The Vending & Automated Retail Association (AVA) has welcomed the UK government’s announcement of the deposit return scheme’s official name, Exchange for Change , as consultation on the scheme continues. The AVA said it has played a key role in the development of the scheme, working with the UK Deposit Management Organisation from the outset to ensure the needs of vending and automated retail operators are represented. As a result, vending and unattended retail have been structured to remain exempt from the requirement to provide a return point, which the association described as a critical protection for the sector. The AVA said it continues to push for practical implementation measures that reflect the operational realities of automated retail, including safeguards against additional fees and logistical challenges for operators. Scott Sherlock, public affairs manager at the AVA, said it was essential that the scheme continues to recognise the sector’s unique operating model and that exemptions are maintained as implementation progresses. AVA chief executive David Llewellyn said the launch of the scheme name marked progress but noted that a tight timetable remains ahead of the planned October 2027 launch. He added that the industry could benefit from a unified scheme operating consistently across the UK. The AVA said it will continue working with government and industry stakeholders to support its members as the UK vending and automated retail sector adapts to environmental regulation linked to the rollout of Exchange for Change.

Cawston Press has entered the flavoured sparkling water category with the launch of a new two-strong range made with real pressed fruit juice and sparkling water. Launching on 2 February, the range includes Squeezed Lime and Pressed Watermelon variants. Both products are made with sparkling spring water and real pressed fruit juice, with no added sugar, sweeteners or fruit juice concentrates. The Squeezed Lime variant blends sparkling spring water with lime juice, while Pressed Watermelon combines watermelon juice with a small amount of lemon. The move marks an expansion for the brand as it targets consumers seeking lower-sugar hydration options, amid growing demand for alternatives to sugary and caffeinated drinks. According to Cawston Press, the range is positioned between plain sparkling water and traditional carbonated soft drinks, aiming to offer a flavoured option using a limited ingredient list and clear labelling. Cawston Press MD Steve Kearns said: “Sparkling water is a growing category, but we saw a clear opportunity to do things differently. Consumers want great tasting clean ingredients even when they’re choosing flavoured sparkling water." "Using real pressed fruit, we’ve created a sparkling water that delivers genuine full-on fruit flavour without adding anything unnecessary. For retailers, we’re offering a premium option that stands out on shelf and speaks directly to today’s health-conscious shopper.” Cawston Press Sparkling Waters are available in 440ml single cans and 4x330ml multipacks. The new range is stocked at Ocado, Amazon, selected wholesalers and via the brand’s website.

UK coffee brand TrueStart Coffee has secured a Series A investment led by JamJar Investments, the consumer-focused investment firm behind Innocent Drinks. DLF Venture and a group of strategic angel investors also participated in the funding round, which a spokesperson for TrueStart told Refreshment totalled a multi-million-pound investment. The funding will be used to support the company’s next phase of growth, including expanding retail distribution of its core range, launching new products, scaling brand and sampling activity and further developing its direct-to-consumer (D2C) channel. Founded in 2015 by Helena Hills and Simon Hills, TrueStart was created during the founders’ triathlon training, with the aim of offering speciality-grade coffee positioned around caffeine awareness and everyday performance. The brand sources coffee from selected origins, including Colombia, and carries out testing to ensure consistency across its range. TrueStart is listed with retailers including Asda, Morrisons, Co-op, Costco and Ocado, and is available across more than 5,000 distribution points in the UK. It has also built a D2C customer base alongside its retail and out-of-home presence. Helena Hills said: “After ten years of diligently building our brand bootstrapped, we have fantastic product-market fit and the demand for TrueStart has never been higher". "This strategic investment will enable us to rapidly accelerate our already explosive growth, to build a category defining brand that always delivers on taste, health & energy for our customers. The future is super bright and we are just getting started.” Adam Balon, co-founder of JamJar Investments, commented: “TrueStart is exactly the kind of brand and team we love to back… one that brings excitement, optimism and a bit of fun to people’s everyday routines. Coffee is a huge category that’s been crying out for a shake-up, and TrueStart is doing exactly that with brilliant products, a clear point of view and founders with the ambition to build something genuinely special." "TrueStart has already proven they can unlock growth in a way most challengers can’t. We see massive potential and are excited to be part of the journey as TrueStart builds one of the next great consumer brands.” Clément Helinckx, principal at DLF Venture, added: “TrueStart has shown it can deliver real, incremental and profitable growth through exceptional products and a meaningful brand. This next stage is about scaling across retail, out of home and D2C, by launching innovation that grows the category and activating the brand in ways that recruit new consumers and build long-term brand value.”

