Joe & the Juice has partnered with television presenter Maya Jama to launch a limited-edition collagen-infused matcha drink in the UK, as the brand looks to tap into growing demand for functional beverages and flavour innovation. Maya Jama’s Matcha is available from 15 April across all 91 Joe & the Juice stores nationwide for a limited time. The drink combines matcha with a blend of black sesame, sea salt and agave and is served with Sproud Zero M*lk, a plant-based, high-protein, low-sugar barista product. According to the company, matcha has seen rapid growth in UK foodservice, with the category generating revenue of $37.2 million in 2024 and forecast to more than double to $77.5 million by 2033. Matcha drinks have also moved further into the mainstream, accounting for around 4% of all café drink sales, with volumes more than doubling year-on-year during peak summer periods. The wider functional drinks segment is also expanding, driven largely by younger consumers. The UK market has grown by 54% year-on-year, with health-focused beverages such as matcha, adaptogenic drinks and collagen-infused products increasingly replacing traditional coffee and alcohol consumption among Gen Z. The broader UK functional beverage market is now valued at approximately £2.4 billion. Joe & the Juice said the new product has been developed to offer a differentiated, UK-exclusive option within the high street, aligning with the rise of ‘swavoury’ flavour profiles that blend sweet and savoury tastes. The combination of black sesame, sea salt and agave delivers a balanced, subtly nutty flavour, while the addition of collagen adds a functional element and supports premiumisation in the coffee-to-go category. The collaboration with Jama is intended to strengthen the brand’s cultural positioning, using talent-led partnerships to drive relevance and footfall among younger consumers. The drink’s dark, monochrome aesthetic also reflects Jama’s personal brand and her co-ownership of Sproud. Maya Jama said: “I wanted to create something with Joe & the Juice that felt a bit different but still really on trend. The black sesame gives it that slightly nutty, savoury flavour and the collagen adds a little extra. I hope fellow matcha lovers fall for it just as much as I have!” Jon James, UK managing director at Joe & the Juice, added: “At Joe, our mission has always been to make high quality, freshly prepared food and drinks part of people’s everyday routines. Maya Jama is the perfect partner to bring this to life – her influence, cultural relevance and connection with our audience make this collaboration a natural fit." "We’re really excited to be working with Maya on this launch, and Maya Jama’s Matcha is a great example of how we’re evolving the category. The flavour combination brings something different to the market, while the addition of collagen taps into growing demand for more functional options.” The launch will also be supported in-store with a limited-edition Matcha Bar, featuring flavour pairings such as sesame and dark chocolate, designed to drive trial and engagement with the wider matcha category. Maya Jama’s Matcha is currently available at Joe & the Juice stores nationwide for a limited time.

Death Wish Coffee Co has expanded its ready-to-drink (RTD) portfolio with the launch of a Caramel Cold Brew Latte. The new product builds on the brand’s existing RTD range, which includes Mocha, Vanilla and Classic Cold Brew Lattes, and responds to demand for higher-caffeine, better-for-you coffee options. The company positions the launch against traditional energy drinks, highlighting consumer preference for natural ingredients and flavour in the RTD coffee segment, particularly among Gen Z and Millennial consumers. Caramel remains one of the leading flavour profiles in the category, and Death Wish Coffee said the new variant is designed to offer a more balanced alternative to sweeter coffeehouse-style drinks. The Caramel Cold Brew Latte is made with 100% Colombian cold brew coffee that is Fair Trade USA certified and contains no artificial colours or flavours. Each 11oz slim can delivers up to 120mg of natural caffeine. The company states the product contains 65% less sugar than a leading competitor and is a source of protein. Steve Gardiner, CEO of Death Wish Coffee, said: “We built Death Wish Coffee by refusing to settle for weak, bitter brews and we’re done with the idea that convenience requires compromise. Our Caramel Cold Brew Latte proves you don’t have to sacrifice ingredient integrity for potency. It is the bold, insanely smooth, natural caffeine kick our fans need to live at full throttle – without the junk, and with the Fair Trade standards the planet deserves.” The product is available via Amazon and in-store at Walmart, Safeway, Albertsons and other retailers.

