Bringing a taste for the summer to soft drinks shelves
SOFT drinks giant Suntory Beverage & Food (SBF) GB&I has launched a new variant for its Ribena soft drinks range with the new Ribena Summer Fruits.
The new light and fruity variant from the Ribena range comes in three different formats to suit a variety of shopper missions including on-the-go options with a 500ml bottle and 250ml carton as well as the take-home option of the 850ml Squash bottle.
Rolling out from 3 March, the new Ribena Summer Fruits provides shoppers with another No Added Sugar option for the brand and contains 100% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C with every serving. It is also made using real fruit juices from apples and strawberries to match the demand for more natural drinks options.
SBF believes the new variant will be a rampant success for the Ribena brand and has cited NielsenIQ data which found that not only is the UK soft drinks market now worth a massive £11.9billion but, within this, the Summer Fruits flavour is the third most popular flavour in the squash market.
The new launch builds further on the brand’s new look, says SBF, which hit shelves in March 2025 and will also be supported by a wider media investment including a TV placement from 6 April. This has an estimated reach of 85million and will find its way to 75.4% of all families in the UK.
Retailers can also access POS materials via their SBF GB&I field reps to create standout displays across their store and support sales of the new variant.
Sarah Fleetwood, head of brand for Ribena, said: “We set out to create ‘summer in a bottle’ by blending a combination of quintessentially British summer fruits to deliver an exciting new flavour with No Added Sugar; made with real strawberry and apple fruit juice and bright raspberry and blackberry natural flavour.
“We know flavour innovation is key for consumers looking for a flavourful twist to their refreshment occasions, so the launch of Ribena Summer Fruits not only speaks to this trend but is also set to reinforce Ribena’s strong position within the UK soft drinks market.”
