Headlines

Winn-Dixie Owner Southeastern Grocers Exploring Sale

The Florida-based operator of the Winn-Dixie and Harvey’s supermarkets, is reportedly exploring a sale and is in talks with prospective buyers, furthering concerns of more consolidation in the grocery channel.

Food and Beverage Brands Relishing Pickleball Opportunities

While it may once have been the domain of country clubs and retirement homes, the sport of pickleball is making a play for the mainstream. As professional pickleball leagues earn serious attention from the sports world, food and beverage brands see it as an emerging cultural trend, and they’re looking to get in on the ground floor.

Molson Coors To End La Colombe, Hexo Partnerships

Molson Coors announced today that it is phasing out its interests in both ready-to-drink coffee and CBD beverages, with emerging growth leader Pete Marino acknowledging that “not every project or innovation will meet our ambitions.”

Spirits: 14 New Whiskey Launches (For Winter)

In this roundup of new whiskey releases, Bulleit brings back its Frontier Whiskey Barrel Strength Bourbon in time for the holiday season, Skrewball introduces its limited-edition Egg Nog and Puncher’s Chance unveils its oldest whiskey to date.

Pronghorn Invests in Three Black-Owned Spirit Companies

Pronghorn, an initiative focused on boosting Black spirits entrepreneurship, announced yesterday new investments in three companies: Tequila with Friends, Den of Thieves and Ego Tequila. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.

L.A. Libations Makes Minority Investment in HiTouch Distribution

Aiming to fill a route-to-market gap for emerging drink brands, beverage accelerator L.A. Libations has taken a significant minority stake in California-based distributor HiTouch Distribution, which will now be called HiTouch Libations.

Pepsi Offers Ghost Kitchen Capabilities for Foodservice Partners

In an effort to unlock further growth opportunities for its foodservice partners, PepsiCo’s Foodservice Digital Lab announced today it will begin offering existing and future customers the ability to “seamlessly enter” the “ghost kitchen” space while leveraging the company’s resources and portfolio of brands.

NielsenIQ: Non-Alc Beverage Sales Growth Accelerates Against Strong Pricing

Non-alcoholic beverage sales growth accelerated in the two-week period ending November 5, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research. Total beverage retail dollar sales were up around 15% in the two-week period, picking up pace compared to 13.7% for the four-week period and 12.7% for the 12-week period.

Can Hard Coffee Keep Its Buzz Going?

Espresso martinis have made a comeback at bars, but can their canned counterparts revive the hard coffee segment? Just a few years ago, hard coffee drinks burst into the scene as major brands like Jameson, Jäegermeister, and Pabst Blue Ribbon brought together cold brew and alcohol in bottled or canned form.

Spirits: 7 New Pre-Thanksgiving RTD Cocktail Releases

As the holiday season approaches, some RTD cocktail brands are leaning into winter-inspired flavors while others are holding onto an eternal summer. Check out this gallery for the latest launches from brands like Spirited Hive, Cutwater Spirits and Dewey Crush.