As the pandemic wreaked economic destruction on large portions of the global beverage industry, the fitness channel was among those hit hardest by lockdowns and stay-at-home orders. For sports nutrition and performance beverage brands, a key sales channel was strangled. Now, as the country returns to pre-pandemic mobility, gyms and the brands that rely on them are still looking down a long road to recovery.

Brew Dr Kombucha announced this week it has appointed Dan Stangler as CEO, assuming the role from the brand’s founder Matt Thomas. Stangler’s CV includes 15 years with General Mills, serving as the business unit director for Annie’s and as senior business unit director.

Over two years after cannabis industry investment firm SOL Global took a minority stake in Jones Soda, the Seattle-based craft soda maker is finally preparing to launch infused edibles and beverages. Yesterday, Jones issued a $2 million unsecured convertible debenture to SOL Global and entered a non-binding term sheet with Canadian reporting issuer Pinestar Gold Inc.

Having long ago expanded its product offerings beyond the purview of juice, Pressed Juicery announced today that it has rebranded, simplifying its name to Pressed. The refresh will include updated packaging for the brand’s wholesale CPG line as well as a comprehensive redesign for its more than 90 stores across the country.

America is going back to the movies, and so are brands. This week, two bottled water companies are making cinematic debuts with new marketing campaigns, each using the movies to drive home brand stories about sustainability. Liquid Death stars in Dead Till Death and FIJI Water gets a new score from Hans Zimmer.

BlueTriton Brands has appointed former Johnson & Johnson executive Jorge Mesquita as CEO, tasked with overseeing its portfolio of nationally distributed bottled water brands acquired from Nestle. Mesquita previously served as EVP and worldwide chairman of Johnson & Johnson’s consumer division, overseeing marketing and strategy revamps for the Johnson’s Baby, Neutrogena and Listerine brands.

In the war on sugar, soda has been public enemy number one for years. Now, New York-based startup United Sodas of America is looking to clean up the category’s image with a brand-driven, better-for-you line of low calorie soft drinks. After posting 10x growth online in its first year, the brand is currently expanding into retail with an ambitious 12 SKU lineup.

Kids lemonade maker Poppilu’s distribution is popping off as the brand grows its footprint to roughly 2,500 stores nationwide; Launched into Rocky Mountain Whole Foods stores in March, Rowdy Mermaid announced that it has expanded its mushroom-based Adaptonic line into four additional Whole Foods divisions.

Danone Manifesto Ventures (DMV) announced this week that it has acquired a majority ownership stake in coconut products maker Harmless Harvest. Speaking to BevNET, DMV CEO Laurent Marcel and Harmless Harvest CEO Ben Mand said the deal is primed to help the premium beverage and plant-based food maker to expand its presence in the global market.

Aiming to broaden its appeal with mainstream consumers, the Virginia-based energy drink company announced this week that it will relaunch with new packaging and flavors this weekend, with direct-to-consumer online sales beginning, appropriately, on Independence Day.

Danone Manifesto Ventures (DMV) announced today that it has acquired a majority stake in premium coconut products maker Harmless Harvest. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Harmless Harvest is the first U.S. investment to become majority-owned by DMV, the venture arm of French multinational corporation Danone, the company said in a press release.

Amid a wave of food and beverage companies going public, Vita Coco parent All Market Inc. is the latest to receive buzz about a potential IPO. Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that the company is potentially planning to list shares as early as the third quarter with a potential valuation of more than $2 billion.