Eat, Drink & Enjoy These New Snacks, Drinks, Food Products on the Market

BY A.J. FLICK

We’ve got lots of new beverages and snacks to talk about this month, but let’s start with a few new products that caught our eye

Our friends at Bone Suckin’ Sauce have created a multi-purpose seasoning that can be used on everything from eggs at breakfast to salads at lunch and even your favorite steak at dinner They won’t be satisfied until we have three Bone Suckin’ meals a day, you think?

Bone Suckin’s All Purpose! Seasoning & Rub debuted at Expo West

“This is a bit of a departure for us, ” said Patrick Ford, vice president of marketing “Many of our products are focused on grilling and have ingredients that help with caramelization and enhancing the barbecue flavor

“The All Purpose! seasoning has four simple ingredients –salt, black pepper, garlic and onion Simple, but perfect for just about everything ”

As Ford puts it, the All Purpose! Seasoning & Rub answers the question, “What’s missing?,” when you ’ re taste-testing a dish

And, of course, he’s the first to say that while All Purpose! complements any recipe, it’s not a replacement for the aptly named Bone Suckin’ sauces, seasonings and rubs

Rogers Collection, known for bringing global cuisine to our tables, has launched new pasta shapes and sauces in smaller sizes from Pastifico Gentile

Introducing organic Lumaconi, pasta shaped like a snail shell, which is great for thick sauces or stuffed with cheese

Plus, there’s organic Tubettoni, a small, smooth, tube-shaped pasta, and organic Tubetti Rigati, a small, ribbed/ridged, tubeshaped pasta Both are perfect for brothy soups or creamy sauces

As always with Gentile, the selected semolina wheat used in the pasta is strictly of Italian origin and of the best quality, including the Senatore Capelli variety, which is renowned for cooking to al dente It also gives the pasta a golden color

Bronze cut pasta molds create a rough and porous texture much like homemade pasta The low temperature drying method known as Cirillo preserves the distinct texture and aroma

Also from Gentile are sauces in smaller 520-gram sizes including Pomodori San Marzano DOP as whole tomatoes and Gialli (Yellow Cherry) Tomatoes as whole tomatoes and sauced tomatoes, WhatIF Foods is a planet-positive food and beverage brand known for regenerative agriculture and popularizing the Bambara Groundnut, which it calls BamNut The company is expanding its reach, making its BamNut-based noodles and milk products available at more than 100 retail locations in New York City

WhatIF’s BamNut Milk is made with three natural ingredients and fortified with minerals, free of any gums, stabilizers and added sweeteners It has more protein than regular almond and oat milk combined with naturally occurring fibers for gut health

It comes in three varieties: Barista for the coffee lover, Everyday for daily milk needs and Air y, the lightweight variant with only 80 calories

Speaking of dairy alternatives, the Vita Coco Company has introduced Vita Coco Barista MLK, exclusively with the Alfred Coffee chain

The gluten-free, dair y-free, soy-free and non-GMO milk alternative with a clean label expands the company ’ s non-dairy portfolio Made from a blend of coconut water and coconut cream, Vita Coco Barista MLK is an alternative to oat, almond and soy milk It was developed and approved by baristas

All Alfred Coffee locations will offer Vita Coco Barista MLK on the menu for customers to add to their coffee and tea beverage orders

“At Alfred, we are always searching for ways to level-up our beverage offerings,” said Josh Zad, founder and CEO of Alfred “We pride ourselves on listening to our customers and for years, they have asked for coconut milk across our cafes

“But it wasn’t until Vita Coco’s gamechanging new Barista MLK that we felt confident enough in officially adding coconut milk to our menu It tastes amazing, foams perfectly and has the blessing of our baristas, and we can’t wait for our customers to try it in their goto Alfred drinks ”

OK, this I gotta try, being an iced-tea fan Space Tea is the world’s first apoptogenic mushroom iced tea and lemonade beverage Space Tea offers a modern spin on both the classic Arnold Palmer in three low-sugar flavors –Original, Golden Mango and Summer Watermelon and Classic Tea standards with zero sugar and zero calories –Lemon Zero, Hibiscus Zero and Matcha Zero

Brothers Gabriel and Isaac Heymann, along with their business partner Michael Goldberg, founded Space Tea in 2020 Space Tea is certified organic, nonGMO, gluten free and kosher

Space Tea combines a base of ultra-premium organic teas with functional Reishi and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, which offer uplifting energy and mental clarity

“We are iced tea fanatics and believers in the power of functional mushrooms and adaptogens,” Gabriel Heymann said “The Space Tea concept was simple what if we combined the two?

