UK's Thirst for Functional Drinks Boosts Goodrays Distribution With Waitrose

Goodrays CBD has increased its distribution with Waitrose after a bumper period of sales since launching with the retailer. 

The entire Goodrays range, 7 SKUS in total, will now be available nationally in-store and online, and the sparkling 250ml Goodrays drinks will continue to be a part of the Meal Deal offer. 

Goodrays founder Eoin Keenan believes the success of the trial was in part to the Meal Deal drinks inclusion and success of the recently introduced Waitrose Functional Drinks bay, showing that the consumers' thirst for functional drinks shows no signs of subsiding. The announcement comes as Neilsen reports that CBD is the best performing category within the functional drinks space.

The British brand's mission is to make CBD accessible for all and the news of the increased distribution goes a long way in supporting its ethos. The £5 Meal Deal is currently the most cost-effective way of accessing high quality CBD on the market,  45% of Goodrays single can sales now come through the Meal Deal and sales suggest repeat purchase via the functional drinks bay.

Eoin Keenan says: “It's been a joy to work with the UK's most premium retailer bringing high-quality and innovative CBD products to the mainstream. Big thanks to Waitrose for backing us. Our recent trial of the CBD Drinks mixpack on the functional drinks fixture in  Waitrose was overwhelmingly successful. It was the best performing drinks multipack in the trial and we're confident that success will continue across the entire range  as we move into deeper distribution. We've heard from customers that they have been introduced to the the category and the brand via the meal deal and they've become regular customers from this entry point.

"The increase in distribution will be supported with ongoing marketing support from Goodrays, including a promotional plan and a continuation of the Meal Deal partnership. As consumers become more educated on CBD and its benefits, Goodrays believes customers will continue to seek out brands that offer higher dose products that offer the best value for money."

Eoin Keenan went on to say: “This is a milestone for us and our mission to educate around CBD usage and the impact it can have in the reduction of stress and anxiety, and a way to find relaxation in our chaotic lives. We currently offer a market leading dose of CBD per drink at 30mg, this unique proposition is what we'll continue to shout about in 2024, and hope that this element will bring new, experimental customers to the category ongoing."

Goodrays announced a record growth of 1,457%  year on year in October 2023.

Eoin Keenan founded Goodrays after years of using CBD to help combat anxiety and stress, often hiding the condition from friends and family. A now veteran of the industry, including over a decade of studying the world's most misunderstood plan and its natural compounds, Keenan is passionate about developing premium CBD solutions to support mental wellness for everyone.

https://www.goodrays.com

Sweden's Flävar Strawberry & Lime Schnapps will be a Summer hit

Many people are glued to the tennis at the moment. So, why not take the traditional Wimbledon treat of strawberries and cream and give it a nifty, modern twist by serving a chilled shot with squirty cream on the top for a bit of Flävar flair? 

Flävar Strawberry & Lime is also delicious served with prosecco (the 'Flävecco'), or topped up with ice and lemonade. Inspired by Founder Rolf's Scandinavian heritage, plus the Swedish concept of 'Fika' (a short break from a busy day to enjoy a sweet treat with friends), Flävar's retro refresh of the schnapps category is well-timed to coincide with celebratory occasions like Wimbledon, receptions, garden parties, BBQs and more.

Says founder Rolf Munding: “Anyone brought up in Scandinavia or Germany will know Schnapps as a huge part of our culture. It always makes me think of the good times with friends and family, as I'm certain it does for many other people too. Flävar is inspired by this retro-drinking experience and we've created a range that appeals to the UK's desire for exploring new, delicious flavours.”

Time for the perfect serve? You'll discover your Flävar at https://flavarspirit.com or Amazon. 

RRP is £19.99 for 70cl, 25% ABV.

Goodrays CBD Expands Waitrose Listing With CBD Oils and Gummies

A box of Mixed CBD Gummies (RRP £24.95), CBD Zen Drops (RRP £24.95), CBD Night Drops (£24.95) and Mixed Pack of CBD Drinks (RRP: £7.50) will now be available across 263 stores. The range increase means customers will now have a CBD option for every part of their day.

