In continental Europe and in other parts of the world, iced beverages have been well received but in the UK they are still struggling. However, Unilever Bestfoods says one of its brands is poised to establish a new iced tea segment within the soft drinks market and its view is based on three years' market research and store tests. In March it relaunched Lipton Ice Tea in the UK and the national roll-out is being supported by a £5m marketing campaign. Lipton Ice Tea UK business manager Peter Baxendell says: "We don't really see this as a relaunch ­ we looked at the product before, but as a carbonate. "It didn't do very well. Globally, we're seeing a shift away from carbonates in the adult sector towards still drinks." Baxendell says the brand has been particularly popular with students and is confident that extensive outdoor sampling from May to September will encourage trial. Lipton Ice Tea is available in peach and lemon flavours, packaged in 330ml glass, 500ml PET and 1.5 litre PET bottles. Twinings, renowned for its range of speciality teas and infusions, also produces a range of iced teas. Four flavours are packaged in 250ml cylindrical cartons, while four more flavours are in one-litre screw cap bottles. The company launched ready-to-drink iced green tea ­ elderflower and ginseng ­ last month in 12 x 250ml cartons and individual cartons which will be displayed in the chiller cabinet and target the impulse sector. Mineral Water Services launched its premium ZanZu range of iced teas ­ in two regular flavours, plus a green tea variant ­ at the Food and Drink Expo in March. MD Paul Bendit says: "Initially we are targeting foodservice outlets and looking at rolling it out to independents after that." MWS is also launching a rival to Snapple and Nantucket brands into the foodservice sector this month in the form of Quattro Stagioni (Four Seasons). The Soft Tea company has launched Soft Tea green tea in sachets of three bags (rsp 25p) or boxes of 20 sachets (rsp £1.25). The bags are designed to be brewed' in bottled still or sparkling mineral water. Soft Tea md Tim D'Offay says: "We are planning to target convenience stores and cafés with the individual sachets,with them positioned next to mineral water at point of sale, not with traditional teas. "We want to sell the boxes in the tea section of supermarkets and larger convenience stores." Iced coffee is making inroads into dispensers with Nestlé's trial of Nescafé Ice in vending machines in foodservice and grocery outlets. A Nestlé spokeswoman says: "Nescafé Ice remains successful in European markets, but when trialled as a retail product in the UK, there wasn't a great take-up from the consumer." {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}

Topics