Over recent years, the explosion in craft distilleries across the U.S. has sparked renewed interest in cocktail culture and mixology. Now, a new generation of ready-to-drink cocktail brands are taking that ethos and injecting new life into a category that has been previously defined by flavored malt or wine-based beverages.
Announced in February, Humm Zero is the Oregon-based kombucha company’s first entry into a shelf stable format and the first that doesn’t have added sugar (beyond what is consumed by yeast during fermentation).
Henry Chen, founder/CEO of SPI West Port, the owner of ALO Drink, ALO Snacks, Jen Collagen and Woodridge Snacks, spoke about the importance of staying true to the company’s core focus, who he views as the ultimate industry gatekeeper, how the company strategizes around retail placement and the key element entrepreneurs can’t overlook when scaling.
Having built its reputation as a premium tea company, Rishi is now moving into ready-to-drink with the launch of its new Sparkling Botanicals line. Sitting somewhere between sparkling water and sparkling tea, the line contains 5-15 calories per can with no added sugar or sweeteners. They are formulated with real ingredients and don’t contain any added flavorings or extracts.
Hamaka is a new line of CBD enhanced beverages that is making its debut in four varieties:: Oatmilk Latte, Cold Brew Coffee, Hibiscus Flower Tea and Mineral Water. Each is enhanced with 5-10 mg of hemp extract per 250 ml (8.45 ounce) can, depending on the SKU.
Chuck Casano, founder of Pitaya Foods and HiTouch Distribution, spoke about navigating the food industry on two fronts, how a social mission guided his foray into entrepreneurship, the failure that propelled his decision to launch HiTouch, the elements of successful brand relationships and being on the front lines of food distribution during the pandemic.
Tip Top Proper Cocktails is a line of ready-to-drink/ready-to-pour cocktails focused on recreating classic familiar recipes. The brand’s first three SKUs -- Manhattan, Old Fashioned, and Negroni -- do just that.
In our first ready-to-drink cocktail review, we look at DRNXMYTH, a line of ready-to-pour fresh cocktails that utilize a proprietary bottle to keep the liquor separate from the other ingredients.
This week's Office Hours explores the interplay between operations, innovation, and finance during highly disruptive times with Melissa Facchina and David McCormick, two of the leaders of Siddhi Capital and Siddhi Ops.
NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis and Megan Bushell, co-founders of CBD-infused beverage brand DEFY, discussed how the company is navigating a murky regulatory environment for CBD, the positioning of the beverages as “performance drinks” and how Davis is advising current NFL players about incorporating hemp- and cannabis-based products into their lifestyles.
Office Hours returns Tuesday, June 16 at 3 p.m. ET. Jeff Klineman, BevNET’s Editor-in-Chief, will bring Melissa Facchina and David McCormick, two of the leaders of Siddhi Capital and Siddhi Ops on the livestream to discuss money and operations and take questions from viewers.
Alex French, co-founder & CEO of Bizzy Coffee, spoke about how online research sparked the launch of Bizzy, how the company sourced data from retail partners and customers via its packaging, learnings from the failure of the brand’s coffee shots, why buyer presentations are as important as the product itself and valuable tips about how to stand out on Amazon.
Aprch (pronounced “approach”) is a line of CBD-enhanced flavored sparkling waters. The zero calorie line is launching with three flavors, including Watermelon, Mint + Cucumber and Lemon + Lime.
Bar Rescue host/producer Jon Taffer discussed several timely topics, including how bar owners can persevere in the Covid era and what he views as the elements of a successful brand. He also discussed the genesis and growth of his Taffer’s Mixologist brand, the importance of authenticity in leveraging his fame and celebrity and why he’s personally involved in buyer meetings and sales visits.
