Prepared Foods takes a look at new better-for-you foods, drinks and supplements introduced in April 2019.

Mindfull Inc., Boulder, Colo., introduced VIBE Organic Electrolyte Black Teas with three new RTD offerings on shelves at Whole Foods 365 Markets and Central Market.

Mindfull Founder and CEO Matthew Jimenez says VIBE’s position “is a smarter take on tea for any occasion—a line of organic black teas that offer consumers a healthy, natural way to boost energy throughout the day while also staying hydrated.”

“This organic tea line reflects MindFull’s goals of offering organic and functional nutrition in sustainable packaging,” says Jimenez. “Our goal with VIBE is to provide a low sugar, electrolyte tea that delivers energy, hydration and refreshment for any time of day.”

VIBE Organic Electrolyte Black Tea contains 48mg of caffeine (about half of that found in a typical cup of coffee). With just a touch of honey and proprietary sweetener blend, consumers can enjoy a perfectly balanced mouthfeel and flavor while intaking only 1g of sugar and 20 calories per 16.9-ounce Tetra Pak carton, says Jimenez. He adds that VIBE black tea flavors—Mint, Lemon, Peach and Pomegranate—are crafted to enhance the natural and bold black tea flavor.

VIBE Organic Electrolyte Black Teas are packaged in 100% recyclable Tetra Pak cartons composed of up to 70% renewable materials (predominantly paperboard and a plant-based cap).

Ingenuity Brands, San Francisco, says its new Brainiac Kids whole milk yogurts are the first kids offerings specifically formulated and targeted to support developing brains. 

Officials say the offerings—in cups, squeeze tubes and drinks—deliver a “BrainPack” blend of key nutrients, including the omega-3s DHA and ALA as well as choline, which support childhood brain development. Says Ingenuity, “One 4-ounce cup of Brainiac Kids yogurt provides as much omega-3 DHA as one kid’s portion of salmon, plus as much omega-3 ALA as one cup of Brussels sprouts, plus as much choline as two cups of broccoli.”

“When we needed to switch our newborn to formula, my wife and I spent a lot of time investigating the options,” says Jonathan Wolfson, Ingenuity Brands founder and CEO. “The focus on brain nutrients made us wonder if our older kids were missing out. With the help of experts, we discovered that kids in America, including ours, are getting far too little of the critical nutrients their rapidly growing brains need.”

Brainiac Kids is available at H-E-B’s Central Market locations in Texas and will be available in late March through Good Eggs, the Bay Area based online grocery delivery service. The product comes in four flavors, including Strawberry Banana, Strawberry, Mixed Berry and Cherry Vanilla. 

Officials say Brainiac Kids Whole Milk Yogurts have 40% less sugar and 50% more protein than the leading kids’ yogurt and Brainiac Kids yogurt drinks have 50% less sugar than the leading kids’ yogurt drink. They are made with three strains of live and active probiotic cultures, are non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, contain no artificial ingredients and are derived from cows not treated with rBST.

Protein2o Inc., Elk Grove Village, Ill., introduced Protein2o Plus Energy, which boasts 125mg of caffeine in addition to 15g of protein. Like all of the brand’s products, officials say Protein2o Plus Energy is made with 100% whey protein isolate and natural flavors and is preservative, gluten and lactose-free; the caffeine it contains is derived from green coffee beans.

“The development of Protein2o Plus Energy has really been driven by consumer demand,” says Andy Horrow, Protein2o president. “By combining much sought-after functional ingredients—water, protein and energy—we are offering consumers, for the first time, a great-tasting, low-calorie beverage that promises multiple benefits.”

Available in two flavors, Blueberry-Raspberry and Cherry Lemonade, Protein2o Plus Energy has only 70 calories per 16.9-ounce. bottle. Both flavors debuted at Amazon and Walmart.com and then began to rollout to grocery, convenience and drug store shelves starting in February.

“Before or after a workout or as a healthy afternoon boost, Protein2o Plus Energy gives consumers a perfect one-two punch of high-quality protein and energizing caffeine, with the added bonus of being low-calorie,” adds Horrow. “This is an exciting expansion for us, an opportunity to introduce our brand to a whole new audience of energy-seeking consumers, while also offering something new for our already-devoted fans.”

