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.
KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – May 7, 2012) – Coronado Corp. (OTCBB:CRAO) is pleased to announce that it has closed the acquisition of Vampt Beverage USA Corp. (“Vampt”) pursuant to an…
Joia, a line of all-natural, mixologist-inspired sodas, is now distributed at The Fresh Market. Joia, a Best of BevNET 2011 winner, produces a number of distinctive flavors such as Lime, Hibiscus and Clove. Since its debut in 2011, the line of sodas had been primarily sold in the Minneapolis area, where the drinks are produced, though Joia will now look to dramatically increase distribution with The Fresh Market, with its 115 locations in 21 states.
Eric Foss, the former CEO of Pepsi Beverages Company (PBC), has joined ARMARK as the company's CEO and President. Foss spent 30 years at PepsiCo culminating in his role as CEO of PBC in which he helped guide the consolidation of the company's two largest bottlers, Pepsi Bottling Group and Pepsi Americas, into PepsiCo. Foss joins ARAMARK, a privately held food-services and facilities-management conglomerate, effective immediately.
As soccer has edged closer to the kind of mainstream acceptance that – in the U.S. - has been elusive for so many decades, Golazo, a line of all-natural energy and sports drinks targeted to the soccer community, is hoping to tap into growing interest and enthusiasm for the sport.
WOODBURY, NY – AriZona Beverages is proud to celebrate its 20th birthday as a successful, family owned, all-American company. From its humble beginnings in 1992, the brand has risen to…
More news from the front lines of Cola Wars 2012 as PepsiCo announced that it has signed a 10-year deal with DineEquity to be the exclusive provider of most soft drinks for its Applebee's and IHOP restaurants. DineEquity, which had been serving both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola products, ended a decades-long agreement with Coke and stated that the company reached more advantageous terms for its franchisees by consolidating its business with PepsiCo.
Buoyed by volume growth and new promotional pricing, sales of carbonated soft drinks are up 2.4 percent in a year-over-year comparison for the four weeks ending on April 14, according to Nielsen scanner data released in a new report from Morgan Stanley. Despite the positive news for CSDs, the report notes that the category benefited from a relatively easy comparison to the same period a year ago in which sales of CSDs were down by 8.6 percent.
When it comes to brand value, consumers flock to a handful of beverage brands including Green Mountain, Coke, Gatorade, Lipton, SoBe, vitaminwater, and Poland Spring, according to the results of a new Harris Interactive poll and study. The annual Harris Poll EquiTrend study measures and compares the health of more than 1,500 brands by analyzing the responses of over 38,500 consumers on questions related to brand value and loyalty.
TSG Consumer Partners, a private equity firm known for its profitable investment in a number of food and beverage companies including Vitaminwater and Voss Water, has sold its stake in San Francisco-based Pop Chips to Verlinvest, a Belgian-based private equity group. Pop Chips has a number of beverage investors, including Rohan Oza of Vitaminwater fame.
Single-serve offerings of coffee and tea led the way for the most successful new beverage launches in 2011, according to SymphonyIRI’s 2011 “New Products Pacesetters” report. The report, which compiles the top new food and beverage brands based on dollar sales, lists carbonated, sports and energy categories as having the second-most active launches within the beverage industry.
And there's another one in the pool... AriZona has leaped into the growing sub-segment of coconut water/coffee combos with the introduction of CocoZona Espresso. The new beverage - the first product extension in AriZona's fledgling CocoZona line - is a 100 percent coconut water and espresso blend and contains 50 mg of caffeine and 70 calories per 14.5 oz. bottle.
A federal judge has ruled that a class action lawsuit filed against the makers of Muscle Milk cannot proceed until the lead plaintiff improves her claims that the marketing of the brand is false and misleading. Although U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken agrees that Cytosport's claims that Muscle Milk contains “healthy fats” and that the product is a “nutritional shake” might mislead consumers, she stated that the complaint lacks sufficient detail for the suit to proceed.
First Beverage Group has announced new details about the debut and initial distribution of its Oatworks brand of oat and fruit smoothies. Oatworks will simultaneously launch on the East and West Coast beginning in Boston through DSD distributor Blue Coast Beverage, and in San Fransisco through DBI Beverage, Inc., also a DSD distributor.
In yet another coup for the brand, Harmless Harvest has added specialty grocery chain The Fresh Market to the rapidly growing list of retailers carrying its raw and organic coconut water. The Fresh Market , known for its innovative and on-trend product mix, as well as an affluent and influential consumer base, will launch Harmless Harvest in its 115 stores later this spring.
