International food giant Nestle has announced the launch of Sjora, a fusion beverage made from a blend of skimmed milk and natural fruit juices.

With this launch, the healthy beverage market in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region has just got more competitive, said a senior official.

'With the food and beverage market in the MEA region estimated to reach $3.3 trillion by 2014, according to a report by business research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, analysts expect the healthy beverage segment to account for a sizeable share of total sales in the region in the coming years,' said Nestle country business manager Leonid Vereshchagin.

'Consumers are becoming more health-conscious, asking for natural beverages free from preservatives and artificial colours. Sjora answers their desire for a good-for-you beverage that is refreshing and great-tasting,' he added.

Nestle Sjora is available in the UAE, Kuwait and Lebanon, and is set to be launched in other Middle East countries shortly.-TradeArabia News Service