In a webinar, three leaders in the natural grocery space -- KeHE Distributors VP of category management and growth solutions Kate Paul, Independent Natural Food Retailers Association interim CEO Pat Sheridan, and Natural Co-Op Grocers senior director of purchasing Ben Nauman -- discussed how distributors and retailers are responding to the fast-changing environment and what brands can do to stay on top of the crisis.
Despite being one of the established veterans of the functional beverage set, Neuro is still looking for ways to expand its product range. Along with introducing powdered products, the California-based company is this month introducing its eighth SKU, Probucha, a shelf-stable probiotic drink intended to promote gut health.
PepsiCo announced today in its Q1 earnings call that it has entered an exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with Bang Energy, the performance energy drink brand produced by Vital Pharmaceuticals, furthering the conglomerate’s goal of becoming a competitive player in the global energy drink market.
As the world prepares to enter the third month of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPG industry is still working to adapt to a radically altered marketplace. Last week, three new reports from market research firms IRI, Datassential and Blue Chip, shone light on how consumer behavior has changed since March and what the industry should anticipate as the crisis eases and a new normal for consumer buying habits emerges.
New Hampshire-based NOBL Beverages, working with a group of private equity investors, has acquired defunct energy drink brand MATI for an undisclosed sum and plans to relaunch the organic drink line this year, the company announced today.
The food and beverage industry continues to step up and lend support to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this roundup, we highlight brands’ efforts to give back, including a Giving Back Giveaway featuring ten food and beverage brands and donations being made to support marginalized communities in New York City.
Pernod Ricard announced a 2.1% decline in sales for the first nine months of fiscal year 2020 and a 14.5% drop for the quarter in its Q3 earnings report yesterday, as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to hit the spirits conglomerate’s bottom line.
With production set to fall this month by as much as 50%, concern has been growing about the security of CO2 supply chains for beverage companies. However, several brands reached by BevNET indicated they had not yet encountered issues.
Yesterday, John Raiche, EVP of supplier services at UNFI, discussed in detail how the industry is adapting to the changes brought on by the novel coronavirus in a webinar hosted by the Hirshberg Enterprise Institute. Raiche offered advice for how brands can adapt to the new environment while providing an update on how UNFI is responding to the demands of the crisis.
CBD-infused beverage maker Cloud Water had been preparing to make a broad retail expansion this year, aided by a new partnership with New York DSD distributor Big Geyser. But as the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed expansion in traditional retail channels, the company is adjusting its strategy in the hope that it can still hit triple-digit growth goals.
Kate Farms, a California-based maker of medical grade meal replacement drinks, has raised $23 million in a Series A-1 funding round, the company announced this week, bringing its total financing to $48 million. According to chairman and CEO Brett Matthews, the round will primarily go towards scaling company operations and increasing sales and marketing efforts.
Seeking a point of differentiation in the crowded cold brew coffee set, Boston-based Back Bay Roasters is shifting its focus from its single-serve line to its bag-in-box format, beginning with a rollout to 200 Walmart stores on the East Coast next month. The move comes as a number of rising cold brew startups have embraced multiserve packaging.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt daily life, food and beverage brands are continuing to launch new initiatives to give back and support those in need during the crisis. In this roundup, we look at several brands finding new ways to support musicians, food pantries and their own employees.
Amid a portfolio of distressed assets up for sale by Dean Foods, juice maker Uncle Matt’s Organic may not have been the biggest potential get. But that depends on who’s buying: for founder and CEO Matt McLean, who secured a $7.25 million deal to reacquire the brand last week, it’s a chance for a fresh start.
