When former Kombrewcha CEO and co-founder Ariel Glazer left the alcoholic kombucha brand in 2018, he promised himself two things about his next venture: it wouldn’t involve selling physical items and it wouldn’t rely on traditional retail distribution.
In a webinar hosted by Rabobank yesterday, analysts at the multinational banking and financial services company offered an overview of the macro impacts of COVID-19 on the food and beverage industry.
Over the past week, BevNET and NOSH edit staff reached out to a number of brands across food and beverage to hear about how they are grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as it ripples across the globe. Their responses show an industry that, even as immediate demand for their products soars, is vacillating between measured caution and deep concern.
The demand for hand sanitizer has spiked in recent weeks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, making the germ-killing product hard to come by both in stores and online, where Amazon and EBay have been forced to crack down on price gouging. With their ample supplies of alcohol, distilleries have stepped up to close the gaps.
Premium mineral water brand Flow Alkaline Spring Water announced today its acquisition of BOONS Collagen Water, a deal that will see the brand expand its wellness-focused product offerings with the launch of a new collagen-infused water line using BOONS’ proprietary formula.
Backed by new funding, United Kingdom-based sustainable food and beverage packaging startup Notpla, maker of edible water pods, is focusing on expanding into other markets and applications, according to a profile in Fast Company last week.
In this roundup of People Moves: Fernando Mercé steps down as CEO of Nestlé Waters North America, SodaStream USA adds Matt Kahn as its first ever United States-based CMO and Jordan Shulman joins Better Booch as VP of sales. Meanwhile, Juliet Blake leaves Lemon Perfect to launch a brand consulting service and Red Thread Coffee Co. names its new VP of sales and operations.
According to Emily Schildt, “We’re living in an age of too much stuff.” With the goal of cutting through this clutter, Schildt, a CPG marketing consultant, founded Pop Up Grocer, a traveling food and beverage brand activation spotlighting a curated selection of emerging natural brands, offering them exposure to consumers, influencers and industry professionals in a candy-colored Instagram-friendly setting.
PepsiCo is on track to achieve 100% renewable electricity for its direct U.S. operations this year as part of the company’s push to cut its global emissions by 20%, Fast Company reported last week. The company’s U.S. manufacturing sites comprise half of its global electricity consumption.
Ethical Brands, parent company of plant-based pasta brand Explore Cuisine, is introducing Swedish pea protein milk brand Sproud to the U.S. this week at the 2020 Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. The company formed a distribution and marketing partnership with the brand last year in an effort to expand upon its goal of offering sustainably-sourced, plant-based products to consumers.
Premier Protein is gearing up for what it hopes could be its biggest year yet as the ready-to-drink protein shake brand looks to expand its audience and drive growth with more than just “fan evangelism.” The brand kicked off the year with the launch of a new marketing campaign (including its first-ever TV spot) to support its protein shake product line and will be rolling out a slate of new products to retailers in the coming months.
Aiming to bring “fun and flavor” to the category, Joffer Beverage Company has launched a new flavored sparkling water line offering consumers the classic taste of Jelly Belly jelly beans without the sugar or calories.
After four years at cold brew maker High Brew Coffee, CMO Mari Lee has announced her exit from the company, effective January 15. Lee joined High Brew in 2015 after serving as vice president of field marketing at KIND, and has previously held positions at Glaceau and Red Bull. High Brew’s brand manager, Miles Aghajanian, will take over after her exit.
By the airing of its appearance on reality TV show Shark Tank in December 2018, Mother Beverage was already considering a possible rebrand. Now, with co-founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth having just wrapped filming on a check-in for the show, the apple cider vinegar drink brand has plenty of updates to share, including a new name, different packaging and distribution momentum.
