Imbibe will be closed on October 3, 4, 17, 18, 25, and 26. Please expect delays in responses during this time.

Packaging and sweeteners have most room for innovation, says Imbibe beverage expert

Of the many novel beverages that launched in the past year, La Colombe’s Draft Latte, a nitrous-oxide infused ready-to-drink coffee, stands out to Laura Dembitzer, marketing director of beverage innovation firm Imbibe.

la colombe draft latte

“The packaging is one of the things that’s really innovative—when you open it, it releases air into the can and it froths the milk, so you’re getting this frothy latte that you would’ve only experienced in a third-wave coffee shop,” she told FoodNavigator-USA.

The product has been well received by retailers and the public. “Sales are great, velocity increases week-over-week,” Jon Spear, senior brand manager for La Colombe’s RTD arm, told FoodNavigator-USA.

It launched earlier in 2016 in cafés, and then expanded to retail and grocery in the last three months, shipping out to big chains like Wegman’s, Target, Meijer, and different Whole Foods regions across the country. He added that despite being off season for cold beverages, growth for La Colombe’s Draft Latte product has been steadily going up. Spear also sees the ‘texturized beverage’ such as La Colombe’s product to pick up as a major trend. “It can be stretched into other categories, like tea for example,” he said.

Technical wow-factors aside, Dembitzer also mentioned Califia Farms’ eye-catching, curved bottles as an example of how potent package innovation can be to benefit beverage brands. “They came up with this really premium packaging, and it really differentiates their non-dairy plant milks in the retail stores—I mean, how many almond milks are there now in stores?” Dembitzer said.

Keep reading the full story at FoodNavigatorUSA

Keep Reading:

Solving Taste Challenges at Scale: Imbibe Expands Its SweetSense® Taste Modulation Platform

Discover how Imbibe’s expanded SweetSense® platform helps brands overcome bitterness, off-notes, and formulation complexity—so you can deliver great-tasting beverages, every time.
READ MORE

How Much Hype Can You Fit in a Bottle?

Functional beverages promise energy, gut health, and more—but do they work? Emmy-winner David Page explores the real science, myths, and hype behind today’s hottest drinks with insights from Imbibe’s experts.
READ MORE

Optimize R&D with Sensory Insights from Imbibe

Sensory evaluation is a powerful tool for creating products that resonate with consumers. Learn how to integrate sensory testing into your R&D pipeline—from concept screening to market readiness—to drive data-backed innovation, reduce risk, and build products that succeed on shelf.
READ MORE
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.