Plant-based dairy alternative products maker Oatly submitted plans for an initial public offering (IPO) to U.S. regulators, the company confirmed today. The announcement follows reports last month that the Sweden-based company was exploring a potential $1 billion IPO. Oatly is reported by Reuters to have hired Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and Credit Suisse as underwriters on the offering.
Performance energy brand Adrenaline Shoc (A Shoc) is tapping into the natural space with this week’s announcement of A Shoc Accelerator, a new line of plant-based drinks featuring a “thermogenic blend” of functional ingredients. Accelerator is rolling out into select stores now and next month will add 7-Eleven stores nationwide.
The Coca-Cola Company confirmed Friday that it has notified U.S. antitrust regulators that it has begun the process of acquiring a controlling stake in sports drink brand BodyArmor. If the deal goes through, it could give Coke a commanding presence in the sports drink category with a serious competitor to PepsiCo’s Gatorade.
In this week's Distribution Roundup, two innovative and better-for-you beverage brands -- plant-based shake maker Koia and mamaki tea company Shaka Tea -- enter 7-Eleven stores nationwide. Elsewhere, Sanzo expands its retail presence with new DSD partners in New York and Los Angeles.
Slate Milk, the Boston-based maker of lactose-free chocolate milks marketed towards adults, has raised $1.7 million in a funding round led by Riverpark Ventures. The round brings the company’s total financing to $2.5 million and also features a number of angel investors including Halo Top executives Doug Bolton.
It’s a new year and a new look for ready-to-drink tea brand Steaz. The company, which operates as a part of Novamex-owned beverage portfolio subsidiary Nova Naturals, announced a rebrand this week that increases emphasis on the drink’s antioxidant content with a new design, formulation and new product launches.
In the days leading up to Super Bowl LV, total non-alcoholic beverage sales “modestly decelerated” but remained elevated over the two week period ending February 6, according to an analysis of Nielsen data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
Spindrift is preparing for its largest product launch thus far with the announcement of three Lemonade-based sparkling waters. The new varieties, which launch in March, are available in 12 oz. cans in Lemon Limeade, Pink Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade. Each drink features real fruit juice and less than one gram of sugar with no added sweeteners.
Despite unprecedented headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic, PepsiCo showed “resilient” growth in its full year 2020 and Q4 earnings report this week. The company reported organic revenue growth of 4.3% for the full year and 5.7% in the fourth quarter. Net revenue for the year was up 4.8% and increased 8.8% in the quarter.
Aiming to provide consumers with a vegan, sustainable meal replacement drink, serial entrepreneur Shaun Neff has partnered with beverage incubator L.A. Libations to launch orro., a new line of “mini meal” protein beverages.
New York-based CBD beverage maker Bimble has launched on grocery delivery ecommerce platform FreshDirect, making it among the first hemp-infused drinks sold on through the website; Calypso announced this week that it has entered a distribution agreement with New York DSD house Big Geyser. The move will give the Milwaukee-based lemonade brand access to over 26,000 retail doors in the New York metro area.
Direct-to-consumer wellness brand beam has raised $6 million in a Series A financing round, the company announced today, bringing its total funding to $12 million to date. The round was led by C2 Ventures, which previously invested in beam’s 2019 seed round, and also included investment from Obvious Ventures.
DEFY, the CBD sports drink brand co-founded by NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis, announced this week it will launch its first non-CBD infused product line with DEFY Water, a new bottled alkaline water for which a portion of all proceeds will support veteran, female and minority-owned nonprofits.
GT’s Living Foods announced this week the formation of a Science Advisory Board (SAB) which will consult the kombucha maker on health and science-based research. According to GT’s founder and CEO GT Dave, the board will not only advise the company, but also communicate directly with consumers, including sharing information and up-to-date research on kombucha’s impact on overall health and wellness.