Henry Colver, Head of Marketing, says: “For Waitrose to have taken on our whole range is game-changing for us - it supports our brand mission to educate on the benefits of CBD and provide daily calm and clarity to people all over the UK.  

"The CBD industry has its challenges - our digital advertising is heavily restricted, so we rely on word-of-mouth advertising and strong retail presence. There is still a huge amount of work to be done around educating around what CBD is - some recent research we conducted showed that 33% of CBD users thought that CBD products had THC in them, however, CBD in its purest form contains zero THC and will not make you 'high'. We look forward to working with the team at Waitrose to educate consumers on this amazing compound.”

In the research conducted 2023 by Goodrays, these are the main reasons customers are using CBD:

To help with stress and anxiety (45%)

For pain relief (42%)

To aid and improved sleep (38%)

Medical Reasons (29%)

To help with depression (25%)

Goodrays now has a team of ten and is based in Shoreditch, London.

Awareness around mental wellbeing has been a huge driving force for Goodrays' founder Eoin Keenan. Keenan has been a vocal advocate of the power of the hemp plant for over a decade, and set up his own business in 2020 focusing on high quality CBD products, at accessible price point, such as oils and RTD canned drinks, that gained listings in Tesco and Waitrose last year.

Like many young people, anxiety started to become an issue for Eoin in his early 20s and part of his mission now is to educate on how CBD usage can be helpful to deal with conditions such as anxiety through natural and holistic methods. During Mental Health Week (15-21 May) Goodrays donated 100% of its online profits to mental health charity Mind, Tower Hamlets, which is a five minute walk from their offices.

Fever-Tree Shakes It Up With Launch of New Cocktail Mixers Range

Fever-Tree, the UK's top-selling mixer brand, has today unveiled an exciting new range of three cocktail mixers expertly crafted to take the fuss out of making cocktails at home. 

The brand's track record for putting quality, taste and choice back into the mixer aisle now sees them expand beyond carbonated mixers for the first time, to offer cocktail lovers more choice in this exciting, fast-growing category.

Cocktail consumption has been skyrocketing in bars and restaurants since reopening post-Covid, with the market doubling in value over the past year.12 months. 

But consumers thirst for cocktails doesn't stop as they leave the bar.  While the more adventurous will continue to treat themselves at home and shake from scratch, many are still put off by the quantity of ingredients required as well as by the time, effort and knowhow needed to recreate their favourite cocktails.

But thanks to Fever-Tree's new range, consumers no longer have to squeeze copious amounts of limes or buy niche liqueurs and syrups that end up being half used and gathering dust in the back of a cupboard. 

Using only the finest naturally sourced ingredients including zesty limes from Mexico, Italian Blood Oranges and Kenyan coffee beans, Fever-Tree have created the ideal mixer bases to create fantastic, delicious cocktails.  All that's left for the consumer to do is combine them with their favourite brand of rum, vodka or tequila and delight their friends and families with the very best quality cocktails, with no degree in mixology required! 

Said Rose Cottingham, Head of Innovation at Fever-Tree: “We know our consumers love the idea of re-creating an 'at bar' experience at home nowhere more so than with a  premium G&T but when it comes to cocktails they can often be put off by feeling they don't have the knowhow or struggle to replicate the quality and taste of what is on offer in their favourite bar or pub. 

"We have spent many months and countless hours refining our new cocktail range, ensuring we have arrived at three fantastic mixers that will give consumers the confidence to create enticing and sophisticated cocktails with ease. 

After all, we know cocktails are the perfect way to elevate any occasion, so we wanted to create something for consumers which meant they could spend less time worrying about the drinks and more time enjoying them with friends and family.”

Fever-Tree cocktail mixers:

Espresso Martini - Made with the finest Kenyan Coffee extracts with notes of vanilla. Simply add vodka and shake over ice, for a rich and smooth Espresso Martini. 

Classic Mojito - For a zesty & refreshing Mojito, we've combined the finest Mexican Limes with fresh Moroccan Mint. Simply add rum and plenty of ice and stir for a mojito in minutes, 

Classic Margarita - Crafted with the finest Mexican Limes blended with juicy Italian Blood Orange & delicate Scottish sea salt. Simply add tequila and shake or stir over ice for a deliciously zesty & authentic margarita.

