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.
There are three investments on the books following its initial, $18 million raise (including Bonafide Provisions and Hope Foods), which closed in January. One more is scheduled to follow in short order.
As part of the deal, L.A. Libations will purchase equity in the fledgling bone broth company, and will also help shepherd it into the core accounts that are the brand development company’s stock-in-trade.
First will remain a board member with several brands that he started working with via First Beverage, including Health-Ade, Purity, Q, and Project Juice.
The news that beverage incubator L.A. Libations had spawned Aloe Gloe as an independent brand partially funded by Coke’s Venturing & Emerging Brands Group (VEB) means a new stage for both entities.
The team had a chance to evaluate some products with beverage industry investor, advisor, board member and raconteur Ken Sadowsky when dropped by the BevNET Podcast studio for an interview recently.
Brent Willis, the CEO of Bucha, a publicly traded kombucha company, announced the merger today with Xing, a Colorado-based natural tea line that is also owned by Tom Lebon and Scott Lebon, the brothers who run Denver distribution powerhouse New Age Beverage.
Continuing to staff up the cold brewed coffee company they purchased six months ago, celebrity fitness trainer Jillian Michaels and her business partner, Giancarlo Chersich, announced that marketing expert Matt Ammirati had joined Lucky Jack as a co-CEO.
Guayusa-powered natural energy drink Runa confirmed today the long-rumored addition of Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio as an investor, joining a new wave of high-profile individual investors including fellow thespians Marlon Wayans and Adam Rodriguez.
In the month since Natural Products Expo West closed, food and beverage companies have announced millions of dollars’ worth of investment, from strategic investment in companies like Juicero and Body Armor to advanced funding rounds in brands like Perky Jerky and Health Ade.
The purchase brings a high-touch set of account managers who foster the growth of mid-sized businesses into a brokerage and sales strategy firm that deals with the largest companies in the world.
Premium mixers have been one of the hottest categories in the beverage business in the past few years and Q Drinks has led its growth, transforming the carbonated beverage aisle in many specialty and mainstream retail accounts.
The company behind Vita Coco has formed a new partnership, called Coco Community, with Thai coconut processor Cocos Enterprises to produce an organic, fair-trade, single-origin coconut water in what CEO Mike Kirban is calling “the artisanal coconut water” segment.
Comprised of a well-known entrepreneur, a legendary brand-builder, and a self-described “hunter” of cutting edge brands, CAVU’s triangle offense is getting ready to hit the floor.
We often ask event speakers to consult their crystal balls for the future of the beverage business. This time, we reached out to friends so that you wouldn’t have to travel. So here’s what they’re thinking about as they look down the road, and also, what we think some of our biggest questions are for the industry in 2016.
