As Editor-in-Chief of BevNET, Jeff Klineman oversees the organization's reporting across all of its web sites, as well as BevNET Magazine. Jeff also plans, curates, and hosts the BevNET Live and NOSH Live conferences. Jeff previously worked as a newspaper reporter for the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, the Boston TAB and the Metrowest Daily News, and has freelanced for publications like Slate, Boston Magazine, Self, George, Commonwealth, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. He is a graduate of Yale University and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. A frequently-cited expert on the beverage industry, Jeff has also twice been named in Forbes as one of the 25 Most Influential when it comes to Consumer and Retail Companies.
Keep a close eye on this one, folks: Coca-Cola Refreshments is picking up Core Power, a milk-based protein drink manufactured with the product of two large dairy co-ops based in West Texas, New Mexico, and the Midwest.
Balance Water, a line of functional waters infused with tasteless herbal extracts, pulled in investment to the tune of about $4-5 million recently, according to co-founder Martin Chalk. The funding came from a mix of sources: Emil Capital Partners supplied institutional cash, while famed investor Thomas H. Lee, the founder of Thomas H. Lee partners, put in money as an individual investor, as did Australian actor Hugh Jackman.
Lance Gentry, the well-known and well-liked former VP of marketing for Izze Beverage Co., passed away Friday following a battle with brain cancer that lasted more than a year. Gentry became a familiar and welcome presence when he visited the BevNET team during frequent trips to Boston as he attempted to open the market for Izze.
After spending months in limbo as product slowly trickled through a declining number of stores and online retailers, relaxation shot RelaxZen has been sold to a pair of Brooklyn-based investors by former CEO Brent Sonnek-Schmelz.
Looking at the numbers at the seventh incarnation of BevNET Live, which finished up on Tuesday after two days of intense teaching, networking and community building in New York City, however, the event started and ended with the simplest number: one.
As of April, Sparkling Ice’s growth was up an almost-unheard-of 2000 percent, to more than $43 million, according to SymphonyIRI, which named the brand a “Rising Star” in April. And that’s not counting accounts like Wal-Mart, where the brand also thrives.
A letter sent to stockholders of the long-struggling Adina beverage company seemed to indicate that the new age beverage shop's doors are about to close for good. The company is selling through its remaining stock but is also liquidating its assets in order to satisfy debt obligations.
Rob Ehrlich, of Rob’s Really Good, has always been fast on his feet when it comes to rolling out on-trend products, but this has to be something of a record. One day after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched his latest salvo against the beverage industry by attempting to severely restrict the sale of sugary beverages larger than 16 ounces, Ehrlich announced plans to release three zero-calorie Kola-nut based sparkling beverages.
BevNET has learned that former Muscle Milk marketing chief John Blair has joined shot-and-a-beer brand Bruvado as President after a slow exit from the protein drink's parent company, Cytosport.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg officially proposed the ban during a City Hall briefing this morning, but word leaked out last night, at which time the ABA sent an e-mail to members stating it would “challenge this latest example of government overreach.”
Few brands launch with the cash and reach of the Mark Wahlberg-backed AQUAhydrate, which was featured in many public forums, including the TV show Entourage, but it has been a slow build for the electrolyte-infused water brand. Still, new CEO John Cochran has announced that the brand is re-launching and has staffed up his sales force with beer and water industry veterans to carry the load.
Coca-Cola CEO Mukhtar Kent told Wells Fargo Bank's senior beverage analyst Bonnie Herzog that the company is not in the market for major purchases, but he did leave the door open to what he called "bolt-on" acquisitions.
Story jumped into the paper likely on the rumors of Coke's potential for a play for Monster Energy, but despite some analysts squawking that the company needs to take leadership in all categories, there's an equal number of claims that the company, with 500 brands, has trouble focusing as well.
Hot on the heels of Pepsi NEXT, the Coca-Cola Co. is rolling out a pair of mid-calorie CSDs of its own, taking Sprite and Fanta into 70-calorie cans sweetened with a mix of sugar, stevia and erythritol.
