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.
The Starbucks-owned company recently launched a new six-SKU line of 11 oz. bottles that was designed to bolster brand presence and sales in mainstream retailers and tap into the vast well of consumers that have grown up on pasteurized super-premium juice brands like Naked and Odwalla.
Bai CEO Ben Weiss today revealed that Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s (DPS) $15 million acquisition of a minority stake in his company was based on a half-billion dollar valuation. The deal gives DPS a 3 percent ownership position in Bai, which also recently secured a $25 million line of credit from global investment banking firm J.P. Morgan Chase.
Eighteen months after signing a national distribution deal with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), Bai Brands, which has grown at a torrid pace in the timeframe, has sold an equity stake to the beverage titan.
Edward Balassanian, the founder and CEO of Vital Juice, told BevNET that the decision to shut down was the result of several factors, one of the most significant being the remarkable pace at which the cold-pressed juice category is evolving.
Having secured a major round of financing, launched three new product lines and expanded distribution to 1,000 stores, Daily Greens is continuing its fast pace in 2015, recently bolstering its leadership team with the appointment of Steven Gollob.
The 2015 Share a Coke campaign will feature four times the number of names as the 2014 edition and also encompass different package sizes, with 1.25 L and 2 L bottles, and 12 oz. cans now in the mix.
Talking Rain Beverage Co. today announced the launch of a new 8 oz. slim can for its Sparkling Ice line of zero-calorie carbonated drinks. The new package is designed to broaden the “distribution opportunities for the brand within the convenience and foodservice industries,” according to a company release.
In a warning letter dated March 25, 2015, the FDA wrote that the company has failed to include in its plan “control measures that will consistently produce, at a minimum, a 5-log reduction of pertinent microorganisms, for a period as long as the shelf life of the product when stored under normal and moderate abuse conditions.”
A recent survey found a significant decline in the number of New York City high school students who drink soda on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Nestlé SA will introduce new flavored line extensions for its water brands and increase production of sparkling water products as it aims to take advantage of increased consumer demand for healthier beverages.
The plaintiffs allege “the statement that GT’s Kombucha Beverages provide a ‘unique blend’ of ‘powerful antioxidants’ misleadingly suggests that the beverages provide superior antioxidant content than foods and beverages with antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C that have antioxidant properties as well as nutritional value.”
The purchase of the Búcha brand was precipitated by a legal battle between owner B&R Liquid Adventure and a contract brewer of its kombucha drinks.
Volume of ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee products surged by 10.7 percent last year, as compared that of 2013, trumping growth of bottled water and energy drinks, which rose by 7.3 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively.
In this video, Daniel Sullivan discusses the back story of Temple Turmeric's propriety turmeric variety, the recent rebrand, and its work and relationship with Boulder Brands Investment Group, which took an equity position in the company last year.
In the following videos, we take a deeper dive into the fast-growing segment, having queried brand owners and company executives at the event -- including Evolution Fresh president Jeff Hansberry, Suja VP of Marketing Heather MacNeil and Lumi Juice founder Hillary Lewis -- about the continued development for cold-pressed juice.
