New Products

ST. LOUIS — Stella Artois is introducing Stella Artois Cidre to the surging U.S. cider market, Anheuser-Busch announced today.

Stella Artois Cidre is a crisp, distinctive European-style cider made with apples hand-picked from wine growing regions, the brewer stated. Initially it will be available in 26 U.S. states, with further expansion possible in 2014. Sales to retailers begin on May 13.

SAN FRANCISCO — Fitbit on Monday released the Fitbit Flex, the only activity tracking wristband on the market to sync wirelessly on-the-go via Bluetooth 4.0 to select iOS and Android devices. With Flex’s all-day wearable design and its all-new customizable online dashboard, users can seamlessly make fitness a part of their everyday lifestyle and check their stats from anywhere. 

NEW YORK — Move Collective, LLC, the creators of bobble, have engineered a durable reusable water bottle for driven athletes everywhere: bobble sport.

NEW YORK — Grand Central Terminal in New York played host to a life-sized "dollhouse" this week as Target showcased its new collection of products, including housewares, indoor and outdoor furniture and decorative items.

The dollhouse, used to promote the Threshold collection through Tuesday evening, includes seven rooms upstairs and downstairs furnished with the new products, though only the downstairs rooms are accessible. The display was featured in the century-old, iconic train station's Vanderbilt Hall.

SEATTLE —  Sparkling Ice, part of the TalkingRain portfolio of beverages, announced today the expansion of its lemonade brand with a new zero calorie lemonade product line. Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Lemonade with Tea now complement the Classic Lemonade flavor successfully launched in 2012, the company stated.

PLANO, Texas — Ruffles potato chips, one of the flagship brand's from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, announced today the launch of a new Ultimate Tangy Honey Mustard flavor potato chip and a comical marketing campaign in television, cinema and digital that is inspired by 1970s grindhouse-style action movies.

NEW ORLEANS — Swiss Precision Diagnostics on Monday unveiled the new Clearblue Advanced Pregnancy Test with Weeks Estimator at the 61st Annual Clinical Meeting of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists here. The latest home pregnancy test kit not only tells a woman if she is pregnant but also estimates the number of weeks since ovulation. 

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug made by Merck for treating high cholesterol, the drug maker said.

Merck announced the approval of Liptruzet (ezetimibe and atorvastatin). The drug combines two preexisting cholesterol drugs: ezetimibe, which Merck markets under the brand name Zetia, and atorvastatin, which Pfizer markets under the name Lipitor. Both drugs are available as generics, but because Liptruzet is a novel combination of them, it required FDA approval as a new drug.