Available nationwide in Sainsburys, Waitrose and online at Ocado. RRP £4.50 for 500ml.

What is the Fever-Tree story?

Back in 2005, Fever-Tree co-founders Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow pioneered the premium mixer category, bringing choice, quality, and excitement back into the category. 

They travelled to the ends of the earth to source the finest ingredients, including quinine from the border of Rwanda/Democratic Republic of Congo, ginger from the Ivory Coast, India and Nigeria, and lemons from the slopes of Mount Etna, Sicily.

Fever-Tree is now the world's leading supplier of premium carbonated mixers for alcoholic spirits by retail sales value, with distribution to almost 80 countries worldwide. The company sells a range of carbonated mixers to hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes, and retailers.

Fever-Tree was recently voted as the bestselling and top trending mixer brand by Drinks International for the ninth year running.

https://fever-tree.com/en_GB

How to Throw the Perfect Eurovision Party With Flävar

The BEST excuse to throw a party with friends, drink to toast your favourite performers and enjoy the bants of Graham Norton. Don those sequins, grab your dancing queens, and get that ABBA jumpsuit down from the loft….all you need now is the perfect shots for your drinking games to accompany a night of fun. 

Read on for how to make sure there are a lorra lorra laughs at your Eurosoiree with delicious and indulgent shots from a brand new Swedish vodka schnapps, mixed up by one of Manchester's most experienced and talented mixologists.

Flävar breaks the ice and brings the party: need something unique and delicious for your guests? No more dragging out that old bottle of schnapps at the back of the cupboard when there's a lull in festivities- it is time to make schnapps the star of the show. Revellers all over the UK are loving the retro refresh of this glamorous liquid.

Made with some of the freshest water in the world, expertly crafted on the shores of beautiful Lake Boren in Southern Sweden, this is a seriously smooth and stylish liquid encased in vivid designs and with a bottleneck proudly emblazoned with the Swedish flag. The secret to the great taste is award-winning vodka mixed with deliciously indulgent flavours: this is a clear, crisp mouth-watering schnapps -  made for good times, for those with good taste, and lovers of delicious desserts too. 

Flävar Blueberry & Lemon (25% abv)  is the newest addition to the range, which has been shaking up the shot market all over the country in pubs and bars, a shot to be savoured and enjoyed, inspired by popular Swedish desserts and sweet treats. The combination of citrus and sweet is a delectable combination which works equally well as a post-dinner drink too. 

Flävar Strawberry & Lime (25% abv) Did you know that Sweden has some of the most succulent strawberries in the world? Candy-sweet and full of flavour, mixing the berries with zesty lime takes this liquid to a whole new level of Flävar.

Flävar Salted Caramel (25% abv)

The beloved classic: the smooth, moreish, sweet and salty sensation that shouldn't work, but it really does! Perfect for Winter gatherings, this mouth-watering favourite is a treat, and the ultimate cocktail ingredient in Christmas Martinis**. It even tastes delicious poured into a hot chocolate - yum!

Flavar has worked with tip top Mancunian Mixologist Cameron Fielding aka Smartblend, a cocktail connoisseur that's worked with amazing bars such as Sushi Samba on some epic cocktail shots.*

Founder Rolf Munding says, “Anyone brought up in Scandinavia and Germany will know Schnapps as it was a huge part of our drinking culture. I have very fond memories of the Schnapps drinking songs we used to sing back in the early '70s! The unique flavour of Schnapps makes me think of some great times,  as I am sure it does for many other people too, and Flävar is inspired by this retro drinking experience mixed with the UK's thirst for dessert-style flavours.”

Originality, individuality and a little bit of indulgence is at the heart of every bottle: this is a schnapps to show off. So long Granny's Cocktail Cabinet, it's time for Schnapps to shine!  Skål! (Swedish for cheers)

***Consumers can buy directly  from https://flavarspirit.com. RRP £19.99 for 70cl, 25% ABV***

Get involved in the Schnappschat and follow for exciting news on new Flävars coming in 2023: https://www.instagram.com/flavarspirit/ 

Founded by industry stalwart Rolf Munding, Owner of the workshop in Borensberg Sweden that launched award-winning Swedish vodka and Gin: Truth and JÜST. Rolf has over 20 years of owning and running successful hospitality venues, including Market Taverns pub group in London.

