Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto flavors
Talenti Layers launched last year with seven flavors, and expanded this month with four new varieties in the US market.
Coffee Cookie Crumble is modeled after an Affogato dessert, Banana Caramel Crunch is inspired by banana pudding, Lemon Berry Pie is the gelato version of the Southern lemon pie, and Dairy-Free Coconut Chocolate Cookie is the first non-dairy Layers flavor.
The brand is also adding to its Sorbetto line with Strawberry Hibiscus and Dark Chocolate, which are completely dairy-free. This brings the Sorbetto flavor total to six.
Leslie Miller, director of marketing of Ice Cream North America at Unilever, said, "At Talenti, each flavor is crafted for taste and we're always listening to fan feedback to our flavors, including our Layers and sorbetto lines. That's why we are excited to add flavors that directly respond to what our fans want, such as coffee and dairy-free options.”
Magnum pints and bars
Known for its classic chocolate-coated ice cream bars, Magnum first introduced ice cream pints with a ‘cracking shell’ in 2018. This month it added two new flavors, Double Almond Brown Butter and Double Pistachio Honey.
They are both made with Belgian chocolate and can be found in nationwide US retailers.
There is also a new addition to Magnum’s bar collection. Non-Dairy Sea Salt Caramel joins the brand’s other dairy-free flavors, Classic and Almond. The ice cream is a vanilla base made with a blend of coconut oil and pea protein.
The Unilever-owned Magnum is rolling out a new cacao claim on its Classic Ice Cream Bars to better help chocolate lovers find the best chocolate ice cream bar for them, according to the brand. New packaging indicates the cacao percentage in each product, similar to what is found on premium chocolate bars.
Leslie Miller at Unilever said, "Caramel is Magnum's most popular ice cream flavor in dairy bars and tubs, so it's exciting to bring it to market in an equally delicious Non-Dairy Bar. Our new Magnum Tubs varieties are inspired by popular 'perfect pairings' in desserts that we are thrilled to bring to ice cream."
Häagen-Dazs light ice cream
Häagen-Dazs has officially entered the light ice cream category with its new Heaven pints line in the US. It has one-third fewer calories, half the fat and 25% less sugar per serving than regular ice cream. It also uses ultra-filtered milk, no artificial sweeteners and non-GMO ingredients.
The collection is launching first with four flavors - Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel, Strawberry Waffle Cone, Peanut Butter Chip and Cold Brew Espresso Chip. Each contains 230 calories or less per serving. Häagen-Dazs sells classic ice cream pints and bars with non-dairy and sorbet options.
Meredith Saxe, Häagen-Dazs brand manager, said, "The Häagen-Dazs brand is dedicated to creating perfect moments for all consumers to indulge, which is why we were inspired to create Heaven. This collection offers lower calorie options, while still satisfying a sweet tooth with the deliciously rich flavor you'd expect from a Häagen-Dazs product."
Drumstick ice cream bars
Novelty ice cream sundae cones from Drumstick are getting a classic bar transformation for the first time. Parent company Nestlé sells a variety of bars, sandwiches and cones, but the new Crushed It! Sundae Cones and Bars incorporate the Drumstick brand.
The new products feature a cookie coating, and will have two bar flavors, Cookies ‘n’ Cream and Vanilla Fudge, and one cone flavor, Cookies ‘n’ Cream. They are available at nationwide retailers in the US.
Joanna Komvopoulos, Drumstick brand manager, said, "The Drumstick brand is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to innovation, from our unique coatings, flavors and textures to our product formats.
"Knowing that Cookies 'N' Cream is a favorite flavor for so many Americans and a staple in sundae shops around the world, we developed Drumstick Crushed It! and doubled down on the experience by amplifying the melt-in-your-mouth cookie coating with our new Cookies 'N' Cream and Vanilla Fudge flavors."
Hood cottage cheese
Known for its variety of sweet and savory cottage cheese products in the US, HP Hood is bringing a new flavor to the New England market this spring.
Blueberry joins other offerings like Pineapple, Peach, Strawberry, Chive, Cracked Pepper, Cucumber & Dill and Garden Vegetables.
It’s available now at select retailers in 16oz tubs, with 10g of protein per serving.
