Headlines

Olaf Zachert has been named interim CEO of beverage portfolio company Brands Within Reach (BWR) following its $15 million acquisition by Zachert Private Equity in September.

In this Distribution Roundup, kids juice drink Silly Juice and CBD-infused sparkling water APRCH each expand their respective distribution footprints on the West Coast. Elsewhere, WellWell builds off a successful pilot launch with Walmart, while Flow Alkaline Water enters Sam's Club.

Cannabis-infused beverage brand Cann announced last week that it has received investments from a roster of high profile backers including Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow; actors Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose and Darren Criss; NBA point guard Baron Davis; singer Tove Lo and YouTuber Casey Neistat.

The new products include non-perishable versions of the brand’s existing SKUs, including Original Bananamilk, Unsweetened Coconut Oatmilk, and original and vanilla bean versions of its Unsweetened Almondmilk. The milks retail for $4.33 per 1 liter carton while the creamers, available in Banana Nut, Oats ‘n’ Creme and Vanilla Bean flavors, sell for $3.74 per 11 oz. Tetra Pak.

Author and mixologist Warren Bobrow’s new venture — a line of premium THC-infused craft mocktails called Klaus, set to debut at licensed California dispensaries in the Los Angeles area in Q1 2021— is his attempt to supply the cannabis RTD space with injection of real ingredients and complex flavors.

In this month's New Product Gallery, we highlight a handful of notable new product releases from a busy October, including Sparkling Ice's move into alkaline water, nutritional drinks from Kate Farms and Project Breakfast, plus new powder mixes from Kinderlyte, Liquid I.V., HidrateSpark, Cure Hydration and Nutrient Survival.

The New York State Department of Health on Wednesday issued proposed regulations for the processing and retail sale of cannabinoid hemp products in the state, which included standards for CBD and other hemp extracts as additives in food and beverage.

Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) reported a 5.8% increase in net sales in the third quarter, an encouraging performance that saw the company strengthen its full year guidance The company.also announced this week an agreement with The Honickman Companies that will see the beverage company assume sales and distribution of several of its core CSD brands in New York and New Jersey.

In the first step towards its goal of scaling a “best-in-class vertically integrated vice platform,” the newly formed Pacific Consolidating Holdings (PCH) announced today its acquisition and merger of two pioneering companies in the alcohol and cannabis delivery space: Saucey and Emjay.

San Francisco-based CPG company The Naked Market is ramping up for an aggressive new brand launch scheduled over the next 12 months with the debut of its first beverage product, a nutrition shake to be released under the Project Breakfast banner.

Brooklyn, New York-based chai maker Dona is spinning off its ready-to-drink portfolio under a new brand called Ouli, a move that the company hopes will attract investors and support its long-term growth ambitions.

Sparkling yerba mate beverage brand CLEAN Cause announced today that it has named former Red Bull executive Chad Peffer as its president and chief commercial officer, a move with an eye toward helping the brand scale operations in the coming months.