Grace Foods is launching three new Aloe Vera Drinks.

The first two NPDs meet the growing trend for reduced sugar and zero sugar soft drinks. Grace Aloe Zero (12 x 500ml. RRP £1.39-£1.69) is a smooth aloe vera drink with zero sugar and contains only 5 calories per 500ml bottle. Grace Aloe Refresh Smooth (12 x 500ml RRP £1.39-£1.69) will sit alongside the brand’s existing ‘with aloe vera pieces’ variant. The Refresh range contains 50% less sugar than regular Grace Aloe Vera drinks with just 105 calories per bottle.

Grace Aloe Smooth (12 x 500ml RRP £1.09-£1.29) has been launched to sit alongside the reduced-sugar drinks to offer shoppers choice.

Grace Foods brand manager Giuseppe Vullo said: “We have responded to consumer feedback with the launch of these new products. The health and sugar debate is continuing and Grace Aloe Zero and Grace Aloe Refresh allow retailers to offer shoppers delicious and exciting choices when they’re looking for reduced or zero sugar alternatives to carbonated drinks, fruit smoothies and flavoured waters.

“All new products have been launched in smooth variants following feedback we’ve received at events and on social media where we discovered some of our consumers have a love/hate relationship with ‘bits’, but loved the taste of our products! We’ve worked hard to develop our new smooth variants to ensure that these still have the same same great Grace Aloe taste, just without the pieces.

“The refreshing properties of aloe vera appeal to a wide range of consumers and the zero sugar and reduced-sugar Grace Aloe Refresh will help broaden this further. The reduced-sugar and zero sugar ranges contains only natural flavours and colours and contain 100% of your daily recommended Vitamin C per bottle which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue

“Thirst-quenching aloe vera drinks are the perfect addition to retailers’ fixtures. Shoppers are looking for something a little different, and for choice when it comes to soft drinks so offering beverages with exciting flavours, across different sweetness options is a sure-fire way for retailers to drive sales.

“UK soft drinks is a huge category and although total sales are relatively flat right now ready-to-drink aloe vera drinks as a sub-category is demonstrating impressive growth at 64.9% YoY. Inline with these trends Grace Aloe is driving sales with a current 77.2% share (IRI).

“We have an exciting year planned to support aloe vera drinks that includes outdoor advertising campaigns, national sampling, consumer shows, social media and instore activity. Retailers should stock up now to take advantage of this great opportunity. We cannot wait to say ‘Aloe’ to summer!”