Berlin-based soft drinks brand Holy has launched an adjustable flavour system, introducing a new 'Syrup Bottle' designed to let consumers control drink intensity at the point of consumption. The product combines water with a replaceable flavour pod and uses a mechanical dosing system with five preset intensity levels, ranging from light to strong. Users can adjust flavour strength via a dial on the bottle, allowing the same drink to be tailored throughout the day without dilution or remixing. Holy said the system addresses a long-standing limitation in soft drinks, where flavour intensity is typically fixed during production despite differing consumer preferences and occasions. Holy will debut ten sugar-free flavours at launch, including Green Apple, Elderflower Lime, Mango, Cola Popsicle, Tangerine Yuzu and Pomegranate. The company said the formulations are designed to remain consistent across all five intensity settings. According to the company, the main barrier to adjustable soft drinks has been technological rather than formulation-related. Holy spent three years developing the dosing mechanism, producing six prototype generations before finalising a system capable of delivering consistent, controlled flavour mixing in a portable format. Several components are currently under patent application. Fredi Jost, co-founder of Holy, said: “The drinks industry has spent decades optimising flavour. What was missing was a system that makes it controllable.” The launch also introduces a shift in format, moving away from ready-mixed beverages towards a system based on a reusable bottle and interchangeable flavour pods. Flavour is created at the moment of use rather than during manufacturing and distribution. By separating water and flavour, the system reduces packaging, weight and transport volume, with each pod designed to produce several litres of drink. Holy said these efficiencies are a result of the product design rather than a primary sustainability claim. The Syrup Bottle will be available as part of a starter bundle including ten flavour pods, providing approximately 25 litres of drink at a mid-level setting. The bundle is set to launch on Sunday 19 April, priced at £44.99 via the company’s UK website.

Nestlé and Starbucks are expanding their presence in the cold coffee category with the launch of a new premium concentrate under their Global Coffee Alliance. The product, Starbucks Coffee Craft, is a concentrated coffee made from arabica beans and designed to replicate the brand’s signature flavour in at-home iced beverages. It will launch this year in Japan, South Korea and the UK, with a wider roll-out across Europe and Asia planned for 2027. Available in two variants – Rich Black and Signature Caramel – the concentrate can be mixed with water, milk or plant-based alternatives, allowing consumers to create drinks such as iced americanos and iced caramel macchiatos at home. Cold coffee continues to drive growth in the wider coffee category, with forecasts suggesting the segment could exceed $4 billion in value by 2030. Nestlé and Starbucks said the new launch aims to capture this demand by combining indulgence, convenience and personalisation. Ethel Touitou, Nestlé’s global category lead for Starbucks, commented: “We are excited to expand coffee concentrates to the Starbucks brand, making it easier and more convenient to create delicious, iced beverages at home, while staying true to the signature Starbucks taste". “Whether using water, milk, or plant-based alternatives, consumers can now personalize their coffee experience – from iced americanos to iced caramel macchiatos – with a simple pour and from the comfort of their homes.” Nik Dodi, vice president of the Global Coffee Alliance at Starbucks, added that the product highlights the partnership’s ability to extend the Starbucks experience beyond coffee shops and into new formats and consumption occasions. The product builds on the Global Coffee Alliance between the two companies, which began eight years ago. The partnership combines Nestlé’s manufacturing and distribution capabilities with Starbucks’ brand strength, and has expanded the availability of Starbucks-branded products across retail, at-home and foodservice channels.

McDonald's is preparing to expand into energy drinks and flavoured sodas as part of a broader overhaul of its cold beverage offering in the US, according to a report by the The Wall Street Journal . The company is expected to introduce a Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer alongside new drinks such as a Dirty Dr Pepper and a Mango Pineapple Refresher, with a rollout beginning next month. Energy drinks are reportedly set to follow from August. The move builds on several years of beverage development, including trials conducted through McDonald’s now-closed CosMc’s concept, where drinks such as Sour Cherry Energy Burst and Blackberry Mint Green Tea were tested. According to the WSJ , McDonald’s plans to price the new drinks below competitors including Starbucks, Dutch Bros and Sonic. The beverages are also expected to deliver strong margins for franchisees, who have invested in equipment to support preparation without disrupting service. The expansion comes as demand grows for energy drinks and flavoured sodas, with consumers seeking alternatives to traditional coffee and tea. Following the closure of CosMc’s in May last year, the company began testing new drinks in around 500 US restaurants in late 2025.

