PlantBaby, a Hawaii-based plant-based kids nutrition brand, announced this week it has closed a $4 million seed round led by Big Idea Ventures and The Fund LA.

After a year-and-a-half of high tension and muted sales, Bang Energy says it has officially ended its distribution partnership with PepsiCo. The Florida-based brand, a subsidiary of VPX Pharmaceuticals, announced in a brief press release today that “all disputes with PepsiCo have been fully settled and resolved” effective immediately and that the brand will return to DSD distribution through a number of new partnerships.

As inflation continues to put a higher burden on consumers’ wallets, the National Association of Conveniences Stores (NACS) predicted that private label CPG products could continue to play a larger role in total in-store sales, according to the industry group’s 2021 State of the Industry report, released this month.

After two years of plugging away at the hangover prevention beverage category, California-based startup The Plug is repositioning itself as a functional liver health brand as it prepares to expand in retail this year via a partnership with beverage incubator L.A. Libations.

In part two of our coverage of Summer Fancy Food Show 2022, mocktail brands like Mingle and Mocktail Club gain ground in retail; startups such as Shrubbly and Waku debut new rebrands; and Circles Coffee introduces a new single-serve pour over format.

In this first dispatch from Summer Fancy Food Show 2022, Joe Tea discusses its move into plastic bottles, ready-to-drink boba tea brands debut new innovations, and Lifeway Foods discusses its charity kefir bottle to support Ukraine.

Flow Beverage Corp. announced a 21% decline in consolidated net revenue to approximately $9 million in Q2 FY2022, compared to $11.3 million the previous year.

Canadian energy drink maker GURU Organic Energy Corp. reported quarterly net revenue of CAD$7.6 million, up 7% from CAD$7.1 million in 2021, in its fiscal year Q2 earnings report today.

Wisconsin-based holding company New Berlin Beverage Co. announced this week that it has acquired sparkling tea brand Minna, providing the startup with a capital infusion to support its manufacturing and retail expansion.

Jones Soda has pulled the plug on a planned merger with Vancouver-based portfolio company Simply Better Brands Corp. (SBBC), citing “current market conditions” as the reason. SBBC previously agreed to purchase Jones Soda in April for roughly $99 million through an acquisition of all issued and outstanding Jones common stock.

Specialty coffee roaster BLK & Bold is taking its first step into the ready-to-drink sector with the launch of its canned cold brew coffee line, which is rolling out to Target stores nationwide this month. Founded in 2018, the Des Moines-based brand has established itself as the first nationally distributed Black-owned coffee and tea company in the U.S., selling its whole and ground beans in over 6,000 retail stores, including Target, Albertsons, Vons, Whole Foods and Shop Rite.

When The Coca-Cola Company announced last month its decision to discontinue Honest Tea by the end of the year, the brand’s founders were dismayed by what they believed was a shortsighted decision. Two weeks later, they’re brewing up a new line of better-for-you teas to take the mantle.

Advisory firm IBC announced it has partnered with Cannaverse Technologies to serve as a brand advisor for Cannaland, a metaverse project intended to act as a hub for the cannabis consumers and members of the industry; Also, what the deal is behind an AriZona-backed stablecoin and Hummii's launch in California.