Headlines

With the two leaders having firmly established themselves as shelf-stable, mass-market products, Harmless has been steadily expanding its presence on the premium refrigerated side of the category, which continued last month with the launch of a new coconut smoothie drink.

In the forever war against fatigue, dehydration and the general malaise of hangovers, the rules of engagement are starting to change. We caught up with four young brands that are refining their approach to the hangover recovery space with different approaches and growth strategies.

In this roundup of recent distribution news, RTD cocktail brand Costa Brava partners with LA Distributing, while High Brew partners with coffee roaster and distributor Farmer Bros. and Reed's signs on with Unique Foods for distribution in Canada.

DEFY, the CBD sports drink brand co-founded by NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis, announced this week it will launch its first non-CBD infused product line with DEFY Water, a new bottled alkaline water for which a portion of all proceeds will support veteran, female and minority-owned nonprofits.

GT’s Living Foods announced this week the formation of a Science Advisory Board (SAB) which will consult the kombucha maker on health and science-based research. According to GT’s founder and CEO GT Dave, the board will not only advise the company, but also communicate directly with consumers, including sharing information and up-to-date research on kombucha’s impact on overall health and wellness.

Best known for its broad spectrum hemp CBD-infused sparkling waters and energy drinks, the brand further expanded its growing platform with the launch of infused gummies in January.

The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp announced last week the formation of the Cannabis Beverage Council, a new industry group that will seek to support U.S. brands in both regulatory and market initiatives.