Ball Corporation has partnered with water bottling technology business, Boomerang Water, to offer consumers a sustainable way to stay hydrated. The technology washes, rinses, filters, fills and caps fresh water in refillable, returnable and recyclable Ball aluminium bottles, helping avert waste and carbon emissions created by the manufacture and transportation of traditional, disposable bottles. According to Ball, the alliance will see both companies recycle the bottles rather than dispose of them at their end of life, allowing them to then be turned into new bottles within 60 days. Boomerang Water co-founder, Jason Dibble, said: “Boomerang is delivering industry-leading innovation with its bottling system that can wash, fill and cap more than 3,000 bottles of fresh, premium water per eight-hour shift. The whole idea and concept is the reusability and circularity of the aluminium bottles paired with a Boomerang system. Ball’s aluminium bottles are the perfect complement for our Boomerang Bottling System, since they can get re-used over and over and ultimately recycled easily at the end of their life.” #BallCorporation #BoomerangWater #US

Waterloo Sparkling Water has announced the launch of a new Spiced Apple flavour variation, offering a calorie, sugar and sweetener-free Autumnal experience. “After 50 versions over nine months of development, we found the perfect balance of warm baked and fresh crisp apple flavours with cinnamon and spice notes, landing on an apple pie filling finish with hints of vanilla sweetness”, said Adam Price, senior vice president of operations and flavour development lead at Waterloo. The new beverage’s blend of apple, aromatic spices and cider notes can be consumed on its own or used as a mixer for cocktails and mocktails, and like all of Waterloo’s portfolio, the drink contains no calories, sugar or sweeteners. Waterloo drinks are made with non-GMO Project Verified natural flavours and purified carbonated water, providing a crisp and refreshing experience that supports healthy, active lifestyles. #carbonateddrinks #nonGMO #nonHFSS #WaterlooSparklingWater

Keurig Dr Pepper has expanded its connected brewer line with the introduction of K-Café Smart. The new brewer connects to the Keurig mobile app for over 70 coffeehouse recipes. K-Café Smart also uses the brand’s BrewID technology, which can select the perfect settings for whatever K-Cup pod consumers choose to use. The machine includes a milk frother that features three speeds, enabling users to make rich froth from a wide range of milk options, such as dairy or non-dairy, as well as the ability to make cold froth for brewing over ice café-style beverages. The K-Café Smart also uses Keurig’s MultiStream Technology, which the company says “uses five streams of water instead of one concentrated stream to thoroughly saturate the coffee grounds more evenly throughout the pod for full flavour and aroma in every cup”. Mauricio Leyva, group president at Keurig Dr Pepper, said: “The K-Café Smart takes customisation to a new level. It goes well beyond black coffee, enabling café-style creations like London Fog Lattes and Cinnamon Macchiatos.” He continued: “With the K-Café Smart, coffee lovers can craft the speciality drinks they crave and discover new favourite recipes simply by connecting to the Keurig app. With over 70 recipes to choose from, we know our consumers will be delighted to taste and trial all the new coffeehouse beverages they can make from the comfort of their home.” The K-Café Smart is available exclusively at Keurig’s website for $249.99, with plans for expansion into retailers nationwide this autumn. #coffeemachine #KeurigDrPepper #US

Barebells expands its flavour portfolio in the UK with the launch of a limited edition milkshake, Lemon Cheesecake. In line with Barebells existing range of milkshakes, the newly launched flavour contains 24 grams of protein, has no added sugar and is lactose free. “It’s the perfect blend of sweet, tart and creamy, as creamy as an actual cheesecake, yet it has a light and airy milkshake feel to it”, says Amy Banerjee, head of marketing at Barebells. Barebells Lemon Cheesecake is available to purchase at selected gyms and stores nationwide at an RRP of £2.49. #Barebells #Lactosefree #proteinshake

Pernod Ricard-owned Olmeca Altos raises the at-home bar with new ready-to-drink Altos Margarita Classic Lime. With good taste and quality margaritas in mind, the mix uses only premium ingredients – made with Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila, natural lime flavour, triple sec, and agave syrup. Olmeca Altos bring high-quality and fuss-free margaritas to the comfort of your own home, simply unscrew the 750mL glass bottle, pour over ice, and sip! #margarita #OlmecaAltos #PernodRicardUSA #USA

