Monin Americas announced the launch of its new Spicy Agave Sweetener, organic agave infused with a blend of Hatch and Guajillo chili peppers. With consumers trending toward wellness, spice and elevated experiences, this new product from Monin will help operators to differentiate their menu offerings, adding the perfect combination of sweet and spicy (swicy), with organic agave, to entice customers’ taste buds and better-for-you preferences, the company says. Ideal for cocktails such as margaritas, mojitos, palomas and ranch waters, Monin Spicy Agave Sweetener is also a great addition to mocktails, lemonades, punch and iced teas, it adds. “We anticipate our twist on the classic agave sweetener will be adopted by operators looking for a way to add elevated sweet and spicy beverages to their menus,” said Brian Loukmas, vice president of innovation at Monin, in a statement. “Spicy Agave creates a memorable experience for guests and builds on the ever-growing popularity of the ‘swicy’ (sweet & spicy) movement. This new sweetener is also clean label, delivering on Monin’s promise to offer premium and authentic flavors made with the highest-quality natural ingredients.”

Brightseed, a bioactives company, released new research showing there is a significant subset of consumers who are engaged in a new horizon of science-based, natural solutions for health: bioactives. Bioactives are compounds that promote growth found in plants, fungi, and microbes that have the potential to reshape the nutraceutical industry and help consumers achieve their health goals, the company says. Brightseed’s study identified a new consumer segment of “Bioactivists” (27% of adults) who believe “food can be as powerful as medicine” and would pay a premium for novel bioactive health solutions. This finding presents a new opportunity for functional food and beverage brands to innovate products aimed at this early adopter segment, it notes. “Bioactivists are seeking proactive and preventative health solutions in a very targeted manner, and their heightened awareness on health topics has a direct impact on their evaluation of products and purchasing behavior,” said Michelle Masek, Brightseed’s vice president of marketing, in a statement. “Our findings show these Bioactivist consumers are hungry to find bioactives on the labels of their trusted brands.”

Kyowa Hakko USA announced the launch of CENTR Enhanced sparkling water, a functional beverage with a blend of nootropic and adaptogenic ingredients that includes its Cognizin citicoline. CENTR launched the product, its first outside the CBD category, in response to overwhelming consumer demand for nootropics shown to support brain health, like Cognizin. “CENTR Enhanced is the perfect solution for anyone looking to boost their cognitive abilities,” CENTR CEO Arjan Chima stated. “Whether you're a student studying for exams, a professional looking to improve your focus at work, or someone just looking to stay sharp, the ingredients inside CENTR Enhanced can help. Our hope is that consumers will incorporate CENTR Enhanced into their daily routine.” Karen Todd, vice president of global brand marketing at Kyowa Hakko USA Inc. added: “Our No. 1 goal is to get Cognizin into the hands of more consumers, and that’s why we’re so excited about this partnership. We’ve put in the work through numerous rigorous human trials to affirm that Cognizin does what we say it does, and we are so proud that CENTR Brands recognizes this clinical proof.” CENTR Enhanced is initially available on the brand’s website with thousands of retail locations coming soon, it says.

Nellson LLC announced the promotion of Francis Rinfret to the position of vice president of Nellson Operations in Anjou, Canada, and client liaison. In his new role, Rinfret will oversee all manufacturing operations activities for the Anjou, Canada-based site working closely with his direct reports as well as on-site functional leaders. He will maintain his responsibilities as client liaison working to foster and strengthen customer relationships. “It is a pleasure to recognize Francis Rinfret’s contributions to Nellson’s success and announce his promotion to Vice President, Anjou Operations and Client Liaison,” said Jean Filion, CEO of Nellson, in a statement. “In his previous role as Vice President, Global Supply Chain and Client Interface, Francis has been instrumental for many years in refining Nellson’s supply chain systems and process improvements.” Rinfret’s career includes more than 15 years of experience in the food industry along with a demonstrated track record of success in business planning, client interface, and supply chain development and management.