Japanese beverage giant Suntory and Mass.-based startup Elemental Beverage Company are both seeking to develop the market for flash chilled coffee — the general term for coffee which is brewed hot and then quickly cooled without being diluted with ice or water — which is prized by coffee aficionados for its ability to capture the nuanced flavor notes and complex aromatics that emerge during a hot extraction process.
North Carolina-based kombucha maker Tribucha has closed a $1.5 million Series A funding round, the company told BevNET this week. The raise comes as the five-year-old brand, which markets its product in 12 oz cans, plans to expand distribution by more than 600 accounts this year.
On its way to becoming one of the hottest brands in food and beverage, oat milk brand Oatly had “already failed in the biggest ways possible,” according to the company’s U.S. general manager Mike Messersmith. In an interview included in this episode, he explained the simple philosophy that guided Oatly through its growing pains: “It’s all about progress.”
In April, online retailer Boxed made its entrance into the space with the launch of Stellar Seltzer in 12 oz. cans. The four-SKU line of naturally flavored, zero calorie sparkling waters is the next step in Boxed’s plan to feed the beverage segment of its private label business with engaging brands that can compete in high velocity foundational grocery categories such as water.
The acquisition will help Caliva to broaden its vertically-integrated cannabis business -- which produces flower, vape, and oil products -- into beverage through its access to Zola’s research and development team and established retail distribution network.
In this episode, we sit down with Darren Marshall and Ravi Kroesen, the CEO and Head Teamaker, respectively, of specialty tea company Smith Teamaker for a discussion exploring how a small company can influence an entire industry.
The results found that sales of sugary beverages dropped 51% in the first year after the city’s soda tax took effect in 2017. The tax also led to an increase in beverage prices and a sharp decline in volume sales, dropping from 2.475 billion ounces in 2016 to 1.214 billion ounces in 2017, according to the report.
Last week, Eater analyzed the eternal cool factor of AriZona Iced Tea, the 99 cent 24 oz. gas station mainstay which hit shelves in 1992. The brand has withstood the test of time, somehow avoiding the trappings of trendy 90s nostalgia to become what Eater calls simply “a mood.”
Arlington, Va.-based Commonwealth Joe, which roasts, brews and provides kegs of cold brew to clients on the East Coast, is one of several partners across the country working with Smart Beverages Technologies (SBT) as a provider of the company’s Kegerator Vending Machines (KVM), an innovative self-serve concept that aims to address one of the major hurdles to cold brew providers.
Snowing in Space Enters Whole Foods Mid-Atlantic; Nitro Beverage Co. Signs with Rainforest Distributing; Petal Plots Nationwide Expansion Plan; Vita Coco Adds Life Time Locations; BUBBL’R Grows Midwest Distribution
The company generated $8.4 million in net sales during the first quarter, up 2% from 2018. Sales of the core Reed’s Ginger Beer line were up 15% while craft soda Virgil’s grew 46%. Gross profit increased 9% to $2.5 million and gross margin increased 185 basis points to 30%.
Arpit Bhopalkar is the co-founder and CEO of Bhoomi, a mission-based brand that makes cold-pressed sugar cane beverages. The company hopes to change consumers’ perception of sugar cane and it’s health benefits, while supporting minority farmers in the U.S. and focusing on sustainability.
Better-for-you booze? It may sound like an oxymoron, but a growing cohort of healthier alcoholic beverages have been finding a receptive audience in recent years. That’s certainly the case for Boochcraft, a three-year-old hard kombucha brand that’s made waves in its home market of Southern California.
Last month, United Natural Foods, Incorporated (UNFI) announced it will cease to carry topical CBD products, a potential deal killer for companies charged with driving large quantities of the hot button ingredient across state lines.
