The Weekly Sip: AriZona brews private-label iced tea for 7-Eleven | Non-dairy milk company Califia Farms enters juice

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7-Eleven, AriZona launch cold brew tea line

America’s largest convenience store chain is teaming up with AriZona Beverages on a private-label offering.

The new Southland Reserve cold brew tea is made using “gravity-based filtration” and a cold steeping process, according to the press release. The drink is available in four flavors: Sweet Tea, Unsweet Tea, Peach Tea and Lemon Tea.

“By combining our expertise in cold brewing with 7-Eleven's deep-rooted legacy, we've crafted a refreshing and flavorful tea that we know customers will love,” said Don Vultaggio, the chairman and founder of AriZona Beverages.

Southland Reserve is a nod to the convenience store chain’s original name when it was founded in 1927, Southland Ice Company, which became 7-Eleven in 1946. The packaging features black-and-white photos from the store’s early years.

The cold brew tea is available at 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes convenience stores.

Califia Farms aims to refresh the juice category with creamy refreshers

Califia Farms, known for its non-dairy milk and creamer alternatives, is expanding its portfolio with the addition of fruit juices.

Its Creamy Refreshers are made with coconut cream along with real fruit juice. There are four flavors: Strawberry Creme, Key Lime Colada, Piña Colada and Orange Creme. The drinks contain between 8 and 10 grams of sugar per serving, which Califia claims is almost 60% less than other leading fruit juices.

Califia said the product’s genesis came from wanting to bring a sweet treat for consumers who are looking for “mindful indulgences.”

“Over the last 15 years, Califia Farms has loved experimenting with the endless possibilities of plants,” Suzanne Ginestro, the company’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Creamy Refreshers is a perfect example of how that innovation unlocked something new, delicious, and fresh.”

The drinks are available at select stores such as Target and Albertsons.

Fruit juice consumption has declined in recent years amid concerns about its sugar content. But the category remains lucrative. Califia Farms pointed to Statista data that estimated the juice segment will be worth $3.3 billion in 2025.

Hemp drink gets buzzy on THC lemonade seltzer

Ahead of summer, one hemp-based beverage maker is serving up a product for consumers looking to relax.

Wynk debuted this week Lemonade Seltzers with 10 milligrams of THC, along with zero sugar and calories. The drinks come in three varieties: Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade.

The lemonades aim to fulfill consumer demand for products with slightly higher potency in the niche, low-dose THC beverage segment. Consuming the offering can result in a “bubbly buzz” in 10 to 15 minutes, Wynk said.

“It's the high end of low dose. More THC, more flavor, and the same light, balanced experience our fans know and love,” Angus Rittenburg, the CEO and co-founder of Wynk, said in a statement.

After its founding in 2021, Wynk released a lineup of low-THC seltzers for consumers looking for an alternative to alcohol at social occasions. Its lineup includes 2.5 milligram and 5 milligram THC seltzers in flavors like Juicy Mango and Lime Twist.

The lemonade product comes as spirits-infused juices and teas in the alcohol segment continue to grow in prominence. These include Surfside and Boston Beer’s Sun Cruiser, along with recent launches such as Coca-Cola’s Minute Maid Spiked and Anheuser-Busch’s Skimmers. 

The value of THC-infused drinks continues to grow as more consumers try cannabis and hemp products. The THC seltzer market is projected to be worth $5 billion by 2033, according to Spherical Insights.