Entrepreneurs frequently put their heart and soul into their products, but for Perfy founder Vasa Martinez, the new functional soda brand is personal from the name to the ingredients. And when it comes to marketing, Perfy is focused on connecting with consumers in the Web3 and NFT community where the brand has already made an impact.
Having built its core business in Southern California, functional beverage brand VYBES is now aiming to capture one of the region’s biggest markets; Also, Angry Angel makes its debut in Publix, Rowdy Energy expands nationwide with 7-Eleven, and Wilfred's Non-Alcoholic Aperitif launches in the U.S.
Direct-to-consumer wellness brand Athletic Greens announced this week it has named Kat Cole as president and Chief Operating Officer. Cole, who most recently held the same position at Focus Brands, will also join the company’s board of directors.
All channel non-alcoholic beverage sales saw “robust” growth across categories in the period ending December 4, according to an analysis of NelsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research. Beverage dollar sales were up 16.1% in the two-week period, compared to 13.8% in the four-weeks. On a two-year stack basis, total dollar sales rose 23.4%.
Green Circle Capital Partners announced today it has raised $13 million for its first fund in a new venture capital division, Green Circle Foodtech Ventures (GCFV), with an anchor investment from Hormel Foods’ VC arm 199 Ventures. The new investment vehicle will target early stage, innovative foodtech companies working across a number of spaces, including food safety, sustainable packaging, sugar reduction, food waste and supply chain efficiency.
Israeli food tech startup Better Juice is finally preparing to bring its first reduced sugar juices to U.S. consumers. The Rehovot-based company announced today that it has signed its first commercial partnership with an unnamed U.S.-based juice manufacturer to begin producing beverages using its patented sugar-reduction technology in the coming weeks.
Since launching in 2018, the Stratus Group-owned brand – now stylized as Koe – has targeted mainstream channels (including convenience, drug and grocery) with its canned, on-the-go approach to the kombucha category. The drinks are currently available in about 45,000 retail stores nationwide and expects to add about 15,000 additional doors during 2022 spring category resets when the rebranded products will enter the market.
The Coca-Cola Company’s continued optimism in the face of rising supply costs and pandemic volatility has analysts feeling that the conglomerate is in a strong position to meet growth projections next year, according to reports from a reception led by Coke’s senior management team in New York this week.
Atlanta-based kids drink brand good2grow was acquired on Wednesday by Chicago-based private equity firm Wind Point Partners, which purchased the brand from its owner Kainos Capital.
“Destination Cocktail” brand Golden Rule found that when you “do unto others” you will be rewarded as the San Francisco-based company emerged victorious in BevNET’s Cocktail Showdown 2 this weekend.
Whether you plan to sip cocktails or mocktails this holiday season, this week’s product launches have plenty to offer with a number of new mixers, bitters and ready-to-drink non-alc alternatives. Also in this roundup, we take a look at a new limited edition seasonal from Bubly and some new year-round additions to the functional beverage shelf.
The Naked Collective, maker of functional beverage brand Mude, announced this week that the product is now launching in Erewhon, Lassens and various independent stores in the Los Angeles area; Sparkling water brand Waterloo is now available on ecommerce platform Grovara, a B2B marketplace which sells wellness brands to international retailers; Following its March launch in retail, ready-to-drink cocktail brand SESH is now available in 12 states, according to the company.
Among the honorees in the Food and Drink category was Kayla Castaneda, 29, the co-founder of this year’s New Beverage Showdown 21 winner Agua Bonita. Forbes highlighted Castaneda’s heritage as a descendant of migrant farm laborers and a former Coca-Cola manager, noting that the agua fresca maker “has shaped her business in the image of her heritage.”
Longtime Jones Soda Co. COO Eric Chastain has been promoted to the role of president of the newly formed Jones Soda Beverage Division; Golden Grail Technology Corp. has hired Erin Heit to help develop its growing brand portfolio; Alkaline water company Flow Beverage Corp. announced the exit of president and COO David Mock; Seth Teply has been named president and CEO of Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada.
