Diageo-aligned accelerator Distill Ventures (DV) has named Heidi Dillon as CEO, assuming the role from co-founder Frank Lampen. Lampen will transition to the role of founder and chair, according to a press release.

After the merger of Suja and Vive Organic in October, the former CMOs of both juice brands have found new roles this month. Greg Rose, who spent nearly six years at Suja, has joined Proud Source Water as its CMO. Former Vive CMO Ryan Therriault, meanwhile, has joined coconut water maker ZICO Rising.

Non-alcoholic beverage sales remained “healthy but decelerated sequentially,” growing 8.8% in the two-week period ending May 6, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.

After watching cold-pressed juice establish a place for itself in the tastemaker markets of New York and Los Angeles, Midwest Juicery is looking to reinvigorate the category in its own backyard. Also, ShineWater and Remedy Organic expand their Northeast presence, Hella Cocktail Co. partners with Rainforest, and Mineragua enters select Whole Foods doors.

While consumers may not necessarily be flocking to artificial ingredients with open arms, the data shows that strong product launches from top beverage conglomerates and insurgent brands, such as sucralose-sweetened energy players PRIME and Celsius, are pushing lab-developed sweeteners ahead in certain parts of the store.

Double-digit volume growth for its flagship coconut water line propelled The Vita Coco Company’s Q1 2023 net sales +14% year-over-year to around $110 million, according to the company’s earnings report this week.

U.S. Marshals have seized around $3 million worth of kratom-containing functional shots and bulk kratom powder from the Oklahoma offices of Botanic Tonics, LLC, the maker of Feel Free Plant Based Herbal Supplement, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Known for its unapologetically pro-military branding and rapidly expanding RTD business, it has also been racking up multiple lawsuits from investors, business partners and former employees on its way to over $300 million in sales.

Through past roles at Vitamin Water and BodyArmor, Andy Steele has made a career of building brands in small format channels like convenience and drug. Now, he’s working to do the same at functional soda brand Olipop.

PepsiCo chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said the majority of inflation-fueled price increases have already occurred and rising costs are expected to be covered for the remainder of the year as inflation decelerates.

The Coca-Cola Company surpassed analyst expectations in its Q1 2023 earnings report today, announcing net sales growth of 5% to around $11 billion, with a profit of $3.1 billion. Organic revenue in the quarter increased 12%, including +11% price/mix growth and a 1% bump in concentrate sales. Global unit case volume grew by 3% while operating income fell -1%.