Probiotic water kefir maker The Living Apothecary has raised $1.4 million in a fundraising round led by L.A. Libations and Venice Brands, setting the brand on a path to triple its distribution over the next year.

Frey Farms CEO Sarah Frey grew her family’s single farm in southern Illinois into a national supplier of produce, with more than a dozen farms and facilities located throughout the Midwest and Southeast. Now the company is continuing to build its beverage division -- which already includes Tsamma Watermelon Juice and craft private label provider Fresh pour -- with a new line of better-for-you drinks, Sarah’s Homegrown.

The company is debuting a new brand design and a refined message that is aimed at fueling expanded distribution over the next 12 months. The revamped line emphasizes the products’ various functional benefits, wholesome ingredients, and its bonafides as a gut-health-boosting source of prebiotics.

Bend, Ore.-based Riff Cold Brewed Coffee today announced it has raised $1 million in an angel round of investment from a “who’s who” group of Oregon technology and consumer products executives.

OWYN Aims to Triple Store Count, Enters Walgreens and CVS; Dunn’s River Brands Partners with Big Geyser for Sweet Leaf Distribution; Wandering Bear Expands in Target with Grab-and-Go Placement; Alkaline88 Adds 7,500 Stores

In this roundup of news from the 2018 NACS trade show in Las Vegas, BevNET checks in with Red Bull and Hint about recent line extensions, examines developments in the sparkling water space, learns about new CBD drinks from New Age Beverages, and samples Brew Dr. Kombucha's new C-store exclusive innovations.

In this video recorded at NACS 2018, BevNET assistant editor Martin Caballero and staff reporter Brad Avery offer a quick recap of some of their main takeaways from the show.

Outlaw Energy announced today that former 7-Eleven executive vice president and chief merchandising officer Jesus Delgado-Jenkins has joined the brand as CEO and chairman.

ImmunityAID is the latest product from LifeAID Beverage Company, a brand of functional beverages that serve specific consumer need states. The new orange-flavored SKU launched today at the NACS Show 2018 in Las Vegas.

Upon launching, meal replacement drink Soylent married its Silicon Valley origins with the CPG space, using science and technology to fulfill a company mission of making “complete nutrition” accessible and affordable. Now, the company wants to help others in the food tech space do the same with the Soylent Innovation Lab, a new co-working space designed for similarly disruptive food and beverage brands in Los Angeles.

Bhakti Chai Hires New VP of Sales, Cuts Two Execs; Welch’s Names Bynum as CEO; Humm Kombucha Hires New VP of Marketing; Mark Walen Joins Topa as CEO of Beverage Distribution Group; Distill Ventures Taps New Non-Alc Leader