You might have put time, money, blood, sweat and tears into building your brand, but at the end of the day it doesn’t belong to you. That’s the perspective of Christian Krogstad and Thomas Mooney, the co-founders of Westward Whiskey, which helped establish the rapidly growing American single-malt whiskey category.
Describing itself as “kind of like tea” and “kind of like sparkling water,” Minna is an unsweetened, zero-calorie, and USDA Organic certified line of carbonated beverages that is positioned as an alternative to flavored sparkling water.
Mike Cornwell is the CMO of Phivida, a company that launched its first foray into the ready-to-drink beverage space with OKI, a line of hemp CBD-infused teas and flavored waters. The brand is focused on using the highest quality ingredients and testing to ensure potency and purity.
As part of a wide-ranging interview, John Bello discussed the creation and development of SoBe, the lifestyle brand that he co-founded and sold to PepsiCo for nearly $400 million. Bello explained how an era of “healthy hedonism” turned SoBe into a top-seller and why he now describes the products as “sugar water.” He also chronicled his career as a beverage executive and entrepreneur and spoke about his current role as the chairman of ginger-centric soda brand Reed’s.
August Vega, the founder and CEO of super-premium nut milk brand MALK, is a “go big or go home” kind of entrepreneur. In an interview included in this episode, she discussed the origins of the brand and why she envisioned MALK becoming a billion-dollar company from the outset. She also explained how MALK has maintained that focus and made strides toward her goal.
Camellia Grove is a Portland, Ore-based organic kombucha brand. The upstart company currently produces four flavors, each of which uses premium ingredients and is packaged in a 12 oz stubby glass bottle.
Silverback is a line of carbonated tea beverages that is being positioned as both a healthy energy drink and an alternative to alcohol. The product is currently available in two varieties, Harvest Gold and Classic Silver.
Evy Chen is the founder of Evy Tea, a company that makes a line of shelf-stable cold brewed teas using organic ingredients and honey as the sweetener. The brand was one of the first to market making cold brewed teas, setting it apart from competitors.
SOUND, which has been producing sparkling tea beverages for several years, is back with a new product: Tea-Infused Sparkling Water. It’s a four flavor line of USDA Organic, zero-calorie unsweetened beverages that are, as the name suggests, intended to play in the sparkling water category.
A serial beverage entrepreneur, Joe Heron’s third act is perhaps his most ambitious. Having founded and successfully sold two brands -- functional drink Nutrisoda and Crispin, a line of premium hard ciders -- Heron is now at the helm of Copper & Kings, a brandy-centric distillery. In our interview, Heron explained why “the number one characteristic of an entrepreneur is stupidity,” and why the company “behaves like an incumbent, not a challenger.”
Announced at Expo West 2019, Navitas Organics’ first ready-to-drink offering is a four flavor line of CBD-enhanced functional shots. Available in Focus, Calm, Restore, and Bliss varieties, the products use added superfoods for both their flavor and additional functionality.
Flavored sparkling water brand Ugly is back with two new flavors: Pink Grapefruit and Pina Colada. The new additions follow the same format and style as the rest of the Ugly lineup and are packaged in bright blue 12 oz cans.
In this episode, Chris Hollod, a venture capitalist focused on early-stage consumer brands, discussed his investment philosophy and why digital strategy is at the top of his list when evaluating brands. He also explained why he believes that his job requires him to not only to follow and facilitate innovation, but to predict it.
Granny Squibb’s latest flavor is Charlie’s Cranberry, which comes in both sweetened and unsweetened varieties. These two flavors joint the other four SKUs that are part of the Granny Squibb’s lineup.
