DELOCE, a California-based maker of ready-to-drink espresso martinis, announced last week that it has closed a $1.5 million series seed round led by Vice Ventures. Founded in 2019 by CEO Sean Zoka and CMO Keaton Moody, DELOCE makes a canned Espresso Martini made with 100% cold-pressed arabica espresso beans and premium vodka.
Plant-based protein brand Aloha is getting ready to become a more serious beverage player. The Colorado-based, plant-based CPG brand, which makes bars, powders and protein drinks, announced this week a line extension of its ready-to-drink beverages, adding new rPET plastic-packaged variations of its core flavors.
Rowdy Energy announced today that it has raised $13 million in a fundraising round intended to shore up the brand’s marketing initiatives and finance new innovation. Launched last year, Rowdy Energy is a better-for-you energy brand founded by CEO and Suja founder Jeff Church and NASCAR star Kyle Busch.
One year after brand investment firm Factory acquired an equity stake in Roar Organic, the company, under new leadership, is using a redesigned and reformulated RTD line to deepen its presence at natural retailers while it takes on ecommerce with its similarly refreshed powder mixes.
Soulboost is a sparkling water brand made with real juice and functional ingredients. The drink is available in two varieties: first is Lift, which contains 200 mg of panax ginseng, the other, Ease, is made with 200 mg of L-theanine to support relaxation.
Looking to bring consumers back into the arms of dairy, New York-based Maple Hill Creamery debuted Zero Sugar Organic Ultra-Filtered Milk, the first product in a new platform of sugar free dairy made without sweeteners or additives.
Despite seeing a 9.7% decline in net sales in the first quarter of 2021, Molson Coors Beverage Company reported solid sales for its non-alcoholic beverage portfolio, including new energy venture ZOA. Speaking to investors and analysts on a conference call Thursday, CEO Gavin Hattersley said ZOA has been “extraordinarily well received by retailers and by distributors alike.”
Just when it seemed the beverage industry had it all figured out when it came selling to millennials, in comes Gen Z. Gen Z Brands is a new Arkansas-based, sustainably packaged bottled water brand that has taken its namesake from its target demographic.
Proud Source Water announced this week a regional distribution agreement with PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), placing the sustainably-packaged alkaline water brand on blue trucks servicing food service providers, stadiums and retailers in the Western region of the country.
In a move that signals that the company is considering a variety of financial options including a potential acquisition or IPO, Kitu Life Super Coffee announced today that it has hired former Whole Foods finance VP Rosanna Godden as CFO and board secretary.
After a two-year hiatus from launching new products, Texas-based brand Picnik is charting a path forward in retail and online beyond its roots in “butter coffee” with the release of Vanilla Oat + Collagen Adaptogen Creamer. The new addition is the brand’s first SKU with flavor, founder Naomi Seifter noted, which leans more into the brand’s message to “Make Your Morning Count.”
With a growing portfolio of natural products companies, New York-based investment firm Room 9 announced its first lead investment last week, participating in Madre Mezcal’s $3 million Series A round. Room 9 Creative + Venture is a venture capital investment firm and branding design house founded by managing partner Anish Bhatia.
Seeking to broaden its consumer base beyond coconut fans, Genius Juice announced this week a brand refresh that places more emphasis on distinct flavors and plant-based functionality; Ascent Recovery Water has partnered with four new retail chains in the Midwest and Northeast, the company announced this week.
Monster Energy Company saw a boost in year-over-year sales for the period ending April 10, alongside other brands in the energy category, as the industry laps the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an analysis of Nielsen data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research, Monster reported dollar sales growth of 31.2% to $5.87 billion in the two-week period.
