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.
Ito En last month released the preliminary details of an acquisition in which the Japanese tea giant will purchase Distant Lands Coffee Co., a vertically integrated coffee company.
Having updated its leadership ranks via internal promotion and external hires, Purity Organic is now aiming to round out its executive team with a proven manager to head up its sales department.
Centre Partners, which focuses on “control investments” in the consumer, healthcare and business services industries, today announced the purchase of a majority interest in Sun Orchard, a leading provider of juices and other beverages for the foodservice industry.
A look back at top headlines from the past year, including financial deals, marketing wins (and blunders), category evolution and important regulatory updates.
Nearly four months after acquiring Inko’s, Braintrust Investments has purchased another tea brand, albeit one with a much shorter track record.
Beverage executives often spend dozens hours combing over sales and marketing data hoping to gain some insight into what consumers think of their brand. But why not just ask them directly?
GoodBelly now sports a tagline of “Drink daily for healthy digestion,” and features fruit images that are more reminiscent of those found on conventional multi-serve juice products.
The position had been vacant since May, 2013, when John Cochran left the company to become CEO of Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine.
The question is whether brands should try to present themselves as an alternative category to the average Starbucks drink – which some describe as a dairy type of beverage – or as another part of the coffee mix.
Nearly four months after its launch of a juicing facility in Southern California, Vital Juice has announced its arrival in the New York City market.
According to multiple sources, the Brooklyn-based company, which markets a line of bottled iced coffees and made functionality a key point of differentiation from competing products, has laid off most of its staff and is said to be seeking a new infusion of capital in hopes of a restaging its coffee line.
Jeff Hansberry, who played a key role in Starbucks’ 2011 acquisition of Evolution Fresh, is now at the helm of the cold-pressed, high pressure processed juice brand.
Duane Primozich of Boulder Brands Investment Group praised Tumeric Alive’s explicit association with turmeric, considering “the magnitude and potential” for the ingredient.
Unable to secure a set of retail authorizations that the company hoped would take Ibex to the next stage of development, Skyland Foods founder and CEO Brandon Partridge decided that further investment in the brand would be unwise.
