Headlines

Better-for-You Food and Beverages Fuel the Inc. 5000 List

Remember 2019? It was a year in which food and beverages brands were already growing -- before the pandemic sent consumers into new modes of pantry loading and cooking from home. Today, Inc. released its annual Inc. 5000 list, which ranks the fastest-growing privately-held companies in the U.S. in a range of industries.

Sparkling Ice Launching ‘Spiked’ Line

Another leading sparkling water brand is making the leap into hard seltzer: Sparkling Ice is set to launch a new alcoholic line called Spiked (4% ABV) this month.

Elevator Talk: W*nder, La Di Da, M Kombucha

This episode of Elevator Talk features leaders from Read the Ingredients, W*nder, La Di Da, M Kombucha and Down to Cook Foods. This week's special co-host is Daina Trout, the co-founder and CEO of Health-Ade Kombucha.

Spirits Press Clips: RTD Sparkling Tequila Onda Lands Investment; Industry Reacts to BLM

In this spirits-focused Press Clips roundup, ready-to-drink sparkling tequila maker Onda lands $1.2 million in funding, while delivery app Drizly suffered a major data breach. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs and brand leaders from around the industry respond to the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of nationwide protests against police brutality.

Reed’s: Net Sales Rise, Expenses Fall in Q2

Craft beverage brand Reed’s Inc. reported a 14% increase in net sales during the second quarter of this year, for which the company credited recent product innovation as well as 19% volume growth in the core Reed’s brand.

Koia Launches Thrive to Meet Natural Consumer Needs

According to CEO Chris Hunter, Koia has designed products with the natural consumer in mind, though never more explicitly than with its newest release, Thrive — a three-SKU line of oat milk-based, allergen-free ‘mood booster’ refrigerated smoothies launching this month.

Sports Medicine: Electrolit Makes Rapid Rise into Refreshment

According to market research firm IRI, Electrolit -- developed as a medical solution to treat dehydration -- is among the highest growing sports drinks brands in the country, with dollar sales up 78.4% to $62.9 million for the 52-week period ending June 30 -- making it the fourth largest brand in the category behind Gatorade, Powerade and BodyArmor.

Office Hours: Corporate VC During Covid-19 with General Mills, Pepsi, Distill Ventures

The state of strategic venture units during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic will be explored during Office Hours on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 3 p.m. ET when our guests will be the John Haugen, Heidi Dillon Otto, and Daniel Grubbs, the leaders, respectively, of 301 INC (General Mills), Distill Ventures North America and PepsiCo Ventures Group. Office Hours viewers are encouraged to submit questions before and during the show, and will be invited to join the discussion live.

Covet PR Acquired, CEO Says Traditional PR Is ‘Broken’

This week Covet PR, a public relations firm focused on CPG and wellness, announced it had been acquired by digital marketing company Power Digital. The firm, which was founded by Sara Brooks in 2014, will now be known as the Covet Consumer Business Unit, with Brooks taking on the role of President.

Sanzo Raises $1.3 Million in Funding Round

Sanzo, the New York-based maker of a line of Asian-inspired sparkling waters, announced today that it has raised $1.3 million in a funding round poised to help the brand expand its retail footprint. The round includes investments from Away co-founder Jen Rubio, Adobe Creative Cloud CPO and EVP Scott Belsky and Boba Guys co-founders Andrew Chau and Bin Chen.

Nielsen: Beverage Sales Up Double-Digits in July

Non-alcoholic beverage sales reported strong double-digit growth last month, with all channel dollar sales up 12.4% for the 4-week period ended July 25, according to an analysis of Nielsen data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.

Monster: Muted Sales Growth In Q2, But Up 5.2% Year-to-Date

Monster Energy endured an uneven second quarter, as state lockdowns and decreased foot traffic depressed sales early on before improving during the later weeks, according to an earnings report released by the company on Tuesday.