Headlines

Riff Closes $2.5M Series Seed Round

Oregon-based coffee brand Riff announced today that it has closed a $2.5 million series seed round with investors including former NFL tight end Vernon Davis and Continental Grain COO and former Anheuser-Busch president Dave Peacock. This latest financing round opened in 2019 and has provided the startup company with a stream of spendable capital to support its growth initiatives over the past two years.

BioSteel Signs First Collegiate Athlete Brand Partner Azzi Fudd

Sports nutrition brand BioSteel announced today it has signed University of Connecticut women’s basketball freshman Azzi Fudd as its newest brand ambassador and partner, marking the brand’s first college-level NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) deal and bringing together one of the fast-growing brands in sports drinks and a rising star college athlete.

PepsiCo to Rebrand MTN Dew Rise Energy Following Court Order

PepsiCo announced yesterday it will drop “Rise” from the name of its MTN Dew Rise Energy line, signaling a temporary win for cold brew coffee maker Rise Brewing Co. in the company’s legal challenge over claims of trademark infringement. The product will be renamed “MTN Dew Energy.”

Taste Radio: Nowhere Is There A Place Like Erewhon… An Insider Explains Why.

Erewhon Chief Growth Officer Kabir Jain discussed the upscale grocer’s emphasis on being first when it comes to carrying new and unique concepts, how it defines innovation and why he describes brand selection as both “an art and science.” He also discussed the throughline for fast-growing food and beverage categories, and how the chain is supporting brands with highly actionable sales data.

Post-Drizly Spinoff, Lantern Elevates Prez Mahoney to CEO

Boston-based cannabis delivery platform Lantern announced the promotion of its president, Meredith Mahoney, to co-founder and CEO. The move comes less than a year after the company was spun off from former parent Drizly.

Beliv Targets U.S. Expansion with Big Easy Acquisition

Latin American beverage tech company Beliv announced this month that it has acquired New Orleans-based probiotic beverage maker Big Easy, giving the multinational company a foothold in the U.S. market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ReserveBar to Acquire Minibar Delivery

A pair of beverage alcohol e-commerce platforms are merging. E-commerce luxury spirits platform ReserveBar announced today that it will acquire Minibar Delivery, a marketplace that offers on-demand delivery of beer, wine and spirits. The transaction is expected to close this week. The companies declined to disclose a sale price.

5 Recently Launched Ready-to-Drink Cocktails

Over the past month new brands and products have entered the segment ranging from the debut of hard craft lemonade brand Mad Lemon to a house-made gin and absinthe combination from Tattersall Distillery. Check out the gallery below for the latest canned cocktails to hit the market.

Genius Juice Acquires Bar Maker Bright Foods

Coconut smoothie producer Genius Juice, in a partnership with BLD Capital, has acquired a “significant stake” in refrigerated bar maker Bright Foods, the company announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Monster: Q3 Results Resilient Against Supply Headwinds

Despite supply chain challenges presenting significant headwinds, Monster Energy Company beat analyst expectations by reporting 13.2% net sales growth to $1.41 billion in its Q3 2021 earnings report, released yesterday.

PepsiCo Ordered to Stop Using ‘MTN Dew Rise’ Name Amid Trademark Battle

PepsiCo has been ordered to stop using the “MTN Dew Rise Energy” name for its branded energy drink line this week after a New York judge ordered a preliminary injunction against the conglomerate in a trademark infringement lawsuit, handing a temporary victory to cold brew coffee maker Rise Brewing Co.