LA Distributing Company Announces Brand Incubator Program; Omni Partners with Presence Marketing to Provide Ecommerce Services; CELSIUS Adds 1,100 Kroger Locations; Nutpods Adds Target and Walmart; Phocus Expands in Texas
PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) and Monster Energy Company all posted sales gains of at least 2%, even as overall non-alcoholic beverage and snack sales ebbed slightly, according to a Wells Fargo Securities analysis of Nielsen data.
Colorado-based kombucha brand Rowdy Mermaid announced this week it has relocated to a larger Boulder headquarters to increase production, improve distribution efficiency and expand its team. According to the brand, the new 29,000 square foot facility will allow it to increase its current production output by 20 times.
Ajay Dhawan is the co-founder of Golden Tiger, an early stage beverage brand that aims to recover and revitalize Americans with its Ayurvedic-inspired formulation. The line of wellness drinks features bioavailable turmeric and highlights curcumin, the active ingredient which helps fight inflammation in the body.
Sarah Bird Joins Beyond Broth as CEO; Riff Cold Brewed Hires VP of Business Development; REBBL Names New CMO; CLEAN Cause Appoints VP of Sales; Waterloo Sparkling Brings on New Sales and Marketing Leadership; Distill Ventures Announces New Executive Appointment
Convenience retailers are feeling good about rising sales and brand innovation, according to the Q3 “Beverage Buzz” c-store retailer survey published by Wells Fargo Securities. Meanwhile, sales growth in the convenience retail has slowed relative to all channels, despite an uptick in year-over-year sales during the four-week period ended on Oct. 5.
Melissa Hartwig Urban, co-founder/CEO of Whole30, explained why she describes the lifestyle program as an “experiment” and why she is staunchly opposed to the idea of moderation. She also discussed the selective process for brands to become “Whole30 approved,” why she spends the majority of time at work messaging with members of her community, and why she decided to open up about past challenges in her life.
As startups race to seize shelf space in the emerging market for hemp-infused products, CBD beverage makers have witnessed an influx of competition using low grade ingredients and mislabeled doses. As the category faces increased scrutiny from not just state and federal regulators, but consumers who are inexperienced with or skeptical of hemp-based products, many beverage brands are prioritizing transparency and education.
A little over one year after launching in the U.S., London-based sparkling water brand Ugly Drinks is targeting further stateside expansion with the launch of a caffeine-infused sub-line, Energized, along with the announcement of a new round of financing.
Over the past year, the food and beverage space has witnessed a “green rush” of CBD startups entering the market in a race to capitalize on the trend. With no shortage of competition, Seattle-based Docklight Brands is also hoping to get on board the cannabis wave with 13 brands of its own.
New York-based premium mixer brand Cocktail Crate has been acquired by craft distillery Traverse City Whiskey Co., the company announced yesterday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Chris Kirby, founder/president of Ithaca Craft Hummus, spoke about how he identified white space in the hummus category and what he learned during four years of operating his own production facility. He also urged entrepreneurs to be thoughtful about their retail relationships and deliberate about expenses, and discussed why he hires people that are highly self-sufficient.
From shelves to coolers, the fizz is in. But how long before the influx of sparkling water brands begins to bubble over? With a standard formulation of tap water, stock flavors, and carbonation, sparkling water brands are now finding new ways to differentiate in order to stand out from the pack, from functionality to branding to premiumization.
New York-based Owen’s Craft Mixers announced today it has closed a $3 million Series A fundraising round led by Levy Family Partners.
