Global drinks industry is currently facing various challenges such as changing consumer tastes, competing new launches, tightening operating margins, and supplier quality issues.
Maintaining and increasing market share requires a drinks business to keep abreast with latest trends and practices. Several innovations that emerged in the recent past are expected to drive the drinks industry.
Drinks Business Review, in its endeavor to recognize major innovations in the drinks industry, has launched Drink Innovation Award.
Four drinks companies have been shortlisted for the award and the winner will be announced shortly.
Joseph Company - The Self-Chilling Can
Joseph Company International's Chill Can with Micro-cool technology does not require any energy and eliminates the need for refrigeration.
An activation button on the can allows the beverage to drop 30 degrees within minutes, claims the company.
The can is incorporated with a Heat Exchanger Unit (HEU) which uses a C-CO2 adsorbent-desorption system to absorb CO2 and use it to cool the beverage.
Activation of a valve within the unit creates a pressure differential between the atmosphere (1bar) and the HEU (10bar), resulting in the evaporation of the absorbed CO2. This desorption of gas reduces the temperature if the contents within the can.
The technology uses CO2 reclaimed from the atmosphere and activated carbon obtained from renewable vegetable source.
Coca-Cola - Canada Dry Hot Ginger Ale
Coca-Cola's Canada Dry Hot Ginger Ale, the world's first canned hot and fizzy drink, has been launched in Japan after four years of research and development.
The product is enhanced by real ginger extract with a hint of apple and cinnamon flavors.
The carbonated drink will be available in a can with heating technology that enables the drink to retain its carbonation when heated.
A chemical concoction makes the can hot while retaining the fizzy drink inside.
San Diego-based company Hot Can is behind the can-heating technology.
Coca-Cola vending machines across Japan began dispensing Canada Dry Hot Ginger Ale in October.
Sedlescombe - Biodynamic wines
Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard of UK launched two biodynamic wines, the first-of-their-kind in England, in May.
Sparkling white wine 2010 vintage Premier Brut and red wine 2011 vintage Regent meet the standards of the Biodynamic Agricultural Association (BDA).
The Sedlescombe 2010 vintage Premier Brut is made from 60% Seyval Blanc and 40% Johanniter grapes grown locally.
A secondary fermentation of minimum 18 months gives a toasty flavor to the wine's tropical fruit palate.
The Sedlescombe 2011 vintage Regent is made from the Regent grapes from the Sedlescombe Millennium vineyard.
The naturally high sugar levels in grapes removed the need for any artificial additions. Seven months of maturation in French barique oak barrels has produced a smoky full bodied wine.
Black Velvet - Cinnamon Rush Flavored Whisky
Black Velvet Whisky, a Canadian whiskey brand owned by Constellation Brands, has rolled out Cinnamon Rush Flavored Whisky in September 2013.
Available in 1l, 750ml and 50ml sizes, the 70 proof whiskey delivers a flavor experience packed with fiery cinnamon heat and a long complex finish with hints of clove, allspice, vanilla and orange peel.
Black Velvet Whisky brand manager Joanne Vinci said: "Cinnamon Rush is perfect for the shot occasion, and serves as the base for an unlimited variety of unique cocktails."
