#OnShelf: From Skinny to a fat cookbook

by Louise Burgers. It’s a mixed bag this week with some impactful promotions and launches from Skinny seltzer; KWV; and McCains.

A new Skinny seltzer sashays onto the market

The demand for healthier drinks has led to the launch of the flavoured Skinny seltzer range with zero added artificial sugars or artificial flavourings, colourants and preservatives. The Skinny trio of low-calorie, unashamedly sophisticated alcohol seltzers is aimed at wellness-minded drinkers who like a ready-mixed drink in a can. The range switches things up with three seltzers with a twist: the flagship Skinny B – a mix of premium vodka, pure lime and soda; the Skinny M – a crisp mix of premium tequila, pure lime and soda; and the Skinny G, a refreshing alternative to a classic G&T, featuring gin, pure lime and soda. They clock in at 3,5% alcohol, 75 calories and zero carbs. This new range is available from Norman Goodfellows stores.

KWV unveils new-look, 20-year-old XXO potstill brandy

The KWV XXO 20 potstill brandy has been given an elegant makeover that brings craftsmanship to the oak-matured brand. The new look features a bold XXO designation on the front of the bottle, partly due to revised global classifications and requirements for the category. Previously, drinks older than 10 years were designated as XO but this was recently revised to include a new XXO designation for brandies and cognacs aged for 14 years or more. Beyond the age designation, the XXO’s refreshed design adds emphasis on the artistry that has defined KWV brandy since the 1920s, as well as the company’s reputation as a brandy maker.

Housed in a copper red gift box with gold accents, the decanter-like bottle employs a multifaceted design to emphasise its stature. Brandies aged for a minimum of 20 years and up to 32 years, are blended by taste to create flavour notes that, KWV Master Distiller Pieter de Bod, says, are reminiscent of fruit cake, sweet spice, oak wood and honey. In more news, the KWV XXO 20 just brought home Gold from the World Spirits Awards 2021. KWV XXO 20 is available from all major retailers and the KWV Emporium. RSP is R1,699.

McCain’s taste from home

McCain has launched a special Cookbook Creator that allows anyone to make their own 48-page personalised cookbook packed with their own family recipes, notes and images, alongside a selection of other recipes suggested by McCain – all printed and delivered to the door of the customer. According to Danielle De Villiers, senior brand manager at McCain, “Growing thriving families sits at the heart of everything that McCain does, so we wanted to give families the opportunity to pass down their favourite recipes, while providing the very best in hassle-free recipe inspiration. Now, home-leavers can always have mom’s recipes and cooking secrets on hand as they navigate their independence.”

Main image credit: Skinny.

Louise Burgers is the Publisher and Editor and Co-Founder of RetailingAfrica.com. She has spent over 20 years writing about the FMCG retailing, marketing, media and advertising industry in South Africa and on the African continent. She has specialised in local and Africa consumer trends and is a passionate Afro-optimist who believes it is Africa’s time to rise again and that the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) will be a global gamechanger in the next decade.

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