LA CROIX ANNOUNCES NEW ADDITION TO ITS LINEUP OF SPARKLING WATERS

La Croix, the sparkling water with a faithful following and fizzling sales, has announced a new addition to its product line. The recent proclamation was, naturally, met with a mixed response: Equal parts disappointment and cultish devotion. Its latest whisper of a flavour isn’t watermelon, strawberry kiwi, raspberry lime or dragon fruit, as many had hoped, but hibiscus. On May 10, the company teased the new flavour in a 15-second video featuring a watermelon-pink can, unmarked save the La Croix logo. The clip elicited hope, incredulity and subtle critiques in the guise of guesses. Dubbed “Hi-biscus,” La Croix says the new flavour will soon begin its rollout in the Western United States. Despite the divided reaction, La Croix is on-trend with its latest “naturally essenced” seltzer. Hibiscus was named “flavour of the year” for 2019 by Firmenich, a Swiss fragrance and flavour company. It’s a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine, in both sweet and savoury applications. Agua de jamaica (“hibiscus water”), for example, is a classic agua fresca flavour. As a sign of hibiscus’ surging popularity, its worldwide use has increased nearly 300 per cent since 2012, according to Food Navigator.