Lavazza Professional has unveiled a 24/7 self-service micro café – Moments by Lavazza Professional – for workplaces in the UK. The company said the modular micro market is “designed to be a hassle-free alternative to canteens”. The micro café provides bean-to-cup coffee machines, which serve espresso-based drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos, alongside smart fridges that come with built-in payments, and offers traditional vending foods and cold drinks. Consumers can pay for the products in the micro café via unattended payment stations, a central kiosk or smartphone app. Ashley Weller, UK market director at Lavazza Professional, said: “We are delighted to be bringing this new offer to market. Whether it is time spent getting to know new colleagues, collaborating on new ideas and projects, or quiet time prepping for a productive afternoon, every moment counts.” “By bringing the best elements of coffee culture into the workplace, businesses of all sizes can engage, and delight employees returning to the office and reap the rewards.” #LavazzaProfessional #micromarket #UK

De Kuyper Royal Distillers announced today that it has acquired Archers from Diageo, adding to its international liqueur portfolio. The British brand will join De Kuyper’s existing cocktail liqueurs, and strengthen its position in the peach category. Mark de Witte, CEO of De Kuyper: “We want to own the peach category. With Peachtree we do so in a number of important cocktail markets, but in the UK the peach category is historically owned by Archers. We will contribute our over 325 years of expertise in liqueurs and our specific knowledge in the peach category to bring out the best in Archers.” “We see an interesting growth platform for Archers in the category of cocktails and will utilise the insights, experience and best practices we gained with Peachtree. Our focus stays on the current audience where the brand is popular and which is fitting very well with the cocktail-drinker target group,” added Godelief van Erve, global marketing director at De Kuyper. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. #acquisition #Diageo #DeKuyperRoyalDistillers #liqueur #UK

Danone has ended production of its Bonafont water brand in Brazil, including activities at its facility in Jacutinga, Minas Gerais. According to a statement, the change is part of Danone’s new business strategy. The company says it has decided to focus its local business on other growing major categories. A spokesperson for Danone told FoodBev: “We reviewed our portfolio in Brazil and, as a result of this analysis, decided to focus our business on the largest, most profitable, and growing categories. Therefore, as of 3 September, we will stop the water production of Bonafont water in Brazil”. With a focus on its main portfolios, such as dairy and plant-based products and specialised nutrition, Danone says that it will be able to allocate more resources to continuous innovation and meet consumer demands. Danone has asked consumers to verify the manufacturing date of its Bonafont water products – no later than 3 September – to ensure that they are consuming the original water brand. The company has tried to minimise the impact on employees by allocating them to other areas, as well as ensuring adequate termination conditions, including a special package above legal requirements, a requalification programme and a specialised professional relocation service. Bonafont will not be replenished once it leaves the shelves; however, the brand will continue to supply its water to other countries, such as Mexico. Danone said: “The decision to discontinue the water category in Brazil does not affect other markets where Bonafont is present, nor the Danone’s water category worldwide. Waters is an important category that is at the heart of our mission. Water is the healthiest drink, and we bring healthy hydration to people in the most sustainable way.” #Bonafont #Brazil #Danone

Britvic’s Tango taps into the growing demand for sugar-free products with the launch of its popular apple flavour in a sugar-free format. The Tango brand has doubled in size over the last five years and now, worth over £60 million, stands as the fourth largest brand in the fruit-flavoured carbonates category. Ben Parker, retail commercial director at Britvic commented: “Tango has a proven track record when it comes to new product development with Tango Berry Peachy Sugar- Free the number one new fruit flavoured carbonate in 2022. Tango’s long heritage with the apple flavour and strong taste credentials, mean Tango Apple Sugar Free is well placed to continue this success and drive growth.” Tango is well placed to continue its growth through sugar-free flavours, which currently deliver £25 million in value sales (up 54% from last year). Britvic is a leader in healthier soft drinks, over 90% of its brands in the UK are either low or no sugar drinks. Tango Apple Sugar Free is available in Tesco, joining the wider market from mid-September. #Britvic #carbonated #sugarfree #Tango