“Our aim was to create the best-tasting, ultra-premium iced tea on the planet, enhanced with the functional benefits of non-psychoactive Reishi and Lion’s Mane mushrooms The response to our products has been amazing ”

Space Tea launched to market at Los Angeles’ legendar y Erewhon Market in August 2021, where it quickly became a bestseller Since then, Space Tea has garnered a loyal following across Southern California and can be found at Bristol Farms, Earthbar, Lazy Acres, Mother’s Market and Sun Life with nationwide expansion set for early Q1, 2023

Another must-tr y on my list is De La Calle’s new Mexican tepache flavors If you ’ re not familiar with the tropical drink, it’s made from the peel and rind of pineapples, fermented, often seasoned with cinnamon and ser ved cold While it is fermented, it doesn’t contain much alcohol

Launched in Februar y, De La Calle tepache is available now in Target stores in Hibiscus Citrus, Tropical and Pineapple Chili

The new flavors stay true to De La Calle’s authentic Mexican roots, with each can ’ s formulation based on recipes De La Calle co-founder Rafael Martin Del Campo grew up on from his grandmother turbinado sugar and other Mexican-inspired spices Each can is slightly carbonated, low in sugar (only 40 calories) and certified organic and gluten free ZOA Energy isn’t new, but after bringing in more than $100 million in sales and 138 percent growth in 2022 over 2021, the company has launched a campaign: “Fuel Something Bigger ” The platform will connect and inspire all of ZOA’s initiatives and is crafted to reflect the ethos and passions of its founders –Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, John Shulman and Dave Rienzi – each top in their field as world-class business people and athletes

Throughout 2023, the brand will more than double its marketing investment, focusing on this new campaign and shopper marketing efforts through a variety of channels including digital, outof-home and paid social media ZOA will also be popping up at various activations throughout the year, including a partnership with the XFL, influencer programming, social contests, seasonal promotions and experiential pop-up moments

Plans include product enhancements, new flavors and a reinvigorated can design The new can identity, designed by R/GA, features vibrant colors on the outside and an enhanced formula inside ZOA will double the flavor variety, launching four flavors into its everyday offering – ZOA Frosted Grape, Strawberr y Watermelon, Cherr y Limeade and ZOA+ pre-workout supplement in Coconut Lemonade -– all debuting in the new cans and packaging Existing ZOA flavors include Tropical Punch, White Peach, Wild Orange, Pineapple Coconut, and Super Berry and ZOA+ pre-workout supplement varieties such as Pineapple Passionfruit, Orange Grapefruit and Blackberry Acai

For the kiddos in Texas, Gnubees Kids and Gnubees Plus smoothie packs have launched in H-E-B stores

The shelf-stable smoothie packs are specially designed specifically for different age groups of children to satisfy their particular growing needs

Gnubees Kids, made for kids age 2 and up, and Gnubees Plus, created for older kids ages 8 plus, are naturally fruit-flavored with essential vitamins and minerals along with balanced protein and fiber to regulate the release of energy and sugars throughout the day

Not only tasty, De La Calle tepache is functional and fermented to aid in better gut health It’s naturally fermented with fresh pineapples and sweetened with

Gnubees is made with a balanced blend of real fruit juices and milk with a touch of organic honey, which makes them sweet and creamy, in a variety of flavors such as

Mango, Bananas and Raspberr y Gnubees provides meaningful nutrition backed by research and science without the sugar crash Each pouch contains 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and bonebuilding minerals (calcium and magnesium)

With Gnubees

Plus, each 8-fluid ounce, lactose-free fruit shake contains 8 grams of grass-fed whey protein, 4 grams of prebiotic fiber and 30 percent of daily recommendation for Vitamin C and D to boost immunity and keep everyone running Flavors are Tropical Unstoppable (tropical punch), Strawberr y Wise (strawberr y milkshake) and Lemon Limelight (lemon-lime cheesecake)

Now that the young ’ uns have been satisfied, let’s move on to some adult drinks

SweetWater Brewing Company has introduced a crisp lager to its year-round lineup

Atlanta’s craft beer trailblazer and the mas of citrus and sweet, tropical fruits It’s available in 12-ounce cans in California, with plans for national distribution in 2023

Featuring a blend of Motueka, Strata and Citra hops, Infinite Haze (6 5 percent alcohol by volume) is finished with a dry hop that creates an aroma of bright citrus zest and berr y with notes of fresh apple, peach and orange peel

The collaboration represents a new food licensing deal for Bojangles With millions of loyal fans garnered over its 45-year histor y, the brand hopes to “tap” into fans’ love of all things Bojangles with this new beverage

Bojangles Hard Sweet Tea will be sold only at participating retailers and will not be available at any Bojangles restaurants

The hard tea is expected to hit shelves this month in the form of 12-pack, 12-ounce cans and individual 16-ounce cans It will be available at independent retailers and chains including Circle K, QT, Sheetz, Spinx, Harris Teeter, Ingles, Lowes, Walmart, Food Lion and other retailers in North and South Carolina