HeroVend has launched a cloud-based vending intelligence platform designed to give operators real-time visibility over sales, inventory and performance across their machines. The software connects to existing vending hardware via supported APIs and consolidates data into a single dashboard, including live sales, stock levels, cost tracking and automated reporting. According to the company, the platform enables operators to monitor orders, revenue, profit and margins, with data refreshed every five minutes. Users can filter performance by machine, date range, payment status or customer, and access detailed product-level insights. HeroVend team said: “We wanted to give vending operators the same kind of business intelligence that big retailers take for granted. The kind of insight that tells you which machine is underperforming before it costs you a week of revenue, or which product just fell off a cliff before you restock it.” The platform includes a cost analysis tool that allows operators to configure cost of goods, transaction fees, sales tax and revenue share by location, automatically calculating margins for each product and machine. At its core is ‘Hero AI’, an embedded assistant powered by Anthropic’s Claude, which enables users to query operational data in natural language. The AI also monitors performance through automated anomaly detection, identifying issues such as inactive machines, declining product sales or changes in customer behaviour. HeroVend also provides a daily performance summary, highlighting key metrics, stock alerts and trends. Inventory is tracked in real time, with automated stock updates based on sales data and configurable low-stock alerts. A log records all stock activity, including restocking and adjustments, while warehouse inventory can also be managed through the platform. The web-based system is mobile-optimised and can operate offline using a local data archive. Additional features include role-based access, two-factor authentication and exportable reports in multiple formats. HeroVend is available via subscription, with plans starting at $49 per month for up to 30 machines, rising to $79 per month for 31-100 machines and $199 per month for fleets exceeding 100 machines.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and World Coffee Research (WCR), alongside industry partners, have announced a €850,000 co-investment to support Uganda’s coffee sector through improvements to seed systems and farmer livelihoods. The three-year initiative, part of the Advancing Climate-Resilience and Transformation in African Coffee (ACT) programme, brings together UNIDO, WCR, the Lavazza Foundation, The JM Smucker Co and JDE Peet’s. The programme is funded in part by Italian Cooperation. The project aims to expand access to high-quality planting material, improve productivity and strengthen resilience across Uganda’s coffee sector, which is the largest exporter in Africa. It also supports the country’s target of reaching 20 million bags of annual coffee production by 2030. Ugandan coffee farmers face ongoing challenges from diseases such as coffee wilt disease in robusta and coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease in arabica. According to previous research, adoption of disease-resistant varieties can increase smallholder profits by up to 250%. The initiative will focus on developing seed system infrastructure, including the establishment of robusta mother gardens and nurseries across Northern, Central and Western Uganda. These are expected to produce up to 460,000 high-yielding, disease-resistant robusta trees annually, including drought-tolerant grafted varieties. It will also include genotyping more than 5,000 plants to ensure genetic quality, alongside training programmes for technicians in propagation and quality assurance. Demonstration plots for robusta and arabica varieties will be set up to support farmer adoption. The programme builds on a national roadmap for investment in coffee research and seed systems, led by Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organisation and National Coffee Research Institute in collaboration with WCR. Andrea De Marco, programme manager at UNIDO, said"Uganda's coffee sector holds extraordinary potential, and this initiative demonstrates precisely the kind of public-private partnership that can unlock it". "Through the ACT Coffee Programme, UNIDO is working to ensure that the benefits of innovation in seed systems and climate-resilient varieties reach the smallholder farmers who need them most, building the foundation for a coffee sector that is productive, sustainable and equitable." The partnership builds on WCR’s existing work in Uganda to improve access to quality planting material and strengthen long-term coffee supply.

Planet Doughnut has installed a 24/7 vending machine outside its bakery at Battlefield Industrial Estate in Shrewsbury, offering customers round-the-clock access to its products. The machine is stocked daily with a range of doughnuts, including core and limited-edition flavours, as well as branded merchandise. It is located at the company’s site on Knights Way and is accessible throughout the year. Alice Turnbull, head of marketing at Planet Doughnut, said the business was “excited to finally share what has been a well-kept secret” and to introduce a new concept to local customers. The company said it is exploring opportunities to expand the vending machine concept to other locations, including towns, cities and workplaces. Founded in 2017 by Duncan and Samantha McGregor in a garage in Shropshire, Planet Doughnut grew from a home operation into a dedicated bakery before being acquired by the Delves family in 2025. The business produces handcrafted doughnuts using a vegan dough at its SALSA-accredited bakery. Products have a shelf life of up to 72 hours and are supplied to a range of stockists, including farm shops, garden centres, holiday parks, theme parks, football stadiums and music venues.

