Jacob Freepons is the co-founder and CEO of Lumen, a company that uses a proprietary process to press and juice whole hemp plants into Regenerative Hemp Elixirs. Lumen aims to grow awareness around the health benefits of hemp while also taking action to address environmental changes.
Yönale is a line of birch tree water beverages made with ingredients sourced from Finland. The USDA Organic certified line presently includes two flavors, original and with bilberry juice.
Kodiak Cakes CEO Joel Clark will be the first to admit that entrepreneurship isn’t a part-time job. For years, he tried to run the pancake mix brand as a side business while pursuing a graduate degree and a consulting career. In this episode, Clark spoke about how commitment, innovation and swimming in the “Shark Tank” played into the evolution of Kodiak Cakes, which eclipsed $100 million in sales in 2018.
Deep Rose is a new rose lemonade beverage that markets itself as an antioxidant rich premium beverage with 50 calories per 10 oz. bottle.
Boulder Food Group, a venture capital firm that recently launched a $100 million fund, is looking to invest in early-stage and innovative food and beverage brands. So how do you get their attention?
In this interview from Natural Products Expo West 2019, BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero caught up with Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman to discuss recent company updates and innovations aimed at growing the brand’s reach with consumers of all ages, plus retail expansion and efforts to improve sustainability.
In this video recap, BevNET founder and CEO John Craven and managing editor Martín Caballero discuss some of the notable trends and new products seen at this year’s Expo West, including the proliferation of CBD and hemp-infused drinks, why oat milk has emerged as the hottest category in the plant-based milk segment, and how leading kombucha brands are pushing the category closer to mainstream audiences and retail channels.
First announced at BevNET Live Winter 2018, GT’s Dream Catcher is a “sparkling wellness water” that has been enhanced with 25 mg of CBD.
David Holmes is the co-founder of Plant Life Group, the producers of PLNT Blend, a brand that crafts all-natural and organic plant-based beverages aimed to evolve the way consumers hydrate. Full spectrum hemp extract is complemented by functional ingredients and sweetened with coconut nectar, making it a low glycemic beverage with unique flavor combinations.
Justin’s founder Justin Gold spoke about his decision to stay with the brand following its $286 million acquisition by Hormel Foods. Along with a discussion on how a new take on a familiar snack and a key hire were game-changers for the brand, Gold also explained his belief that making a lot of money and having a mission to change the world are not mutually exclusive.
Using the tagline of “The Functional Fix,” Fit Brewing Co.’s “Fit Bru” is a line of cold brew coffees and teas that are enhanced with functional ingredients.
Recess, a CBD-infused sparkling water brand, has taken the beverage world by storm. What’s behind the hype? Founder/CEO Benjamin Witte spoke about setting up Recess for a fast start and why he believes the best way to succeed as a beverage company is not to think like one. Also: on location at Expo West 2019, the hosts discussed a significant shift in how entrepreneurs and investors interact at the event and the wave of new CBD products exhibited at the show.
Dubbed the “Costco for millennials,” online retailer Boxed has made waves since its debut in 2013. In this episode, co-founder/CEO Chieh Huang spoke about the rapid growth of the company, how it curates its product assortment and why user experience has been central to its success. He also discussed the evolution of online food shopping and why its future “will feel like Netflix.”
To help you navigate the more than 330 beverage-related exhibitors at this year’s event, we’ve produced a printable Expo West 2019 Show Planner which lists companies both alphabetically and by booth number.
