As founder and CEO of BevNET, John Craven is a widely-recognized authority on the beverage industry and he is frequently cited in mainstream media. His vision shapes the editorial, publishing, and positioning of all of BevNET's properties, including BevNET.com, NOSH.com, BevNET Magazine, Brewbound.com and their associated conferences. John is a graduate of Boston College with a BS in Marketing and Computer Science.
With several intriguing product debuts and packaging updates from a number of the 50 beverage brands represented at the show, including Hint, Purity Organic, Califia Farms, ITO En and Q Drinks, attendees caught a glimpse of new beverage trends and innovation that are likely to remain on a steady course throughout 2014.
With a major round of investment in hand, Suja is set to launch a third line of cold-pressed/high pressure processed juice products, one that CEO Jeff Church hopes will catapult the brand into mainstream consciousness and attract a broad base of consumers.
In recent interview filmed on location at the company’s vast headquarters and juicery in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., founder and "Chief Juice Officer" Jimmy Rosenberg sat down with BevNET CEO John Craven for a wide-ranging interview in which Rosenberg offers his views on the rapid emergence of the cold-pressed juice category -- and its impact on the overall juice market -- as well as his long term vision for Evolution Fresh.
In a recent interview, Mamma Chia CEO Janie Hoffman explained that sales of of its chia-infused drinks have “doubled, if not tripled, with going into mainstream,” in large part due to rapidly growing awareness of chia -- and its nutritional content -- among mainstream consumers, and noted that the rapid and positive trajectory of the brand has given it the ability to innovate and take a leadership position in the world of chia.
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What a difference a year makes. Yes, most of the big beverage players were present at the 2013 NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) Show; The Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple, Red Bull and Monster Energy all featured the usual mega booths that attendees are used to seeing at the event. But unlike years past, the NACS show in Atlanta was notable for what it was missing: many of the natural and functional brands that we saw in 2012.
Did you or your company launch a new beverage (for you or a client) in the past year? Or perhaps you just revamped one? Either way, it's time to enter your product into BevNET's Best of 2013 Awards, which will be announced at BevNET Live Winter 13. In addition, all applicants are eligible to receive a listing in BevNET's "New Beverage Guide," which is sent to the 19,000 BevNET Magazine subscribers and 100,000 monthly readers of BevNET.com. Sign up now as time is running out!
Although the use of HPP has been limited to a handful of beverages in the juice and coconut water categories, the processing method -- which uses pressure instead of heat to make a raw product safe to consume -- has for the first time been employed in a tea drink. And, unsurprisingly, it's the restless folks at Harmless Harvest, which helped pioneer the use of HPP in beverages, who are behind it.
In this video, BevNET CEO John Craven and Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman examine the impact of Expo East for small and emerging brands and how new companies have used innovation to differentiate themselves and, in the process, altered the trajectory of natural beverage categories.
Profitable and continuing to evolve, Zola’s restaged “Fruits of the World” platform and rapid ascension as a player in the coconut water category have positioned the company for sustained growth in both natural and mainstream retail channels. With the pieces in place, founder Chris Cuvelier and his team are pressing forward -- and not looking back.
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Yes, the rollout of Body Armor has featured some missteps; yes, people have noticed. But founder Lance Collins, as grizzled a beverage veteran as any, is determined to achieve success with his multi-function, “superdrink” brand. But the current ultra-competitive pricing environment for beverages, in which new products face off against highly promoted brands made by bigger companies, has made that road tougher than ever, Collins said.
Indeed, cold-pressed, super-premium juices, the majority of which are sold by natural retailers, have attracted a tremendous amount of attention and enthusiasm, and sustained growth appears to be a forgone conclusion. However, a deeper examination of the category reveals a potentially challenging path for new brands.
