Aiming squarely at success: Innovation in beverage cubes

Beverage cubes can essentially condense a bulky liquid into a neat square solid form: that can then be quickly and simply revived into a liquid drink by the consumer. That comes with several advantages - the ability for cubes to be neatly packaged up and put in the post, for example. But brands are going beyond this and finding that innovating with a cube format is advantageous for many different reasons. Convincing consumers to think 'outside the bottle' might be difficult - but brands are increasingly finding success with innovative formats, all set to carve out their own separate niches... The pioneer saving plastic: waterdrop In 2016, the entrepreneurs behind waterdrop set out to show that square could be the new success. The 'hydration cubes' pack all the beverage ingredients into a small zero sugar cube - which comes in an array of flavors and varieties such as those enhanced with vitamins or ice tea - which can be dissolved in still or sparkling water. That creates several advantages. First and foremost is sustainability: delivering a beverage with far, far less plastic than a bottle (the amount of plastic used in a 12-pack for waterdrop is just slightly more than a single bottle cap). "Our microdrink cubes are incredibly compact and lightweight compared to traditional beverages, making them much easier to transport," Alexandre Ruberti, managing director of Americas, told us. "This not only allows us to reach more people across various regions more efficiently, but it also reduces shipping costs and carbon emissions. "By cutting down on the need for heavy bottles and cans, we drastically minimize our environmental footprint. "When using waterdrop products, you reduce plastic consumption by 98% compared to a pre-filled container and significantly decrease energy consumption and transportation emissions." Launching in Vienna, Austria in 2016, it took the brand several years to get where it is today: appearing on the German version of Shark Tank in 2018; opening a flagship store in Vienna in 2020 and launching in the US in 2021. The biggest challenge along the journey has been to explain the cube concept quickly to investors and customers, said Ruberti - but the brand appears to have succeeded with some three million consumers and Novak Djokovic as brand ambassador. "Being the challenger brand in the market naturally comes with its own set of obstacles," explained Ruberti. "However, our products stand out for a variety of reasons that our consumers, investors, and supporters alike believe in: hydration, health, taste, and sustainability." In fact, the brand has grown from $700,000 revenue in its first year to over $100m in 2023. The brand is now available in 20 markets across 5 continents, in over 25,000 retail doors (including Target, Giant and Wegmans) - as well as 40 of its own stores. Functional cubes for the best functionality Bumpin Blends was launched in 2021 by Lisa Mastela, MPH, RD, as she was searching for a healthy way to simplify consuming crucial daily nutrients. The brand makes functional pre-blended smoothie cubes that are designed to support specific health areas, like focus, mood, gut health, sex drive, sleep, and more. They make it easy to incorporate functional nutrition into daily routines with flavor-forward all natural ingredient, no sugar added smoothies. The brand is now sold in 1,400 Walmart locations across the US, doubled its revenue year-on-year, and become a brand name-checked by Jenna DeWan, Amanda Kloots and Chrissy Tiegan. The frozen cubes come in flavors such as Watermelon Prickly Pear (designed for hydration), Cinnamon Toast (mood), Peanut Butter Cup (energy), and the Bumpin x Barbie ™ Strawberry Dream. Each needs to be mixed with 1 cup of water, milk or a milk alternative. For Mastela, launching Bumpin Blends was about creating the best functional beverage product possible: approaching the concept as a dietitian rather than business person. That meant her mission wasn't about using cubes for economies and efficiencies or a product easy to distribute - it was about getting the best product possible, she told us. “Truthfully, selling smoothies as frozen cubes is the hardest and most expensive way for a brand to sell a smoothie” she explained. “Powders and bottled drinks are much easier with a better profit margin and simpler supply chain. “Frozen ingredients retain their nutritional quality better and are able to provide more health benefits and more flavor, which were the only two priorities in mind - making a product both extremely effective and taste amazing.” With consumers making up the final smoothie at home, there’s plenty of opportunities for customization. “Anyone can add their favorite protein powder or tonics to the blender with the cubes and liquid to make it their own. The cubes are also incredibly versatile for recipes - drop a cube into plain oatmeal for healthy flavored oats, make chia seed pudding with them, munch on them as a sweet treat, mix them with espresso for a homemade frap….” Innovation in RTD: Coffee ice cubes For Gaelan Simpson, CEO and co-founder of Dice Provisions, going square has been about finding a completely different niche - and one in the booming coffee category. Dice Coffee Ice cubes are the world’s first craft coffee ice cubes, providing a ‘revolutionary solution’ to the age-old problem of diluted iced coffee. The newly-launched cubes are crafted from premium organic coffee, which gradually infuse the drink with rich flavor as they melt, and ensuring a consistently satisfying experience from start to finish. Crafted from chocolatey, nutty dark roast beans, Dice Coffee Ice Cubes undergo a unique nitro-freezing process, preserving their well-rounded, full-bodied, low-acidity cold brew and slow melting process. Simpson was inspired to create the brand because of her own experiences with iced coffee: and set out to make an iced cube that could be used with any coffee, whatever the flavor or intensity. “We’ve always been frustrated by how quickly iced coffee gets watered down when made at home. Maintaining the strength and flavor of iced coffee is crucial!” she said. “This was a key focus during the R&D phase of Dice. Our first step was to find a blend with a great flavor balance, low acidity, and the ability to appeal to a wide range of palates. We tried blends from about every coffee-growing region on the planet. During this process, we landed on South American coffee as it offers the most balance, with notes of chocolate and nuts, and is not too tangy or bright, as the brightness can interfere with the flavor of other coffees. “Then, onto the roast. We chose dark roast, as it brings out the chocolate body that people love and reduces the zesty acidity. Overall, we wanted to ensure that the flavor was balanced and versatile but rich enough to prolong the richness and not reduce the depth of an iced coffee. This way, if you enjoy the tang of a light roast, you won’t lose it in your cup—but if you don’t like that flavor, you won’t be overwhelmed with brightness as the cubes melt. “We know coffee preferences are very personal, but the positive feedback we received during consumer trials validated that we found the right balance in flavor and strength.” Dice cubes are offered in resealable standup pouches found in grocery store freezers. Each bag contains 24 oz of product, which should last for one week's worth of iced coffee made at home. Dice cubes are certified organic, with 0 additives, 0 sugar, and less than 5 calories. The product retails for $12.99. Theoretically, this concept could be applied to many other beverages – cubes that retain the strength and flavors of soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Sprite, or cocktails full of ice that otherwise dilute quickly. “There’s a huge opportunity to innovate in the beverage industry, and we're excited to be a part of it. We're brewing up some seasonal flavors in the kitchen, thinking about what's next!" said Simpson. “It’s an exciting space, and we’re eager to see where else Dice can take us. There’s a lot of untapped potential, and we’re just getting started making things we enjoy ourselves,” said Simpson.

Aiming squarely at success: Innovation in beverage cubes

Think beverages are about liquids in bottles? Think again. Beverages are finding their way into cube shapes which have a lot of advantages when it comes to sustainability, distribution, quality and customization. We look at how innovation in this sector is – forgive the pun - shaping up.

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