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.
Already the target of an investigation by the New York state attorney general’s office into how the company packages and discloses its caffeine content, Monster Beverage is a facing a new lawsuit alleging that the high caffeine content in its flagship beverage contributed to the death of a Maryland teenager last December.
With nearly one in five U.S. adult consumers now purchasing or consuming products tagged as gluten-free, sales of gluten-free foods and beverages are expected to reach $4.2 billion in 2012, according to a new report from Packaged Facts. As consumers increasingly shift toward healthier lifestyles and become more aware of gluten-free offerings, the category has risen at a compound annual growth rate of 28 percent over the past four year period.
“To some extent, we’ve become like WD-40.” – Manoj Bhargava, founder and CEO of Living Essentials, the marketer of 5 Hour Energy. At a glance, it may not be the most elegant of comparisons, but when one considers the utter domination that each product shares over its competitors, the analogy is crystal clear. In the same way that there is no "category" for WD-40, Bhargava considers energy shots to be a one-horse stable.
Controversy is not a word often used to describe legendary golfers and AriZona brand partners Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. No, if anything, the two men offer consumers a warm and fuzzy feeling of classic, elegant Americana and the entirely uncontroversial refreshment of iced teas and lemonades. Nevertheless, it appears that AriZona is ready celebrate the last throes of its 20th year anniversary with a bang loud enough to have the two men grabbing their chests, tickers aflutter.
As the beverage landscape in America continues to shift toward an emphasis on health and wellness, the use of high pressure processing (HPP), a technology that, unlike pasteurization, uses high pressure instead of heat to inhibit bacteria growth in raw foods and beverages, is eliciting interest among a growing number of entrepreneurs and existing beverage manufacturers.
With chia category leaders Mamma Chia and GT's - which makes a chia seed and kombucha blend - continuing to grow in natural in hybrid retail channels, and an expanding field of chia beverage brands and established beverage companies such as Lifeway Kefir introducing chia-infused line extentions, Chia\Vie is hoping that two recent moves will be key to maintaining momentum for the brand, while at the same time keeping up with competition.
As expected, New York City’s battle over the so-called Bloomberg ban is now heading to the courtroom. Last Friday, a number of beverage and restaurant industry groups, including the American Beverage Association and the National Restaurant Association, filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan aiming to overturn the city’s recently created restrictions on the sale of large, sugary drinks.
Despite the emergence of natural and better-for-you beverages in the c-store channel, in part two of our video recap of the 2012 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show, the editorial team discusses how a "back to basics" sensibility was evident throughout the event.
As part of BevNET's continuing 2012 NACS show coverage, the BevNET editorial team examines key trends seen at the show including the boom of line extensions from top energy drink companies, the overall trend of natural and functional products crossing into the c-store channel, how packaging innovation has spurred growth in energy, relaxation, and better-for-you segments, and why some beverage companies are tailoring new products to small, but emerging, consumer sets.
Despite a sensational and raucous booth befitting its brand name, Rockstar rather quietly unveiled a new line of energy waters at the 2012 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show yesterday. Although the new water line appeared to be somewhat hush-hush, Rockstar did showcase a new line of sour energy drinks and line extensions.
In this video, filmed inside massive Red Bull's booth at the 2012 NACS show, we take a first look at the company's “Red Bull Edition" line, a three SKU set of new cranberry, lime and blueberry flavors dubbed Red Edition, Silver Edition and Blue Edition.
In this video interview filmed at Marley Beverage Co.’s bustling booth at the recently held 2012 Natural Products Expo East show, BevNET founder and CEO spoke with Marley's Kevin McClafferty about the surging success of the brand, the decision to remove Melatonin from its relaxation drinks, and how transitioning its One Drop coffee line into cans, puts Marley in a better position to compete in the RTD coffee category.
As Rising Beverage Co. prepares to relocate its headquarters from Newport Beach, to Los Angeles, Dan Holland has stepped down as CEO citing concerns about a long commute. Rising Beverage, the marketer of twist-cap brand Activate, has elevated COO Reza Mirza to the role of president. According to Mirza, Rising Beverage chairman Michael Eisner, the former chairman of Disney and the father of Activate co-founder Anders Eisner, will take a more active role in the company.
In this video segment filmed at Grady’s Cold Brew headquarters in Brooklyn, BevNET founder and CEO John Craven sits down with Laird to discuss a range of topics, including the growth of cold brew beverages, and how having a home base in New York’s most eclectic borough is deeply tied to its success. Laird also addresses rapid crowding within the cold brew coffee category, and the importance of differentiation and education as a way to stand out among similarly branded products.