US-based healthy beverage brand, Smart Soda Holdings, has announced the launch of companies in the UK and Canada. Smart Soda offers dispensing options to various markets, such as the food service and workplace sectors. The brand is crafted with alkaline waters and has a wide range of flavours. The company has launched Smart Soda UK, which will operate as a solitary player overseas, and is aimed at customers seeking ‘better-for-you’ flavoured sparkling waters and sodas for offices and restaurants. Smart Soda CEO Lior Shafir said: “During the pandemic, when the US market was growing rapidly, we began to receive inquiries from companies in the UK, asking where they could buy Smart Soda. That’s when it came to my attention that there really wasn’t anything quite like Smart Soda in the UK and Europe marketplace. He continued: “Therefore, I reached out to Mark Butterfield and Ian Webb, co-founders of The UK Water Group…After a few meetings, we couldn’t remain indifferent to this exciting opportunity. We were totally united in agreement to start Smart Soda UK, a subsidiary of Smart Soda Holdings.” Butterfield added: “Having established a strong reputation in the drinking water industry, Shafir approached us knowing that we founded, built and sold The UK Water Group. His vision was to join forces and establish Smart Soda UK Ltd as part of a global expansion plan. We are thrilled to be building Smart Soda as it is a brilliant fit for both the UK and European markets.” Meanwhile, the company announced that it has finalised its acquisition of a 51% stake in Smart Soda Canada. Shafir commented: “As part of our pre-IPO expansion programme, we’re planning a few more M&A deals this year — both globally and locally. As part of our growth, Smart Soda welcomes Jean-Jacques ‘JJ’ Francoeur and Spencer Deschambault of Smart Soda Canada to our family. Our goal is that Smart Soda will be available everywhere, both to our US clients and also worldwide through our global offices.” In addition to entering the UK and Canadian markets, Smart Soda also hopes to establish two joint ventures in South America and the Middle East by the end of this year. #SmartSoda #UK

Azkoyen Group has acquired Spanish coffee machine company, Ascaso, for €17 million. Based in Barcelona, Ascaso manufactures traditional espresso machines, distributing its products in international markets, including the UK, US, Europe and Southeast Asia. The acquisition will build on Azkoyen’s existing leadership position in the office coffee service, HoReCa and vending segments, and will also complete Azkoyen’s range of automatic and semi-automatic coffee machines. Ascaso’s production centre in Gavá, Barcelona, will be added to Azkoyen’s facilities, which include sites in the UK, Spain and Colombia. Juan José Suárez, chairman of the Azkoyen Group, said: “The acquisition of Ascaso provides us with new potential in the premium coffee range, making us a unique player, able to offer our products across all the segments. In addition, Ascaso’s philosophy of product innovation and manufacturing excellence provides us with a new leadership position in the premium coffee segment, from semi-automatic to traditional coffee machines, which already represents a crucial part of our revenues and for which we have very ambitious growth plans.” He added: “We believe that Ascaso’s employees and its CEO will bring a wealth of talent to our ranks, and its headquarters in Barcelona, a mecca of design and innovation, will open up numerous opportunities for new product development.” #Ascaso #AzkoyenGroup

Hong Kong-based company, Swire Pacific, has reached an agreement to acquire Coca-Cola bottling businesses in Vietnam and Cambodia. The deal was handled through Swire Pacific’s subsidiary, Swire Coca-Cola Limited. According to Reuters, Swire will pay $1.02 billion in cash for the assets. The transaction will see Swire own and operate Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam, which has three bottling facilities, and Cambodia Beverage Company, which has one bottling site. The company says that, upon completion of the acquisition, Swire Coca-Cola’s franchise population will expand by 15% to 876 million. Patrick Healy, chairman of Swire Coca-Cola, said: “This acquisition marks a major milestone for Swire Coca-Cola, significantly expanding our operating footprint and population served to a new region. We have been investing in building a world-class bottling system over the past 57 years. This expansion of territories is part of a broader strategy to expand the global scale, volume and revenues of our bottling business.” Karen So, MD of Swire Coca-Cola, added: “As a long-term strategic partner with Coca-Cola, we are delighted to be expanding our relationship through this acquisition and excited by the enormous growth potential of the non-alcoholic beverage markets in Vietnam and Cambodia, which are valued at over US$6 billion and forecast to grow at over 6% CAGR until 2036. With our successful refranchising experience in the USA and Chinese Mainland between 2014 and 2017, I am confident that our continuous commitment to excellence will help capture the opportunities that these dynamic markets will bring.” #CocaCola #SwireCocaCola #SwirePacific