Drink Asia March-April 2020 | Page 11

O.Vine wine grape-infused waters now available in 700ml bottles in the UK These consumers are seeking alcohol-like beverages instead, or those beverages light on alcohol content, so as not to forfeit enjoyment of what they love. The Dry January campaign, which originated in the UK in 2013 and was aimed at urging the public to abstain from alcohol throughout January, has become a welcome yearly tradition and has gained global momentum. W ine Water, Ltd’s award-winning portfolio of O Vine branded wine grape-infused waters is now available in full-sized 700ml bottles for the British beverage sector. The new, larger bottles of the startup’s exclusive non- alcoholic beverage will be launched in the UK and is set to feature on the menus at high-end restaurants, hotels, and bars to serve a growing British population of more prudent drinkers. “Only a generation ago, having a hangover was almost a badge of honour,” noted David Allen, O.Vine’s UK distributor, referring to Britain’s drinking culture. Food intelligence experts at Innova Market Insights reported a growing global trend for moderating alcohol consumption. “Today, pubs are closing throughout the UK, and more high-end bars are popping up as Britons’ drinking habits change,” he added. A recent Innova poll (conducted in the US, the UK, France, Germany, China, and Brazil) revealed that one in four consumers have cut down on their alcohol consumption in recent years in pursuit of healthier lifestyles. Allen pointed to year-on-year growth in teetotalism, a phenomenon that entailed complete abstinence from alcohol use. Source: http://www.fnbnews.com/Top-News/ovine-wine-grapeinfused-waters-now-available-in-700ml-bottles-in-uk-54362 Canopy growth unit ships its fi rst Marij uana-Infused drink C anopy Growth wants you to get a marijuana buzz by drinking, in lieu of or in addition to smoking. The company announced Monday that its Tweed brand has begun shipping its fi rst cannabis- infused beverage product, Tweed Houndstooth & Soda, throughout Canada. of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoative compound that is purported to have medicinal properties. The cannabis distillate is blended with soda water and various ingredients Tweed did not name to make what the company terms “a refreshing cannabis experience.” Those shipments left company facilities last week and should start appearing in stores in the very near future. Tweed cautioned, however, that “[p]roduct availability on provincial eCommerce platforms and brick-and-mortar retail locations will vary depending on transportation timelines and provincial distribution systems.” The drink is offered in a 355-milliliter can. It contains 2 milligrams of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis that gets a user high. Each Tweed Houndstooth & Soda also contains less than 1 milligram Drink Asia 11 The appearance of drinks on the scene like Canopy Growth/Tweed’s new offering is due to the “Cannabis 2.0” phase of recreational marijuana legalization in Canada. In this fi nal step in full legalization, derivative products such as beverages, candies, and baked goods were made legal in the country. Although this technically occurred in late 2019, because of a number of factors products have only begun hitting store shelves recently. Source: https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/03/16/canopy- growth-unit-ships-its-fi rst-marijuana-infus.aspx March-April 2020