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.
Pure Leaf, a line of bottled iced teas produced by PepsiCo in a joint partnership with Unilever, is under scrutiny with plaintiffs in two separate lawsuits alleging that the products use citric acid -- an ingredient that can be synthetically created -- as a preservative and are being falsely marketed as “all natural.”
In the following videos, we take a deeper dive into the fast-growing segment, having queried brand owners and company executives at the recently held 2015 Summer Fancy Food Show — including Powell & Mahoney co-founder Mark Mahoney, Jim Pickett, the co-founder of Pickett’s Ginger Beer, Q Drinks founder Jordan Silbert, Owl’s Brew co-founder Maria Littlefield, among several others — about the continued development of bottled cocktail mixers.
Following the publication of our article that examined the on-going battle between Shire City Herbals and organizers of a campaign called “Free Fire Cider,” Amy Huebner, a co-founder of Shire City, contacted BevNET to discuss the history of the quarrel and her company’s approach to resolving the dispute.
As part of a discussion about the three-day event, BevNET CEO John Craven noted that "the types of products really evolved," at the Fancy Food Show to that point that beverages "you'd see at the Natural Products Expo has really bled into this show."
In this photo gallery, we feature a range of new brands, products and design revamps that we encountered at the 2015 Fancy Food Show, as culled from our Instagram feed.
Described as “fully-functional thirst-quenchers,” Temple Turmeric Super Lights are designed to attract a broader base of consumers as compared to those of the brand’s flagship line. The beverages launched as part of Kroger's “Taste of Tomorrow” program, a set of emerging beverages promoted within the grocer’s Fred Meyer and Ralph’s stores.
While Chuice is carried by a just handful of retailers in its homebase of Atlanta, Ga., Taste of Earth Acquisition LLC, which markets the brand, recently received a major cash infusion via former Alibaba executive Sanjay Varma, who invested $500,000 in the company.
A positive run for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) has ended as sales of major brands within the category declined for the first time in over a year, according to a new Wells Fargo Securities report, which covers Nielsen xAOC (expanded all outlets combined) sales data for the four-week period ending on June 13.
In a departure from past editions of BevNET Live, complete video coverage from our recently held Summer ‘15 event is now available for viewing at no cost. Located on BevNET’s YouTube page, our coverage is broken down into individual video segments by speaker presentation, panel and discussion.
In a recent report, the Coca-Cola Co. sought to identify key metrics of millennial customers, including habits and attitudes, shopping occasions, and their perception of retailers.
Arty Water is no more, but for fans of the artichoke water product, all is not lost. A co-founder of the brand behind the development of a new brand called Botanic Waters, a line of plant-based water products, one of which is -- you guessed it -- infused with artichoke extract.
Bai Brands CEO Ben Weiss called the new space “a symbolic changing of the guard” as the company takes over a building that was once occupied by Ocean Spray.
Starbucks quietly announced its decision to shutter the Evolution Fresh store in San Francisco as part of a recent press release, one that focuses on the company plans to close its 23 La Boulange bakery cafés.
A group claiming that the term “fire cider” is generic and has long been used to describe a type of cider vinegar-based elixir has launched a campaign that seeks to cancel a trademark of the phrase, which is owned by Shire City Herbals.