Arden’s Garden, a premium cold-pressed juice and wellness company based in Atlanta, has launched Sea Moss Energy, a new functional wellness shot designed to deliver sustained energy and gut-friendly nutrition. The product builds on the company’s growing lineup of sea moss–based offerings, following the success of its Tropical Sea Moss Smoothie, introduced in 2025. Sea Moss Energy is made with fruit juices and gel derived from St Lucia sea moss and features tropical flavours including pineapple, passion fruit and lemon. The 2-ounce shot contains green tea for a smooth caffeine lift without the crash commonly associated with coffee. Each serving delivers 106 milligrams of caffeine and just 40 calories. “We have seen such an amazing response to our other products that utilise sea moss gel, so it was only natural that we expanded our wellness shot offering to include Sea Moss Energy as well,” said Leslie Zinn, CEO of Arden’s Garden. “In just six months, our Tropical Sea Moss Smoothie became a best-selling product. Consumers are clearly interested in sea moss for its mineral-rich nourishment and anti-inflammatory properties, and this shot allows us to deliver those benefits in a convenient, on-the-go format”. Founded in 1995, Arden’s Garden has steadily expanded its portfolio of fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, functional beverages and better-for-you foods. The addition of Sea Moss Energy reflects growing consumer interest in functional ingredients that support energy, digestion, and metabolic health. According to the company, the new shot was developed to support gut health and thyroid function while appealing to flavour-forward consumers. “We took the best of both worlds, functional ingredients and tropical flavours, and combined them into a wellness shot that’s easy to toss into a gym bag or lunchbox,” Zinn said. Sea Moss Energy is now rolling out nationally, hitting shelves this week in more than 1,450 Publix locations and already available in over 100 Roundy’s stores across the Midwest. Additional retail distribution is expected to be announced in the coming months as Arden’s Garden continues to expand its footprint. The product retails for $2.99 per 2oz shot and is available at all Publix locations.

Caffè Nero North America has been selected as the stalking horse bidder in the court-supervised sale of assets belonging to US coffee chain Compass Coffee, following approval from the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia. On Friday, 23 January 2026, the court approved bidding procedures governing the proposed sale, including the designation of a stalking horse purchaser, bidder protections and the timetable for the auction and sale hearing. Under the stalking horse agreement, Caffè Nero North America has submitted an offer to acquire substantially all of Compass Coffee’s assets for a cash purchase price of $2.9 million, alongside the assumption of certain specified liabilities. The bid remains subject to higher or better offers submitted in line with the court-approved process. The agreement also includes a proposed break-up fee equal to 4% of the cash purchase price, payable under certain circumstances if the transaction does not proceed. Compass Coffee filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month as it seeks to restructure parts of its business in response to lower foot traffic and rising costs in Washington, DC. The company said its cafés will continue operating throughout the process. In court filings, Compass cited structural changes to Washington’s retail environment since 2020, including sustained declines in downtown office occupancy and weekday footfall, alongside legacy lease structures and fixed operating costs that are no longer aligned with current demand. As part of the restructuring, the company confirmed plans to close its Ivy City roasting facility, stating that the site was built to support a scale of production that no longer reflects today’s retail environment and is no longer economically viable within the city. Compass said the Chapter 11 process will allow it to address legacy costs, rebalance operations around current demand and focus resources on its strongest neighbourhood cafés. Founded more than a decade ago, Compass Coffee operates 25 cafés across Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia, and has said it will continue trading while working to stabilise the business and align its operating structure with current market conditions.

Pringles has teamed up with Xbox and Bethesda Softworks to launch a limited-edition Fallout 76 Mystery Flavour crisp across the UK and Ireland. The collaboration brings official Fallout 76 Vault imagery to Pringles’ packaging, with themed tubes designed to reflect the visual identity of the gaming franchise. The Mystery Flavour format continues Pringles’ recent approach of releasing limited-edition seasonings without disclosing the flavour profile. Alongside the Mystery Flavour, Pringles has also introduced a limited-edition packaging refresh across its core range, including Original, Sour Cream & Onion, Salt & Vinegar and Texas BBQ Sauce. The redesigned tubes draw inspiration from several Xbox gaming titles, including World of Warcraft: Midnight, Sea of Thieves, The Outer Worlds 2 and Fallout 76. Grace Taylor, brand activation lead at Pringles, said the Mystery Flavour format is designed to encourage engagement and discussion. She said: “Our Mystery Flavours always get people buzzing with excitement. Our most recent ‘Santa’s Secret Flavour’ had people guessing right up to the end, until the big reveal announced it was a delicious festive truffle." She added: "But this drop – our third ever Mystery Flavour – is a full-on flavour quest. The seasoning is bold, surprising and full of twists that will keep fans debating for months on end." The Fallout 76 Mystery Flavour and limited-edition core range tubes are available for a limited time.

The UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO) has unveiled Exchange for Change as its new trading name, marking a key step in preparations for the launch of the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The not-for-profit body is responsible for designing and delivering the DRS across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which is scheduled to go live in October 2027. According to the organisation, the Exchange for Change name is intended to reflect the core principle of the scheme: enabling consumers to return empty drinks containers and reclaim their deposit, supporting improved recycling rates and reduced litter. Alongside the rebrand, Exchange for Change has introduced a new scheme icon, which will appear on all bottles, cans and designated return points once the DRS is implemented. Developed in collaboration with Uncommon Creative Studio, the icon depicts bottles and cans transforming into coins, designed to be easily recognisable for consumers and applicable across the full range of in-scope containers. The organisation said supporting producers, retailers, wholesalers and hospitality operators will be a central focus as the scheme moves into its next phase. Detailed guidance on how and when the logo should be applied – including placement, sizing, colour use and approved formats – is expected to be issued in the coming weeks to help businesses prepare packaging and artwork updates ahead of launch. Commenting on the rebrand, Exchange for Change chief executive Russell Davies said: “Our new name reflects what this scheme is all about, and that’s making a simple change that has the power to transform streets, communities and recycling habits across the UK”. The Deposit Return Scheme remains on track for implementation in October 2027, with further updates expected as Exchange for Change works with stakeholders across the supply chain to finalise operational and communications frameworks.

Hotel Chocolat has launched a new limited-edition drinking chocolate, Fire & Ice, to mark National Hot Chocolate Day on 31 January 2026. The product blends the brand’s 70% dark chocolate with Tasmanian peppermint and habanero chilli, combining cooling and warming flavour notes in a single formulation. Made with real chocolate flakes and natural ingredients, Fire & Ice is designed exclusively for use with Hotel Chocolat’s Velvetiser. According to the company, the flavour is inspired by its existing Fire & Ice chocolate selector, which has now been adapted into a hot chocolate format following the launch of the updated Velvetiser last year. Yiotis Panagiotou, specialtiy cocoa chocolatier (product development) at Hotel Chocolat, said: “Fire & Ice is originally a chocolate selector, but we’d never tried it as a drinking chocolate until now. After launching the all-new Velvetiser last year, I was inspired to invent a new and unexpected drinking chocolate flavour that ‘shouldn’t’ work, but it does." "Fire & Ice does just that – it’s the epitome of ‘opposites attract’ in drinking chocolate form. The two flavours get their own time to shine so you get to experience both. The chilli brings the heat and drama, whereas the peppermint balances it out bringing cool and calm. I can talk about it all day, but the fun really begins when you try it for yourself – which is why I’m excited for people to sip our complimentary samples in stores on National Hot Chocolate Day.” The launch forms part of Hotel Chocolat’s wider hot chocolate portfolio, which includes flavours such as 100% dark, ginger, chilli, coconut white, black forest gateau, peanut butter and mint. Fire & Ice will be available for a limited time in-store and online, priced at £14.95 for a box of ten sachets.

Berrington Pure Spring Water-owned aluminium bottled water brand Re:Water is investing £2 million in a new production facility in Herefordshire as it looks to scale output and support growing grocery, retail and hospitality demand for plastic alternatives. The new site, due to become operational in February, is located a few miles from the company’s existing base and is five times larger than the current facility. The expansion will allow Re:Water to add additional production lines, increase on-site stockholding and bring more of its operations in-house. The move is intended to strengthen supply chain resilience and improve capacity at a time when retailers are placing greater emphasis on scale, reliability and security of supply. Re:Water bottles its spring water in 100% recycled and fully recyclable aluminium, including the cap. The brand sources its water locally in Herefordshire and said it chose to remain in the area to protect water quality, retain its workforce and minimise disruption. The new facility will also support product development, with a 750ml bottle scheduled to launch in 2026 following the introduction of a 330ml format. The investment is expected to support future export growth, following the brand’s King’s Award for Innovation in 2025. According to the company, demand for aluminium bottled water continues to rise as consumers seek alternatives to single-use plastic without sacrificing convenience, while retailers and foodservice operators face increasing pressure to offer more sustainable packaging formats. Benjamin Rendell, director at Berrington Pure Spring Water, said: “We’re growing at pace and were forecast to reach capacity at our existing site. This investment is about staying ahead of that growth. The new site gives us the space to scale properly – adding production lines, increasing stock holding and making sure everything remains in-house and under our control.” Rhodri Lewis, director at Berrington Pure Spring Water, said the larger site would also help reduce the company’s carbon footprint by increasing on-site warehousing and cutting transport movements. With expanded capacity, on-site warehousing and BRC-compliant operations under one roof, Re:Water said the investment positions the business to continue growing across grocery, retail and hospitality channels while maintaining product quality and consistency. Re:Water’s spring and sparkling water is currently stocked in over 5,000 locations across the UK, including Marks & Spencer, Pret A Manger, Itsu, the National Trust and London Zoo. Recent contracts include Transport for Wales, which has moved to stock Re:Water exclusively, and the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour through the brand’s custom-print offering.