Chex Mix and Sir Mix-A-Lot,” Sir Mix-ALot said “But something was missing, we needed another hit in the membership, and knew we had to bring back the bagel chip with a remix

“Chex Mix has always been a go-to snack for me, so I’m excited to collaborate on a remix to celebrate the return of this iconic piece ”

Bagel chip makes its highly anticipated

10th largest craft brewer in the United States, has launched SweetWater Lager, a clean-bodied beer elevated with spicy floral hop notes It’s available on draft and will be available in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans in select U S retailers beginning this month

SweetWater Lager (4 5 percent alcohol by volume) is a simple, easy-drinking beer, brewed with a 100 percent pilsner grain bill to create a crisp, refreshing flavor with low bitterness Crystal and Hallertau hops distinguish the taste with mild notes of spicy floral

Lager is now flowing at Sweetwater’s flagship taprooms in Atlanta and Fort Collins, Colo , and taps across Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia

Beginning this month, SweetWater Lager will be available in cans at select U S retailers including Kroger, Lowes Food and Ingles

On the West Coast, Sweetwater’s Alpine Beer has launched Infinite Haze, a Hazy IPA, to its year-round lineup while expanding distribution into Florida

Infinite Haze has aro-

“The hop bill is a nice balance of New Zealand and classic West Coast varieties, giving this brew a great mouthfeel, giant fruit aromas and a super juicy flavor,” said Ty H Gilmore, president, U S beer at Tilray Brands “It’s a natural fit with our iconic unfiltered IPA, Nelson, and original West Coaststyle IPA, Duet, that make up our highly acclaimed yearround lineup ”

Infinite Haze is available in six-packs and Alpine’s new 12-can and 24-can Variety Mountain Packs, which also include Nelson and Duet Alpine is available at select retailers including Albertsons, Vons, Ralphs, BevMo and Total Wine

We talked about iced tea earlier, but this iced tea requires ID Bojangles restaurant chain and Appalachian Mountain Brewery have partnered to brew Bojangles Hard Sweet Tea

The two Carolina-born brands joined forces to carefully concoct the drink – combining Bojangles’ knowledge of expertly steeped sweet tea and AMB’s award-winning brewing innovation

As for the harder stuff, we ’ ve got you covered, too Royal Wine Corp has released Boondocks 18-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey (MSRP $279 99), the latest in Boondocks’ Signature Series Collection The cask-strength bourbon will have a limited production of 1,620 bottles, each individually numbered Like all of Boondocks’ premium whiskeys, r yes and bourbons, this limited edition was created by legendary master distiller David Scheurich, a 45plus year industr y veteran and winner of the Whisky Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award

The Boondocks line, which debuted in 2016, has a smooth finish, well-developed character and affordable price point This 18-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey is no exception The enticing barrel-aged blend (52 7 percent ABV) has aromas of toffee, dark maple syrup and a touch of spice Complex flavors of Tahitian vanilla, butterscotch and dark-roasted coffee are balanced with fruity notes, leading to a warm mouthfeel and a long, pleasant finish

The limited release is sold by Royal Wine Corp and available only in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Texas

OK, we have the drinks Now we need snacks and there are new products to choose from I confess: I love Chex Mix And while taking the bagel chip out of the Traditional Chex Mix didn’t make me boycott the snack, I did miss it

Bagel chip is back! And to help get out the message, what better than to get popular hip-hop star Sir Mix-A-Lot to punctuate a new campaign, “Bagel Is Back ”

“You can’t name a better duo than return to Chex Mix original recipe, joining corn and wheat Chex, pretzels, r ye chips and mini breadsticks, all combined with a unique seasoning blend for a one-of-a-kind snack

Inspired by the classic video with some Chex Mix twists, the song was brought to life in a music video led by award-winning director DAPS and features nostalgia enthusiast and content creator Chrissy Allen Catch the “Bagel is Back” video on YouTube

On the dip side, Good Foods has introduced a dairy-free Roasted Garlic Dip (and as its other products, it’s plant-based and better-for-you) The dip is available at select Target stores and soon online

Good Foods Roasted Garlic Dip (8 ounces, MSRP $4 99) is made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, including a blend of garlic, tahini and a hint of lemon Containing 70 calories per serving, the brand’s latest better-foryou innovation is vegan, gluten free and contains no added sugar It pairs well with wraps, salads, flatbreads, mashed potatoes and more Recent consumer research conducted by Good Foods revealed roasted garlic as the highest-ranked flavor profile, with 69 percent of the study’s respondents saying that they would likely purchase a dip of this flavor This signaled an opportunity for Good Foods to add a new product to its tasty line of plant-based dips

Lastly, keep an eye out for Cult Food Science ’ s new products division, Cult Foods CEO Lejjy Gafour said Cult Foods will allow the company to develop and commercialize cell-based products in collaboration with affiliate companies Look for the first two products to launch, Zero Coffee and Free Candy GN