Sazerac to Acquire BuzzBallz RTD Brand
Spirits giant Sazerac announced today plans to acquire Southern Champion’s ready-to-drink (RTD) portfolio, including BuzzBallz, the spherical wine-, spirit- and malt-based cocktail brand.
Zoe Licata
Senior Reporter, Brewbound.com
Zoe Licata joined Brewbound in 2021 after several years of freelance reporting and documentary work. She’s a Massachusetts native, guinea pig for bev-alc innovation and savant in Gen Z culture.
Posts by Zoe Licata
Hard MTN Dew Moves to Beer Network, Going to All 50 Markets as Blue Cloud Changes Course
Hard MTN Dew is transitioning to Boston Beer Company’s beer distributor network and will expand to all 50 states, outgoing Boston Beer CEO Dave Burwick said on Tuesday during the company’s full-year and Q4 earnings report.
Coca-Cola Leadership: Soda Giant Not Interested in Being a Bev-Alc Distributor
The Coca-Cola Company is “not here to crash [beer distributors’] party,” Dan White, Coca-Cola, North America chief of new revenue streams, said in a fireside chat with National Beer Wholesaler Association (NBWA) president and CEO Craig Purser Monday during the NBWA’s annual convention.
Anheuser-Busch To Sell Hiball, 8 Craft Beer Brands to Tilray
Tilray Brands is acquiring eight craft brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev in a blockbuster all cash deal announced today.
Goldman Sachs: C-Store Retailers Optimistic on Energy but Recession Fears Loom
Convenience store retailers were excited about energy drinks but had a “slightly more pessimistic outlook” for beer trends in Goldman Sachs’ Q2 Beverage Bytes survey, citing “broader economic pressures/fears of recession [and] impacts from cooler weather."
8th Wonder Brewery Acquired by Texas Cannabis Company Bayou City Hemp
8th Wonder Brewery, Distillery and Cannabis has been acquired by Bayou City Hemp Company, a Houston, Texas-headquartered cannabis company. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Molson Coors and Coca-Cola to Launch Peace Hard Tea FMB
Molson Coors and The Coca-Cola Company are partnering again this fall with the launch of Peace Hard Tea, a 5% ABV malt-based version of Coca-Cola’s Peace Tea.
Drizly Employees Affected by ‘Layoff Tidal Wave’
Drizly, an Uber-owned alcohol e-commerce delivery platform, began “company wide” layoffs this week, according to several social media posts by former employees.
Sierra Nevada Makes Minority Investment in Riot Energy; Will Produce and Package Products
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has made a minority investment in Riot Energy, a Venice, California-based energy drink company. The California brewery will “initially serve as an investor,” but will “eventually produce and package Riot Energy products” once its CanDo Innovation Center is up and running.
Hard MTN Dew Releases First New Flavor Addition: Livewire in Single-Serve Cans
Hard MTN Dew, the flavored malt beverage (FMB) from Boston Beer Company and PepsiCo, is expanding its lineup for the first time since launching with Livewire, an orange citrus flavor inspired by the soft drink flavor of the same name.
Harpoon Launches THC-Infused, ‘Hop-Forward’ Non-Alc Beverage in Massachusetts
Boston-based Harpoon Brewery is expanding beyond bev-alc and into cannabis, announcing the launch of Rec. Weed, a THC-infused non-alcoholic beverage.
Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association Now At 90 Members; Sets Sights on International Markets
A year after its founding, the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA) has more than doubled its membership to more than 90 beverage companies across beer, wine and spirits.
Study Suggests Spirits-Based RTD Excise Tax Cuts Cost Consumers More; DISCUS Calls Study ‘Misleading’
Trade groups across beer and spirits continue to fight over whether spirits-based, ready-to-drink canned cocktails (RTDs) should be taxed at the same as malt-based alternatives. The argument came to a head this month when Public Sector Consultants (PSC) released a study claiming decreased excise tax rates for spirits-based RTDs have cost consumers more on shelf.
Tilray to Acquire Montauk Brewing
Global cannabis firm Tilray is adding an East Coast craft brewery to its growing brewery portfolio, with the acquisition of Montauk Brewing Company. Financial terms of the transaction were not immediately disclosed, but the deal is for 100% of the New York craft brewery.