Bonafide Provisions, San Diego, introduced its line of Keto Broth as an online exclusive at BonafideProvisions.com. In a convenient, 8-ounce, heat-and-go cup, the new line combines key nutrients that support and promote ketosis into a power-house combination: organic bone broth, which helps the body digest fat, and MCT oil, a specific type of fatty acid which helps the body produce ketones.

“You can eat all the fat you want, but, if you’re not able to digest that fat, you won’t be able to experience the benefits of a ketogenic diet,” says Sharon Brown, founder and CEO. “Bone broth is essential for anyone eating keto because it is the best whole-food source of glycine, an amino acid that helps the body digest fat.”

The certified organic Keto Broth is gluten- and grain-free and made with Bonafide Provisions’ pasture-raised, organic bone broth, MCT oil, and quality fats. It contains no additives, preservatives, stabilizers, fillers, powders or sweeteners. Keto Broth offers 15g of healthy fats, 9-10g of protein and no sugar in three flavors: Lemon, Turmeric, Grass-fed Butter and MCT Oil; Lemon, Turmeric, Coconut Oil and MCT Oil (Paleo and dairy-free); and Grass-fed Butter and MCT Oil.

Bonafide Provisions’ Keto Broth is available for $6.50 on BonafideProvisions.com. The new line debuted at Natural Products Expo West and rolls out to grocers during the second quarter of 2019.

Springfield Creamery, Eugene, Ore., has introduced an Oatmilk Non-Dairy Yogurt under the brand of Nancy’s Probiotic Foods. Officials say the product is the nation’s first the first nationally distributed oatmilk non-dairy yogurt.

Made from gluten-free oats, this new line of vegan yogurts delivers the creaminess of dairy yogurt with billions of live, non-dairy probiotics per serving.

“For years, we have offered a non-dairy yogurt alternative, as we believe that everyone needs probiotics daily in their diet. As interest in plant-based options continues to grow, and as a company with a long heritage of probiotic innovation, it made sense to update and offer a new line of non-dairy products,” says Sheryl Kesey Thompson, co-owner and vice president of marketing. “It was important for us to offer a creamy, great tasting plant-based product, while delivering both a protein boost and the beneficial live probiotics that Nancy’s is known for. We are excited about this new line and are pleased that folks are enjoying it.”

Nancy’s new Oatmilk Non-Dairy Yogurts are Non-GMO Project Verified and offer 6g of plant-based protein per serving. In addition to being gluten-free, they are also free from soy, peanuts and tree-nuts.  They also contain 30-50% less sugar than the leading plant-based yogurts.

They are available in four flavors: Plain, Vanilla, Strawberry Hibiscus and Blueberry. The Oatmilk Non-Dairy Yogurts will be sold in both 6-ounce and 24-ounce sizes. Suggested retail price is $1.49-$1.99 for 6-ounce sizes and $4.49-$4.99 for 24-ounce sizes. 

They are available in Sprouts Farmers Markets, Market of Choice, New Season’s Market, Safeway (Denver area), Haggens, Central Markets and numerous independent co-ops across the US. 

Navitas Organics, Novato, Calif., used Natural Products Expo West to introduce its first ready-to-drink and drink mix portfolio, featuring four Superfood Wellness Shots with hemp CBD; as well as three plant-based Superfood Latte mixes. 

“For over a decade, Navitas Organics has been offering consumers the incredible benefits of hemp in multiple formats. From seed to powder to our Power Snacks line, bars, boosts and blends—we’re big believers and advocates of hemp,” says Founder and CEO Zach Adelman.

Navitas Wellness Shots are sold in 2.5-ounce aluminum bottles with a SRP of $7.99. The four Wellness Shots combine organic, nutrient-dense superfoods with full-spectrum hemp oil extract and provide 20mg of CBD. Each flavor supports specific nutritional and functional needs. Varieties include “Calm” (Acai Lemonade) “Bliss” (Goji Berry), “Focus” (Matcha Ginger) and “Restore” (Turmeric Citrus).

Each Superfood Latte can be mixed with 8-ounce of hot water, milk or a plant-based alternative for a creamy, hot beverage. All mixes are certified organic, contain no fillers or artificial sweeteners and come in three flavors with a per-packet SRP of $1.99. Varieties include Cacao, Matcha and Turmeric. Supportive of a keto, paleo and vegan diet, the mixes include 2g of organic MCT fats from coconut.