Energy without caffeine: malt beverages with lots of power

Kalayanee Poon-asawasombat, Ph.D., Head of Cluster Marketing Asia-Pacific South at SIG Combibloc: “In the beverage industry, manufacturers can give innovative extra value to products in a wide range of different segments using malt as an ingredient. Combinations of milk and malt are possible, as are formulations using fruit and malt, or yoghurt and malt. And malt extracts are also ideally suited for crossing with various natural flavours. Chocolate or coffee flavours are a perfect complement to malt, and it also combines well with fruit. There are all kinds of possibilities for healthy and delicious beverage creations, and right now they promise good prospects of success”. 

Malt is produced by germinating and drying cereal grains such as barley, wheat, rye or spelt in a malting process. For the subsequent processing into foods, the grains are crushed or ground. In food applications, malt is best-known world-wide for its use in making alcoholic beverages – primarily in brewing beer. Malt is used in the production of whiskey as well. And it is also used as an ingredient in bread and pastries, sweets, and alcohol-free malt beer or so-called ‘Nährbier’ (nourishing beer). 

Another classic is the use of malt in breakfast drinks. The caffeine-free, sweet alternatives to coffee products are drunk not only by adults but by children as well. Brand names such as Ovaltine (Ovomaltine in some European countries) and Horlicks are well-known players in the sector that have made a name for themselves in various parts of the world over many decades, with instant powder for malt drinks; but these branded beverages are also available as ready-to-drink products. In Vietnam, for instance, FrieslandCampina markets Ovaltine beverages in aseptic carton packs. 

High-quality protein

Malt beverages were originally strengthening, restorative products for growing children, as well as for sick people and the elderly. But athletes soon discovered the products as well. Malt beverages are a good energy source, because malt is packed full of vitamins, minerals, starch, protein and trace elements. The nutrients in malt beverages are quickly absorbed and processed by the body. Malt beverages, which naturally have a nutty-sweet, slightly buttery taste, are therefore an ideal source of energy for mental and physical activity. Due to the high-quality proteins, malt beverages can also alleviate stress. They are healthy and great-tasting alternatives to sweet and thus high-calorie soft drinks.    

Modern malt beverages in particular have the potential to sell well. They are best-sellers in countries where malt beverages have been popular for a long time, such as parts of Asia. But they are currently also finding their way into countries where malt is largely a newcomer – for example in the Middle East and Africa. In Nigeria, for instance, malt beverages are establishing themselves as popular thirst-quenchers. Many people in the Middle East and Africa abstain from alcohol for religious reasons, but like the aromatic beer taste. The malt flavour is therefore extremely popular in these regions.

‘Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink’ new in Nigeria

The product concepts and innovations can often be customised to cater the taste preferences in the respective regions and the intended target group. For instance, with its Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink, Nigeria’s largest producer of Juice, Nectar, Still Drink & Liquid Dairy products, CHI Ltd., has its sights on dynamic consumers who are looking for natural, tasty and wholesome beverages to quickly and effectively top up the body’s own energy reserves between meals.

Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink is a ready to drink, premixed malt & milk combination that combines the energy of malt and the goodness of milk in one sip. Before now, consumers mixed malt drinks with milk to get this rejuvenating combination.  Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink caters to this need gap in being the convenient premixed combination of malt and milk.

Deepanjan Roy, Managing Director at CHI Limited: “‘Hollandia Malt & Milk Drink’ combines the positive health associations of both milk and malt and is positioned as ‘The Great Naija Shake’. However, the Great Naija Shake is not just about Hollandia Malt & Milk as a product, but also about the active and adventurous lifestyle of the average young at heart Nigerian who is constantly looking for new things to explore. The Great Naija Shake nudges you to break out of routine and enjoy life in new ways. In other words, it’s premised on the view that magic happens when you shake up & find new ways of doing or expressing the seemingly ordinary things in life”. 

MILO: product classic in Asia

Sales of RTD malt beverages are continuing to see positive growth in Asia as well. In Indonesia and some other Asian countries, Nestlé has a best-selling chocolate-flavoured power beverage  with barley malt on the market under the brand name ‘MILO’. Barley is particularly rich in fibre and Vitamin B. The product is aimed mainly at teenagers who need a healthy energy boost between meals. ‘MILO’ comes in carton packs with 125 and 200 ml volumes. 

Kalayanee Poon-asawasombat, Ph.D., from SIG Combibloc Asia-Pacific South: “MILO in carton packs has become a product classic. For many Asians, malt beverages are closely associated with positive childhood memories. And they want to pass that on to their own children. So now the next generation is also enjoying the delicious and nutritious drinks. MILO also sells extremely well as an RTD product. Nestlé is now filling the products on a CFA 124 filling machine from SIG Combibloc – this machine can fill up to 24,000 carton packs per hour”. 

Natural power drink

And Vietnam too is emerging as a strong market for malt beverage sales. Kalayanee Poon-asawasombat, Ph.D.: “Kantar Worldpanel has rated Tonic Food Drinks, to which malt beverages originally belong, as currently a ‘Hot Category’ in the cities of Vietnam. Since the second quarter 2014, there’s been significant volume growth in the double-digit percentage range, compared to the previous year – a volume plus of 38 per cent, for instance, for the 3^rd quarter. In addition to ‘MILO’ from Nestlé and Ovaltine from FrieslandCampina, other customers have now launched malt beverages which will benefit from this positive market development”.

NutiFood, for example, has brought ‘NuVi’, a new RTD malt beverage for children, onto Vietnam’s supermarket shelves – available in combiblocMini 125 and 200 ml. NuVi is a natural power drink that combines the healthy nutrients from milk and cereal grains, making it ideal for growing children in particular. Core target group for the NuVi beverages is children aged between 4 and 12. With this target group in its sights, the carton decor is designed so that it appeals to children and at the same time highlights the positive qualities of the product. The carton designs show active children playing popular sports such as football, basketball and badminton, and name the contents calcium, Vitamin D, phosphorus and zinc for healthy growth, as well as malt and Vitamin B for general strengthening – at school, and in your free time. The market launch of the products is accompanied by an array of marketing activities such as online clips (e.g.www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAH_0-w416E) and advertising in supermarkets. 

Energy for your brain

Another new malt drink on the Vietnamese market is ‘Super SuSu’ from Vinamilk. Under the slogan ‘Super SuSu – Energy for your brain’, the chocolatey malt drink from Vinamilk is intended primarily for children between 4 and 12 years old who need an energy boost when learning. These beverages come in volume sizes of 125 and 200 ml in the combiblocMini carton pack. The cartoon characters on the carton packs show sporty, smart active boys and girls, and express the idea that learning is fun with the right portion of energy. The market launch of Super SuSu is also accompanied by TV commercials (www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf76C48bbb8) and promotional activities at the point-of-sale. 

Kalayanee Poon-asawasombat, Ph.D.: “Trying to make sure the foods you eat are as healthy and natural as possible is one of the major consumer trends that can be seen not just in Asia, but globally. Malt drinks are a healthy alternative to caffeinated and calorie-laden energy drinks. We expect that in the future a wealth of further malt beverages will appear on the market which explicitly contain potent substances from nature”.