Suja Probiotic Water

Press clips for 12/9 include B’More Organic winning $10k on the ‘Rachel Ray Show,’ The Atlantic examines the kombucha controversy and Whole Foods releases trend predictions for 2017.

In this week’s edition of Press Clips: Tiger Woods gets Monster money. Coke’s small play pays. Jones Soda gets gamer specific. Club Yerba Mate? Coffee, vinegars and functional drinks star at PLMA.

In an exciting detour into the liquor space, BevNET Live Santa Monica will feature a talk from Courtney Reum, the co-founder of VEEV Spirits (including VEEV and VitaFrute, a line of certified-organic ready-to-drink cocktails), which Reum and his brother sold to Luxco earlier this year.

Trevor Nelson, the co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm Alliance Consumer Growth shares some details about the firm’s approach to evaluating investment opportunities. In particular, Nelson explains why ACG, which closed on a new $210 million fund in February, doesn’t “make bets” when it comes to funding decisions.

Suja CMO Heather MacNeil Cox said that the limited-edition release of Midnight Tonic was an extension of the brand’s 2016 “Surprise + Delight” initiative, one in which Suja “sought out creative ways to give back to our community.” Only 1,000 bottles were produced and made available for sale only on Suja’s website.

Founder Ryne O’Donnell asserts that Solti’s process of exposing juice to UV light, in conjunction with an atmosphere controlled aseptic filler, “is proving to have more nutrients, flavor, aroma and shelf life” than juices that undergo high pressure processing (HPP), a common safety method for cold-pressed juices.

There are three investments on the books following its initial, $18 million raise (including Bonafide Provisions and Hope Foods), which closed in January. One more is scheduled to follow in short order.

Suja, a leading brand of organic HPP beverages (and part of Coca-Cola’s investment portfolio), is using this product line to expand into one of the more nascent beverage categories: drinking vinegars.

After visiting 70 cities in three continents, traveling over 18,000 miles and mixing up more than 12,245 caipirinhas, the Developing Minds Foundation, an outstanding charity that builds schools and supports education programs in areas affected by violence and poverty, landed in to Rio to deliver $51,429.51 for Brazil’s two largest favelas, Rocinha and City of God.

Earlier this month, PepsiCo introduced a new packaged format for its Stubborn line of craft sodas. Scott Finlow, vice president of innovation and insights for global foodservice at PepsiCo said that the company views craft beverages as an important part of the company’s future, telling Fortune that “Craft is not a fad. It is here to stay.”

Suja Juice has previously been awarded accolades such as the Forbes Most Promising Companies in America, ranking number #2 in 2015, up from #3 in 2014.

Made with organic apple cider vinegar, cold-pressed fruits and vegetables, and four billion vegan probiotic cultures, the line extension is set to debut at Whole Foods Markets across the country beginning in September.

After Day One of BevNET Live’s summer session took a look at the plight of the entrepreneur and an exploration of some of the keys to finding success in the beverage business as an upstart, Day Two began with a data-driven dive.

The news that beverage incubator L.A. Libations had spawned Aloe Gloe as an independent brand partially funded by Coke’s Venturing & Emerging Brands Group (VEB) means a new stage for both entities.