Red Square gets juice blend

Halewood International claims to be bringing in a first to the flagging RTD market with a new version of its Red Square brand that combines fruit juice and caffeine.

Reloaded Juiced contains the same taurine-based mix as the regular version, but is combined with cranberry, grape and raspberry juice.

Red Square marketing consultant Richard Clarke said: "We expect our new liquid to make an instant impact and in particular, attract a more female audience on the back of the popularity of juices and smoothies."

The new line will be supported by a radio push and a sampling campaign in bars.

Halewood is also expanding its Sidekick brand with new flavours and sizes of the cream shot range. A new 35cl bottle for the Choc Mint variant is being added in a bid to take the brand into the cocktail market.

Designed to be used as a mixer, Clarke said that market research had shown that there was a "consumer trend towards cocktail mixing and lower abv products". Responding to suggestions that shots encouraged binge drinking, Clarke added: "At Halewood we are tuned into category concerns and we see this move as yet another step towards discouraging down-in-one' consumption and encouraging sensible yet fun drinking."

The company is also adding Raspberry Ripple flavour to its Sidekick range packaged in a single-shot format.