, site access limitations or a lack of utilities make participation difficult. Alongside the expanded exemptions, Exchange For Change has committed £60 million in grant funding to support the installation of Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) at up to 10,000 small independent retail sites across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Eligible retailers will be able to access grants worth £6,000 per site, paid in three annual instalments of £2,000 following the installation of an RVM. According to Exchange For Change, the funding is intended to help smaller retailers manage the costs associated with participating in the scheme and operating automated return points. Russell Davies, CEO of Exchange For Change, said: "Retailers will play a fundamental role in transforming how we increase recycling and reduce litter in every corner of the UK through the Deposit Return Scheme". "This package of support has been developed following extensive consultation with industry and intended to help retailers of different sizes make the best choice for their business, whether that's installing an RVM or applying for an exemption." "Together with the Return Handling Fee, the extension to exemptions and the provision of grants for small, independent retailers is another significant milestone in our work to deliver a scheme that is fair for business and accessible and easy to use for all consumers." The announcement follows the publication of the scheme's Return Handling Fee (RHF) structure last week. Under the framework, manual return points will receive 3p per container returned, while automated return points will be compensated according to annual return volumes. Retailers operating automated return points will receive 5p per container for up to 225,000 eligible containers returned annually. Returns above that threshold will attract a fee of 1.3p per container. The RHF is intended to help retailers recover costs associated with collecting and storing returned containers, including equipment purchases, staff training and the use of retail floor space. Exchange For Change said the expanded exemption criteria are intended to provide greater flexibility for retailers while ensuring sufficient local return point coverage for consumers. The organisation will be responsible for assessing and approving exemption applications. While grocery retailers with more than 200 square metres of retail space will still be able to apply for exemptions, the new framework maintains a presumption against granting exemptions to stores of that size or larger. Further details on grant eligibility and the exemption application process are expected to be published during the third quarter of 2026.

Lavazza has launched its Tablì single-serve coffee system in the US, introducing compressed coffee tabs made entirely from coffee as an alternative to traditional plastic and aluminium capsules. The launch marks the first expansion of the Tablì platform beyond Italy, where it was first unveiled in 2025. At the centre of the system are single-serve tabs made from compressed, pre-dosed ground coffee, eliminating the need for capsules, individual wrapping or coatings. Developed over five years and backed by more than 15 patents, the proprietary technology compresses ground and tamped coffee into a solid tab that can be brewed directly in a dedicated Tablì machine. Lavazza said the format allows consumers to smell, feel and see the coffee before it is brewed. Daniele Foti, vice president of marketing at Lavazza North America, said: "Tablì eliminates the trade-off between quality and convenience entirely – it's a true multisensory experience: coffee you can smell, feel, and see before it ever brews. And what's in the cup matches what's in your hands: the perfect espresso, every single time." "The US is one of the most dynamic markets in the world, and the momentum we've built here across our different segments is exactly why we're bringing Tablì here as the first market outside Italy. This is our biggest bet on this market yet, and we intend to shape what comes next." The Tablì range launches with five varieties: Espresso, Double Espresso, Lungo, Super Crema and Decaf. The accompanying machine is available in Graphite Black, Sand White and Walnut Brown finishes and features a bean-shaped slider designed for one-touch operation. A milk frother and dedicated tab storage holder are also available. Lavazza said the launch forms part of its accelerated US growth strategy, with Tablì positioned as the centrepiece of its North American expansion plans. The company described single-serve coffee as one of the fastest-growing segments in the global coffee market and said Tablì is designed to create a new space within the category. The system is currently available for pre-order in the US ahead of its official launch in August.

PepsiCo has launched Pepsi 'House of Treats,' a new crafted beverages platform aimed at delivering customisable, experience-led drinks across entertainment, hospitality and foodservice venues. The platform, unveiled by Pepsi Global on Tuesday 9 June, is designed for away from home channels including cinemas, stadiums, restaurants and live events. It responds to growing consumer demand for beverage personalisation, flavour exploration and what the company describes as 'treatanomics,' offering multisensory drinks experiences through selected PepsiCo partners. According to PepsiCo, the platform has been developed to enable large venues to offer customised drinks while maintaining speed of service and operational efficiency. The company said the concept is intended to help venues such as sports stadiums, theatre networks and restaurant chains serve visually distinctive beverages while enhancing consumer engagement with live entertainment experiences. Pepsi's 'House of Treats' forms part of PepsiCo's Meaningful Food and Drink Experience strategy and will initially be rolled out through select hospitality and entertainment partners. The first activation took place earlier this month in the UK during a Pepsi Max-branded experience at SXSW London event. PepsiCo said additional launches are planned later this year in Poland, Romania and Czech Republic, alongside further expansion across UK venues and PepsiCo pourer properties. "The role of beverages is evolving from functional refreshment into a much more experiential and culturally-relevant occasion," said Eugene Willemsen, chief executive officer of international beverages at PepsiCo. “Consumers are increasingly seeking personalised, elevated experiences that feel memorable and worth sharing. Pepsi 'House of Treats' is designed to meet that shift. Bringing together flavour, customisation and our broader portfolio in a single scalable platform for away from home environments, it gives our partners a simple way to unlock premium growth and operational efficiency while delivering standout experiences that drive stronger engagement and repeat demand." The platform will begin rolling out from June 2026 and will feature a menu of crafted beverages spanning a range of flavour profiles, including indulgent, refreshing and sensory-led options. PepsiCo said the drinks line-up will include more unconventional serves, such as beverages featuring a hint of spice.