Planet Oat, the US oat milk brand owned by HP Hood, has entered the zero-sugar coffee creamer segment, launching what it says are the category’s first oat-based creamers formulated with no sugar per serving. The move reflects growing pressure on food and beverage manufacturers to cut sugar without sacrificing taste, as consumers scrutinise labels more closely and regulators and health bodies continue to focus on sugar reduction. The new products – Zero Sugar Caramel and Zero Sugar Vanilla Cinnamon – extend Planet Oat’s presence in the fast-growing plant-based coffee creamer market, a category that has increasingly become a battleground for differentiation as traditional dairy and non-dairy players compete for space in both chilled and ambient aisles. For ingredient suppliers and manufacturers, the launch highlights ongoing innovation around flavour delivery and sweetness modulation in plant-based formats, where sugar has traditionally played a key role in mouthfeel and taste. Brands are now under pressure to deliver indulgent profiles while aligning with 'zero' and 'free-from' claims that resonate with health-conscious consumers. The creamers are free from dairy, lactose, gluten, soy and nuts, positioning them as inclusive alternatives aimed at consumers managing allergies or dietary restrictions – a strategy that has helped plant-based brands broaden their appeal beyond vegans. The US coffee creamer market has been shifting steadily towards functional and 'better-for-you' formulations, with reduced sugar, clean label sweeteners and plant-based fats becoming key areas of product development. Creamers, unlike core milk alternatives, allow brands to command higher margins and experiment more aggressively with flavour and formulation. Planet Oat has not disclosed pricing or distribution details for the new products. The brand has previously focused on mainstream retail penetration rather than niche health channels, suggesting the zero-sugar line is intended to scale rather than remain a specialist offering.

Five Star Breaktime Solutions has acquired a Chattanooga, Tennessee-based vending and micro market business, Jordan Distributing, expanding its footprint across Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. The acquisition strengthens Five Star’s presence in the Chattanooga market, where the company will integrate the acquired routes into its existing operations to ensure continuity of service for customers. Jordan Distributing was founded by industry veteran Hugh Jordan, who entered the vending sector in 1972. In 1992, Jordan acquired Tom’s Distributorship in Knoxville and later expanded into Chattanooga. The business he acquired traces its origins back to 1937 and is credited with being among the first to introduce glass-front snack machines in workplaces in 1956. In recent years, the two-route operation in Chattanooga has been managed by Hugh’s son, Bart Jordan, serving customers across Chattanooga and nearby areas including Cleveland, Tennessee, and Dalton, Georgia. The transaction covers the vending and micro market routes only and does not include employees, facilities or ownership transitioning as part of the deal. The sale enables Hugh Jordan to retire after more than five decades in the vending industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Nestlé-owned brand Milkybar has launched a new white chocolate product in the UK and Ireland, expanding its range with a crunchy sharing format. The product combines crispy cereal balls coated in Milkybar white chocolate and is positioned as a sharing snack. According to Nestlé Confectionery, the Crunchy Pops are made with whole milk, Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa and contain no artificial flavours. The launch adds to Milkybar’s existing portfolio of white chocolate blocks and buttons. Rachel Beaufoy, marketing manager at Nestlé Confectionery, said: “It’s an exciting year for Milkybar, and Crunchy Pops are a special launch for us. We’ve combined a delicious crunchy texture with our creamy white chocolate to create a treat we think people will love.” The launch coincides with Milkybar’s 90th anniversary. The brand was introduced in 1936 in the UK and Switzerland and has since become one of the UK’s best-known white chocolate brands. Milkybar Crunchy Pops White Chocolate sharing bags will be available in stores across the UK&I from next week.