Hood’s cottage cheese also typically contain about 120 calories, 3.5g of fat, 330mg of sodium and 10g of sugar per half-cup serving.
So Delicious yogurt alternatives
So Delicious Dairy Free has a new line of Pairings yogurt alternatives made from a base of organic coconut. They each include a flavored ‘yogurt’ base with crunchy toppings and mix-ins.
Coco Almond Crunch is paired with toasted coconut, almond slivers and chunks of dark chocolate. Spiced Blueberry has cardamom-ginger almonds and blueberry granola. Salted Caramel Cluster is paired with caramel pretzels and dark chocolate pieces. And Key Lime Pie has graham crackers and pieces of white chocolate.
Each flavor is free from dairy, nuts, soy and gluten, and is certified vegan and non-GMO.
They are rolling out to US retailers now with 5.3oz single serve cups.
LaDiDa hemp oat milk lattes
A new brand of ready-to-drink oat-based lattes hit the US market this month. LaDiDa is infused with organically-grown, full-spectrum hemp extract, hoping to bring ‘calm, familiarity and convenience’ to those at home.
The Matcha, Golden Turmeric and Honey Lavender flavors do not contain coffee, but are designed to coincide with morning, noon and night drinking occasions. Each contains 15mg of full-spectrum hemp extract, sourced from Colorado and Oregon.
LaDiDa said it can ship directly to consumers in 41 states, with on-demand delivery of 45-90 minutes offered in select regions. The formula contains 10 lab-tested botanical terpenes and CBD. It’s extracted using an environmentally-friendly cold-pressed method, and contains less than 0.3% THC.
Founder Ariel Glazer said, “I created LaDiDa to reimagine the lattes I love, with convenient delivery and powerhouse ingredients that support overall wellness. I used to drink a turmeric or matcha latte from my local coffee shop almost every day.”
“Wth LaDiDa, I’ve turned my favorite daily beverage into an effortless home ritual, with the added goodness of full-spectrum hemp extract. With each flavor designed to complement morning, noon and night, I’m so excited to help our community reset and re-energize throughout the day.”
Wall’s Twister 3ster
in the UK, Twister, is launching its first shape innovation since its debut in 1982 with new Wall’s Twister 3ster.
Featuring an innovative shape, bright colors and a combination of three new flavours – vanilla, strawberry and mango, this new addition carries Unilever’s Responsibly Made For Kids promise, which means they are fewer than 110Kcals per single-serve, include clear front of pack nutritional labeling, and adhere to Unilever’s recently evolved responsible marketing and advertising to children principles.
- Twister 3ster is available as a 5x70ml multipack with an RRP of £2.20, or a single stick with an RRP of £1.10.
Jude's launches new formats
UK company Jude’s has launched two new formats to shelf exclusively at retailer Sainsbury’s.
The brand has expanded its range to include scooping tubs within its Little Jude’s range, lower calories mini stick made using its bestselling flavor, salted caramel and vegan chocolate brownie tubs, to join its vegan oat based range.
Available to purchase in vanilla and chocolate flavors, Jude’s new Little Jude’s scooping tub range, with an RRP of £3.95, contains 30% less sugar than similar products, with 13g of sugar per 100g, 36% below the Public Health England’s (PHE) sugar reduction targets for children’s ice cream products by 2020.
Jude’s new Salted Caramel Lower Calorie Minis contain less than 95 calories per mini and are available to purchase in boxes of 6x50 ml.
Jude’s Salted Caramel Lower Calorie Minis have an RRP £3.95.
Jude’s vegan range is also expanding, with the launch of the vegan chocolate brownie. Containing chocolate ripple and chunks of brownie, this is available in 460ml tubs.
Jude’s vegan chocolate brownie launched in selected Waitrose stores on March 2, RRP £4.50.
New Zealand Grass-Fed Butter in Whole Foods first
Premium butter produced by Lewis Road Creamery has become the first New Zealand dairy product to be stocked US-wide by American supermarket giant Whole Foods.
The New Zealand grass-fed butter is now on Whole Foods shelves in 37 states, including in flagship stores in Union Square, New York, and Austin, Texas.