Exchange For Change plans to allocate £60 million in grants over the first three years of the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) to support small, independent retailers with the rollout of reverse vending machines (RVMs). The proposed funding scheme will provide £6,000 per site, distributed over three years in annual payments of £2,000. The first instalment is expected to be paid around three months after implementation. The grants are intended to help offset the upfront cost of installing RVMs, which the organisation identified as a key barrier for smaller retailers. The funding will be provided in addition to the Return Handling Fee. The grant scheme forms part of a wider set of measures aimed at balancing accessibility of return points with operational practicality for businesses. As part of its proposed framework, Exchange For Change said urban retailers with a sales area below 100 square metres will be automatically exempt from operating a return point. Other retailers may also be able to apply for exemptions where space, layout, infrastructure or health and safety constraints make hosting a return point impractical, provided local access is not affected. Urban stores between 100-199 square metres, as well as rural retailers under 200 square metres, are expected to be eligible to apply for exemptions based on physical limitations. Any exemptions would require approval and depend on sufficient local return point coverage. The proposals are currently under review by regulators across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with further details on eligibility criteria, application processes and operational requirements expected in the coming weeks.

DuPont has launched a new ultrafiltration (UF) module with an integrated pre-filter, combining pre-filtration and ultrafiltration into a single unit. The Inge UF modules with integrated pre-filter (iP-F) remove the need for a separate pre-filtration manifold, which is typically used to eliminate debris and particulates. By integrating both steps into one housing, the system is designed to reduce plant footprint as well as capital and operational costs associated with standalone pre-filtration units. The modules use the same membrane materials, dimensions and drinking water certifications as existing Inge UF products. They are intended for use in new installations, plant expansions and containerised systems where space and operational simplicity are priorities. According to DuPont, the combined system can deliver consistent permeate quality, pathogen removal and improved tolerance to variations in feedwater quality, while requiring less space than conventional filtration setups. System configurations can be assessed using DuPont’s Wave Pro modelling software, which enables evaluation of different treatment designs as part of overall process planning. DuPont Water Solutions said its technologies are used to purify more than 50 million gallons of water per minute across 112 countries, serving municipal, industrial and desalination applications. Dorie Yontz, global marketing leader for drinking water and desalination at DuPont Water Solutions, said: “By combining pre-filtration and ultrafiltration into a single unit operation, Inge ultrafiltration modules with integrated pre-filter will help customers simplify plant design while protecting their UF membrane investment. The result is a more compact, efficient solution that supports reliable performance across a range of water qualities.”

Smeg USA has expanded its coffee portfolio with the launch of a new espresso and cold brew machine, alongside a multi-purpose coffee grinder and additional colour options across its countertop appliances. The new Espresso & Cold Brew Coffee Machine (ECF03) combines hot and cold brewing capabilities in a single unit, offering single and double espresso functions as well as single and double cold brew doses. The machine features a 15-bar pump, pressure gauge, 58mm portafilter and steam wand, and includes a 47oz removable water tank. It also incorporates a rapid heating system and a built-in cup warmer. Designed as a companion product, the Multi-purpose Coffee Grinder (CGF03) includes 15 grind settings, programmable dosing and a manual grinding mode. It is equipped with stainless-steel conical burrs, an 8.8oz bean hopper and a 4.6oz ground coffee container and features an antistatic system to reduce mess. Both products are available in Smeg's 1950s-style design in multiple colourways, including black, white, pastel green, cream and pastel blue. In addition, the company has introduced matte black and matte white finishes across selected appliances, including its two-slice toaster, electric kettle, semi-automatic espresso machine and drip coffee maker. Karen Olle, marketing director at Smeg USA, said: "The morning coffee ritual sets the tone for the entire day, and we believe it deserves to be a thoughtful, elevated experience. With our new coffee suite and sophisticated matte finishes, we are bringing the authentic Italian café straight to the kitchen counter, merging exceptional performance and flawless design." The espresso and cold brew machine is priced at $840, while the grinder retails at $300.

Café chain Blank Street is in early-stage discussions to raise more than $100 million in fresh funding as it looks to accelerate expansion, according to the Financial Times . The café chain, which was valued at around $500 million last year, could reportedly approach a $1 billion valuation in any deal. However, sources said talks remain preliminary and neither the funding size nor valuation has been finalised. Founded in 2020 by Vinay Menda and Issam Freiha with a small coffee cart in Brooklyn, Blank Street is a fast-growing café chain focused on delivering speciality-grade coffee and fresh, locally sourced food. Blank Street now operates across multiple US cities as well as London, where it launched in 2022 and has since expanded to more than 40 locations across the UK, including Scotland. The company reported turnover of nearly £36 million for the 2024 financial year. The potential funding round would support further growth, including expansion into new cities. The company is also preparing to enter Los Angeles. The discussions come as newer café concepts gain traction with younger consumers, while established chains face mounting pressure. Starbucks has closed selected UK sites as part of a broader restructuring. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola has abandoned plans to sell Costa Coffee after failing to secure bids meeting its expectations , highlighting ongoing challenges in the traditional coffee chain segment. Top image: © Blank Street Coffee