With about seven months to go before a Congressionally-mandated deadline that effectively bans intoxicating hemp products in November, it might be expected that industry stakeholders would be looking for an offramp from the boom-or-bust drink category.
This is BevNET's annual Functional Beverage Guide.
As craft beer continues to tackle sales declines and lost shelf space, that bond has evolved: now, they're running in packs. In the first three months of 2026, we've seen a growing set of brands either forming or expanding existing craft brewery platforms or collectives.
Over the past four years, the growth rate of powders and mixes has been twice that of liquid beverages, according to recent findings by retail data analysts at Circana. The broad category of was $7.4 billion in revenue last year – small when compared to the overall $221 billion retail market for beverages, but becoming increasingly important.
As consumers grow more concerned about environmental toxins like microplastics, adopt GLP-1 drugs that transform their diets and educate themselves on the importance of routine hydration, the way they’re approaching the bottled water category is transforming, from the packaging formats they’re most likely to buy to the amount they purchase.
The 2026 edition of the Brewers Association’s (BA) Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Philadelphia (April 20-22) comes amid turbulence for the trade association’s membership and an evolution of its marquee event.
RTD coffee by sales and growth.
In food industry news: Mezcla Raises $9.5M Series B To Fuel Brand Building, Distribution Expansion; HI-CHEW Parent Co. Morinaga Acquires My/Mochi Ice Cream; and Harken Sweets Scores Major Kroger Expansion Backed by Selva Ventures.
Through economic downturns and pandemic pauses, New Hope has managed to retain Expo West's incredible sense of forward-thinking momentum, even as it’s taken a few needed steps to make itself more accessible to the smaller brands that are the lifeblood of innovation in this sector.
Amidst all the takes that you’ve likely seen on this year’s edition of Natural Products Expo West there have been so many discussions of the uses of protein and fiber enhancement that it’s hard to imagine a world where these things actually occur naturally in the things we eat and drink.
While there have been surges before, this year’s Natural Products Expo West show suggested that interest in protein beverages may have reached its highest level yet.
In craft beer news: George Clooney & Partners Take Aim at NA Beer With Crazy Mountain; JuneShine to Outsource Production, Shut Down Facility; 30 Employees Affected; A-B Closes $490 Million Deal for 85% Stake in BeatBox; and Tilray to Acquire BrewDog Brand, UK Brewery and 11 Pubs for £33 Million.
In beverage news: So Good So You Acquired By Private Investment Firm Bansk Group; Huel Acquired by Danone SA In $1.1 Billion Deal; Blue Monkey Acquires Local Weather, Updates Branding; and Pepsi Ventures Group Chief Daniel Grubbs Exits.
Expo has grown into a must-attend event for me. I’ve been going to the show for almost 20 years. I’ve seen it grow from a somewhat niche conference to the incredible gathering it is today. While it is overwhelming and difficult to navigate, the value has always merited the logistics and pain of walking the show.