What about the flavours?

Flävar Blueberry & Lemon (25% abv)  is the newest addition to the range, which has been shaking up the shot market all over the country in pubs and bars, a shot to be savoured and enjoyed, inspired by popular Swedish desserts and sweet treats. The combination of citrus and sweet is a delectable combination which works equally well as a post-dinner drink too. 

Flävar Strawberry & Lime (25% abv) Did you know that Sweden has some of the most succulent strawberries in the world? Candy-sweet and full of flavour, mixing the berries with zesty lime takes this liquid to a whole new level of Flävar.

Flävar Salted Caramel (25% abv)

The beloved classic: the smooth, moreish, sweet and salty sensation that shouldn't work, but it really does! Perfect for Winter gatherings, this mouth-watering favourite is a treat, and the ultimate cocktail ingredient in Christmas Martinis**. It even tastes delicious poured into a hot chocolate - yum!

Flävar Raspberry & Liquorice (25% abv)

Liquorice is Sweden's favourite warming treat. Mixed with sweet, juicy raspberry and you've got yourself a taste explosion. 

*SHOT RECIPES

SWEDEN FLAG SHOT

Whether its to celebrate Eurovision or you're throwing an ABBA party. The Swedish flag shot is a great way to have a little bit of fun and it tastes like an actual blueberry muffin!

INGREDIENTS

5ml Flävar Blueberry and Lemon

5ml Lemon Juice

20ml Blue Curacao

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour the Blue Curacao into a shooter glass.

 In a separate glass mix the flavar and lemon juice then layer on top slowly over the back of a spoon

Below are a few recommended products that'll really help your layering. The bar spoon I've recommended comes with a flat head on it. Use that side to layer the liquid.

The speed pourers will help you control the flow of the pour and the deep shot glasses are perfect for layering.

ITALY FLAG SHOT

Whether it is to celebrate Eurovision, You have an Italian party planned, or you just want to have a little fun. This Italian flag shot is perfect. The colours are stunning and it tastes like salted caramel, chocolate, and mint!

INGREDIENTS

5ml Flävar Salted Caramel

5ml Creme de Cacao

10ml Grenadine

10ml Creme de menthe

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour the grenadine into a shooter glass.

In a separate glass mix the Flävar and Creme de Cacao then layer on top. (if you pour a little bit of milk in, it'll make the colour more white)

 Then use the back of a spoon to layer over the crème de menthe

FRANCE FLAG SHOT

Whether it is to celebrate Eurovision or any French-themed gathering, the French Flag shot is a great way to have a little bit of fun and it tastes like Raspberries, Liquorice, Orange AND chocolate.

Ingredients

5ml Flävar Raspberry and Liquorice

5ml Creme de Cacao

10ml Grenadine

10ml Blue Curacao

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour the grenadine into a shooter glass.

 In a separate glass mix the flavar and Creme de Cacao then layer on top. (if you pour a little bit of milk in, it'll make the colour more white)

 Then use the back of a spoon to layer over the Blue Curacao

FINLAND FLAG SHOT

Whether its to celebrate Eurovision or any party. The Finland flag shot is a great way to have a little bit of fun and it tastes like an actual slice of Lemon Pie!

INGREDIENTS

5ml Flävar Lemon Pie

5ml Cream

20ml Blue Curacao

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour the Blue Curacao into a shooter glass.

 In a separate glass mix the flavar and cream then layer on top slowly over the back of a spoon

IRELAND FLAG SHOT

Whether its to celebrate Eurovision, St. Patricks day, an Irish themed party or event. The Irish flag shot is a great way to have a little bit of fun and it tastes like strawberries, lime, mint, and cream.

INGREDIENTS

5ml Flävar Strawberry and Lime

5ml Orange Juice

10ml Irish cream

10ml Creme de menthe

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour the crème de menthe into a shooter glass.

Then use the back of a spoon to layer over the Irish cream liqueur.

In a separate glass mix the flavar and Orange juice then layer on top.

This all looks like a whole heap of fun!