Ray Latif is the lead host, producer, and content editor of Taste Radio, BevNET’s flagship podcast and the go-to show for food and beverage industry insights. With 14 years of experience in the industry, Ray is a seasoned journalist known for his sharp interviews and in-depth coverage of trends, innovation, and news. He began his career at BevNET as an assistant editor, later advancing to managing editor of both the website and magazine. Since 2016, he’s been the driving force behind Taste Radio, overseeing everything from content strategy to production. Ray’s conversational style and meticulous research have earned him widespread praise from both guests and listeners. He has had the privilege of interviewing a diverse range of high-profile figures, including Patrick Mahomes, Jennifer Garner, Dan Aykroyd, Kobe Bryant, Padma Lakshmi, and Brad Paisley. His ability to connect with entrepreneurs, celebrities, and industry leaders has made Taste Radio a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolving world of food and beverage.
According to a Shire City Herbals press release issued Monday, Temple Turmeric’s ‘Pure Fire Cider’ will now go by the name of ‘Pure Fire Tonic’, and be referred to as such in all branding, marketing and advertising.
With the launch of a new 20,000 sq. ft. production facility and foray into high pressure processing (HPP), Juice Served Here is aiming for continued expansion in the availability of its raw, cold-pressed juices, yet is focused on maintaining its identity of “Never Conventional.”
The Coca-Cola-owned brand yesterday announced the launch of Smartwater Sparkling, which will roll out to select retailers, including upscale dining locations and hotels, online sites and club stores, in New York City, Los Angeles and Miami this month.
A new seasonal offering from Temple Turmeric called Pure Fire Cider is the focus of a trademark infringement lawsuit recently filed against the company.
Demand for peppery potables has not only generated a significant amount of innovation in the spirits category, the non-alcoholic beverage side of the market is also evolving. Spicy ingredients are making their way into a number of beverage categories at a steady rate, often used to enhance the final product rather than showcased a primary taste.
Soup-in-a-bottle brand Tio Gazpacho is aiming to wrap up a $500,000 round of funding that will be used primarily to expand sales and marketing of its high pressure processed, organic gazpacho products, according to company founder Austin Allan.
Craft mixer brand Powell & Mahoney has completed its first round of outside investment, pulling in new capital from three sources, including Fenwick Brands, a middle market investor and operator focused on the consumer packaged goods space.
Just weeks after Peet’s Coffee & Tea announced that it would acquire third-wave coffee darling Stumptown Coffee Roasters, the company is making another blockbuster investment in the super-premium coffee segment, today announcing that it has agreed to buy a majority stake in specialty roaster and retailer Intelligentsia Coffee.
For Greg Stroh, Healthy Skoop represents an opportunity to avoid many of the challenges associated with ready-to-drink products, including the formulation blunders and distribution woes that he encountered with mix1, while still offering shelf-stable, healthy and innovative food options for consumers.
While consumer reaction to the deal varied (some fretted about the possibility of decline in quality of Stumptown coffee), industry executives and analysts largely praised it as one that will build upon growing awareness and demand for packaged cold brew products.
Eleven years since the launch of 5-hour Energy, sales of the energy shots have made founder Manoj Bhargava a billionaire several times over. He’s already pledged to give the vast majority of that wealth to charitable causes before he dies. Now he’s using some of his money to fuel innovation that addresses global health and sustainability issues.
Louisville-based Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. has appointed new distribution partners for its American Brandy and Absinthe spirits in two pivotal Atlantic markets: New York and Washington D.C.
Many beverage exhibitors at the 2015 NACS show indicated that convenience store operators are -- like their counterparts in grocery and club -- increasingly looking to add natural and better-for-you beverages to their shelves and coolers. It’s a trend that, for C-stores, has been bubbling at the surface for years, but appears to have achieved significant traction over the past 12 months.
While McDonald’s declined to say if it would add Monster products to more locations, the test is one of a number of recent attempts by the company -- including the addition of an all-day breakfast menu and a kale burger -- to breathe new life into its stores, which have seen sliding sales since 2012.
