Blueberry drinks from Ocean Spray

Blueberry is set to add some excitement to the juice offer in the on-trade, as cranberry brand Ocean Spray launches two new blueberry drinks.

Available this week from new distributor Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), which took over the distribution of the brand last month, Ocean Spray Blueberry and Blueberry Light, come in ambient one-litre cartons.

CCE is also adding a new 250ml can to its cranberry offer and has overhauled the packaging of the range, making the ambient one-litre packs taller and slimmer with a new cap for better pouring.

The brand will also benefit from a £7m campaign to try to broaden the appeal of the juices as a mixer with spirits and as a long, soft drink for adults.

The campaign will emphasise the brand's US roots under the strapline "Good Taste from a Good Place" and will run on TV from next month. On-trade promotions and a PR push will also form part of the campaign, said CCE brand development controller Caroline Philiponnet-Bethnell.

"Our partnership with Ocean Spray is great news for the still juice and juice sector in on-premise," she said.

Separately CCE said last week that it would be rolling out its energy drink Monster across the UK on-trade.

Monster Export, a re-branded version of Monster original, and Monster Ripper, a 50% juice variant, are now available in 250ml cans to pubs and bars.

The company said it hoped to replicate in the UK the growth seen in the US, where it is the number-one energy drink by value.