Red Star Brands has announced the addition of US sensation, Soylent to its beverage portfolio.

Following the phenomenal success in the US the “engineered nutrition” brand*, Soylent has launched in the UK and is now available at WH Smiths in Cacao and Café Mocha flavours.

The complete ‘meal in a bottle’- targeted at on-the go young professional commuters – is designed to be an accessible and convenient choice for consumers.

It contains 20g of plant protein and 36 essential nutrients for those on-the-go. It is also gluten, dairy and nut free. Soylent is complete and convenient nutrition that is good for the body and planet.

The American bestseller launched in 2013 with a direct-to-consumer model, following a crowdfunding push that generated pre-orders of almost $3m (£2.3m) before the product was ever made!

Building on this success in 2018, the brand gained a listing with Walmart, having been available in major retail chains such as 7- Eleven, Target, and Kroger for less than a year.

The Californian brand which was “developed with the planet in mind”** has rolled out its unique drink into WHSmith Travel locations, seven months after first becoming available in the UK via Amazon. The ambient drinks, which have a year-long shelf life, use plant-based protein to ensure “less CO2 is produced compared to the process to source protein from livestock”.

Clark McIlroy, managing director at Red Star Brands, said: “We are delighted to announce that Soylent is joining our beverage portfolio. Through our continuous market scanning, we have spotted a clear demand in the UK from young people with busy lives looking for a functional, convenient product that also aligns with their sustainable lifestyle.

“Over recent years, we have seen a rise in the number of consumers who are making conscious choices to support ethically sustainable products just like Soylent. We are expecting to see Soylent succeed in UK over the coming years, just as it did in the US thanks to its unique offering and brand values.”

*https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/soft-drinks/soylent-to-make-uk-high-street-debut-with-wh-smith-listing/591270.article

**https://impact601.com/lifestyle/soylent-success-in-walmart-leads-to-national-distribution/article_7f266017-6112-529b-b621-cef1e6e1f2b9.html

JUST Water partners with adidas in sustainability commitment

Sustainable brand JUST Water has sparked an exclusive 12-month partnership with adidas.

The like-minded brands both have a strong commitment to sustainability and will join forces to provide JUST Water to employees and customers in two flagship adidas stores in London.

The predominantly plant-based JUST Water carton struck a chord with adidas because of the sport brand’s Sustainability Roadmap for 2020, which will proactively address the impacts of climate change through its operations, supply chain and various partnerships.

Throughout the partnership, JUST Water will supply cartons for adidas’ community-focused, creative events held in each of the flagship stores every month. The two stores also have a fully-branded JUST Water refrigerator, from which complementary water is offered to customers and event attendees.

As part of a local partnership between adidas Hanbury Street and Creative Debuts, the store hosts a spotlight series which provides a platform to showcase new artists and allows the artist’s work to live in-store for the month. In February they opened their doors to Charlie Oscar Patterson and his Objects of Music project, as well as featuring an origami class.

Another of the more recent events was a brand collaboration with vintage clothes shop Absolute Vintage, whereby net sales were donated to London’s non-profit homeless facility Shelter from the Storm.

JUST Water cartons were provided at the Stan Smith book signing, an album launch for the musician IAMDBB and at visual collage event ‘Note to Self’ – an intimate hang out of 17 like-minded women, which focused on setting goals and motivating each other through vision boards and mindfulness sessions. The events are aimed at bringing communities together through a mutual love of fashion, music and art.

Founded in 2015 by Jaden Smith, son of Hollywood actor Will Smith, JUST Water was born from a mutual passion for making things cleaner, safer and better for everyone. Composed of 53% paper and 28% plant-based plastic, JUST Water’s 82% renewable content helps keep carbon emissions low as production demands significantly less fossil fuel for production compared with traditional PET bottles.

Essentially, JUST is 82% renewable, 100% recyclable and refillable – a great step towards positive change.

Hydrate responsibly – drink JUST and join the conversation on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Sustainable brand JUST Water hits Asda shelves

JUST Water will be arriving on the shelves of Asda stores across the country in May following our successful Dragon’s Den-style pitch to the British supermarket retailer.

JUST Water’s commitment to sustainable and innovative packaging struck a chord with Asda’s buyer and senior management, as the listing coincides with Asda’s recent ‘plastics unwrapped’ pledge to use less and recycle more. Asda’s choice to stock JUST Water is projected to remove 18 tonnes of plastic from its shelves every year.

In its pledge, Asda president and CEO Roger Burley said: “We have challenged ourselves to look at what more we can do to reduce the amount of plastic in our business and within our sector as a whole.”

Founded by Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith, in 2015, JUST was the brainchild of a mutual passion for making things cleaner, safer and better for everyone. JUST is different to other water brands because the carton is 100% recyclable and made with 82% plant-based materials including sustainably farmed sugar cane and paper from FSC certified forests.

In December 2018, we were invited to attend the ‘Merchants Den’ at Asda HQ in Leeds – a quarterly programme designed to support NPD launches. The pitch, which included key commercials, customer and operational messages, was presented to Asda’s senior management and buyers. Following the successful pitch, JUST Water will receive a launch media package which will drive awareness and sales through an impactful launch plan and internal engagement.

Hydrate responsibly – drink JUST and join the conversation on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Two new Sparkling Ice Flavours officially hit UK shelves

Sparkling Ice has launched two new flavours, Strawberry Watermelon and Lemon Lime, which are now available in leading supermarkets, high street retailers and a number of independent stores across the UK in addition to the current portfolio…

Since launching in spring 2016, Sparkling Ice’s portfolio of six fruity flavours has led the way for flavoured sparkling water thanks to its great taste, no sugar and only 12 calories per serve.

The Flavours:

The new Lemon Lime flavour is a clear twist on citrus, offering a crisp and refreshing take on an old classic, while the luscious Strawberry Watermelon is a perfect pairing. Both of which can served over ice for a refreshing healthier beverage.

The two new flavours follow the rise in demand for adult soft drinks which have seen a 64% growth in sugar-free varieties*.Demand for increased choice of adult soft drinks has been supported by a recent article from the Grocer highlighting that as many as one in five adults in Britain are teetotal and a further 25% are trying to drink less.

The choice of flavour variants has been further supported by a rise in demand for Watermelon and Lemon & Lime flavours in the market. Over the past year there has been a 379% increase in sales of Watermelon sparkling water and a total of 45 million units of Lemon & Lime carbonates were sold**.

This new product development shows Sparkling Ice’s ability to stay one step ahead of the curve in creating naturally-coloured, lightly carbonated beverages with an exciting portfolio of flavours which don’t force customers to choose between healthy and delicious.

Where to buy:

Sparkling Ice is available in select retailers, including Sainsbury’s, Boots and Amazon, with a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of £1.29 per 500ml bottle and £3.50 per 400ml 4-Pack.

To speak with our team of experts about the latest industry trends or to find out more about Sparkling Ice, please get in touch: https://www.redstarbrands.co.uk/contact/

*https://www.betterretailing.com/boost-summer-soft-drinks-sales
**Source for both: IRI Marketplace Data UK for 52we 2nd December 2018

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