Headlines

ZenWTR Names Bryan Crowley as CEO

California-based beverage startup ZenWTR announced today that it has appointed Bryan Crowley as CEO. Crowley joins the sustainably-packaged alkaline water brand, founded by veteran entrepreneur Lance Collins, five months after leaving the chief executive role at Soylent.

Taste Radio Ep. 222: How Three Female Entrepreneurs Are Changing An Industry ‘Bit’ By Bit

Gabrielle Union, Maggie Patton and Alex Buckley, co-founders of better-for-you kid’s snack brand Bitsy’s, spoke about the company’s mission to make nutritious snacks accessible to all families, communicating the brand’s healthy halo to children and parents, why asking for help has to be a priority for entrepreneurs and how the food industry can work together to mainstream healthy food for kids.

Watch Office Hours: Dialing in Your Amazon Strategy

On this week's Office Hours, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg is joined by Chris Moe, co-founder & COO at ecommerce agency Cartograph, and Cambria Copeland, senior director of business management at online sales manager Beekeeper Marketing, for a discussion exploring how successful food and beverage companies can utilize retailing giant Amazon.

Distribution Roundup: Lemon Perfect Adds SoCal DSD; Sunshine Spreads in Florida

In this Distribution Roundup, Lemon Perfect picks up two new DSD partners in Southern California in the form of John Lenore & Co. and Classic Beverage. Meanwhile, natural energy drink brand Sunshine is gaining a foothold in Florida through expansion in Publix and 7-Eleven. Plus, DRY makes moves in Texas, Aura Bora lands at Whole Foods and pea milk brand Sproud makes its North American retail debut.

Oatly CEO Petersson: “We’re Market Leaders”

On Tuesday, Oatly closed one of the largest food and beverage financing deals of the year when it announced a $200 million funding round led by Blackstone Growth. Speaking with BevNET, Oatly CEO Toni Petersson said the financing represents a diversification of the company’s ownership structure, bringing in an American firm that will work directly with its European and Asian arms.

Survey: C-Store Retailers Upbeat on Beverages

Thanks in part to encouraging sales growth and a rebound in energy drinks, C-store retailers are more optimistic about the outlook for the total beverage category than a month ago, according to a survey conducted by Goldman Sachs Equity Research analysts published today.

Taste Radio Insider Ep. 93: The Tools You Already Have To Succeed In Tough Times

Greg Fleishman, co-founder and CEO of clean label baking mix and snack company Foodstirs, discussed how the brand has adapted to a new consumer environment, explained how to manage and enhance relationships with retail buyers, why it’s critical to leverage every resource at your disposal during the pandemic and why consumer communication is the one thing that keeps him up at night.

Casamigos Tequila Founder Turns to Sports Drinks With Recover 180°

As consumers continue to seek better-for-you options in the hydration and sports drink space, Arizona-based Recover 180° is aiming to amplify its nationwide presence as it expands into new regional markets across the country. Founded in 2018 by real estate developer Mike Meldman, Recover 180° makes a line of functional hydration drinks intended to meet multiple need states including post-workout, travel, and hangovers.

SprintToSuccess S1E2: Strategy Process

In episode two of SprintToSuccess, we’ll be giving a glimpse into our sprint strategy process and show you how we applied it to Melissa’s brand and tackle some of her challenges. We cover surveying her competitive category, identifying a target, crafting positioning, and honing brand personality and tone.

KBI Unveils Kombucha Code of Practice to Promote Category Transparency

Five years in the making, kombucha trade association Kombucha Brewers International (KBI) this week released its Code of Practice, a set of processing definitions, safety protocols and quality standards aimed at establishing transparency with consumers amidst a slew of innovative products and rapid category changes.

Top Red Bull NA Execs Out In Social Justice Controversy

An internal battle over whether to publicly support the Black Lives Matter movement at Red Bull has led to the exit of two of the energy drink maker’s top North American executives, according to media reports this week. In an email to BevNET, Red Bull confirmed that Red Bull North America (RBNA) CEO Stefan Kozak and president and CMO Amy Taylor were “no longer with the company.”

Elevator Talk Livestream Round 17: SOUND, Aura Bora, Fruitbelt

The seventeenth round of Elevator Talk Livestream features leaders from SOUND, Aura Bora, Fruitbelt, ReGrained and ENOF. This week's special co-host is Jennifer Palmer, CEO of Gerber Finance, who will share her thoughts, questions and feedback with the participants.

Comedian Kevin Hart Invests in Ellis Island Tea

Detroit-based beverage company Ellis Island Tea announced this week that it has received an investment from comedian Kevin Hart, a partnership that will allow the brand to increase production ahead of expansion plans this year. Details of the deal were not disclosed.