The butter is made from milk that meets a stringent 10 Star Premium Standard that covers grass-fed, free-range, animal welfare, human welfare, environmental sustainability, and climate change mitigation.
At US $6.99 for an 8oz pack, the butter now retails as the most expensive grass-fed butter per pound being sold nationally by Whole Foods.
“The things we take for granted - our cows living outside, eating fresh grass - are absolutely prized over there, to a degree that’s taken even us by surprise," said Lewis Road Creamery’s founder Peter Cullinane.
"It shows that we can put New Zealand butter back on the world stage, not as an export commodity going into other bulk products, but as a stand-out brand in its own right.”
The butter initially launched in the US in late 2018 in 10 Texas-based Central Markets stores. The deal with Whole Foods for US-wide distribution followed, with the butter going on sale in 271 stores across the US this month.
The company says its success underscores the importance of pursuing diversified export markets for NZ value-add dairy products.
Lewis Road Creamery’s New Zealand Grass-fed butter is also now sold in 950 Woolworth’s stores in Australia, and has just gone on sale in the Erewhon network in California.
Upfield launches FLORA plant-based whippable cream alternative
UK spread brand FLORA has launched FLORA Plant. The newest addition to the Upfield portfolio performs like dairy cream, and can be used for cooking, pouring and even whipping.
Alan Black, head of marketing, Upfield Professional, said, “FLORA Plant is a game-changer for the foodservice industry.
"Not only does it cater to those following a vegan diet, FLORA Plant helps chefs overcome the challenge of managing allergens, which if not handled extremely carefully, can lead to a loss in customers, or even worse, criminal prosecution.
“At Upfield, we create great-tasting plant-based foods – and FLORA Plant is no different. It can be enjoyed by vegans and dairy cream lovers alike.
"We believe following a vegan diet, or a diet that requires the removal of specific allergens shouldn’t mean compromising on taste, and with FLORA Plant, operators know they can serve delicious dairy-free dishes to all consumers with total confidence.”
Coolhaus Celebrates International Women's Day With A Flavor Fit For A Queen
Coolhaus, the women-founded and -led ice cream brand has teamed up with Allegro Coffee to create the new Queens' Coffee pint, available in the US.
The launch coincided with International Women's Day.
Coolhaus handpicked Allegro's Three Queens Blend because the coffee beans are fully sourced and produced by women in East Africa. Allegro's efforts to promote gender equality and work towards a brighter future for young women all over the world perfectly aligns with the Coolhaus mission.
"As a Certified Women-Owned business, we look forward to International Women's Day each year as a platform to support the ever-growing community," said Coolhaus co-founder and CEO Natasha Case.
"This year we are excited to work with Allegro Coffee to continue to bring awareness to the badass women across the globe who are working toward a better future for themselves and their community."
Coolhaus Queens' Coffee is available at Whole Foods Market nationwide and on www.Cool.haus, with an SRP of $6.29.
Blacksticks blue cheese Easter egg returns
The world’s first cheese Easter egg is back in the UK for a third year in a row.
Blacksticks Blue is a juxtaposition of creamy, mellow cheese with a hint of blue bite.
Available from April 1, in Waitrose, Booths, Selfridges and online at Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, amazon and eBay, the egg has an RRP of £4.
Also hitting the shelves this year, with the same RRP, is Butlers’ Cheester egg, made from light cheddar cheese.
Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses is based in Inglewhite, Lancashire.
Bubbies Ice Cream expands East Coast distribution
Bubbies Ice Cream, the frozen novelty brand best known for its mochi ice cream innovations, has expanded distribution of its new line of Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bites into the East Coast-based supermarket chain, Wegmans.
This is in addition to the nationwide distribution already secured for Bubbies newest product line. Bubbies Cookie Dough Ice Cream bites are also currently available nationwide at Sam’s Club, and select grocery and natural stores including, Target, Safeway, Albertsons, HEB, and ShopRite.
Bubbies Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bites launched in 2019, with four varieties, including Peanut Butter Brownie Batter, Strawberry Sugar Cookie, Vanilla Birthday Cake and Vanilla Chocolate Chip.
Each bite is 130 calories, and Bubbies’ Cookie Dough Ice Cream Bites are gluten free, non-GMO and feature no rBST dairy.