Headlines

Soylent Goes Cyberpunk with A.I. Spokesperson and Dark Web Marketplace

Soylent announced earlier this month a partnership with creative agency Wieden+Kennedy to develop a new tech-centric marketing strategy that appeals to Soylent’s fanbase. The campaign includes the launch of the brand’s new spokesperson “Trish,” an artificially intelligent animated robot “programmed” to educate consumers on the nutrition Soylent can provide.

BevNET Podcast Ep. 51: Ripe Opportunities to Win in Beverage

In this edition, Howard Telford, a senior beverages analyst with market research firm Euromonitor shared his thoughts on pertinent trends affecting new product development as viewed at Expo West and beyond. This podcast also includes a conversation with Michel Boissy, the CEO and co-founder of cold-pressed juice company FreshBev, the maker of the Ripe brand of juices and cocktail mixers.

Blue Island Coffee Aims For Escapism

Chris Hopkins wants to take you on a tropical vacation. His mode of transport? Coffee. A longtime beverage sales executive, Hopkins recently launched Blue Island Coffee, a brand designed to carry consumers “away from their daily routine through coffee innovation.”

Le Herbe Brings Ultrasonic Technology to Cannabis Beverages

Cannabis beverage manufacturer Le Herbe wants to help consumers get their buzz faster, and has partnered with ultrasonic liquid processing company Qsonica to develop new methods of extraction, preservation, and processing of drinkable cannabinoids.

A Balancing Act: Indulgence in Cold Brew

Given the investments into a cohort of cold brew companies and the pervasiveness of the new style, it’s likely that stores and distributors are going to need to find room for both clean and sweet cold brew styles. Thus far, it’s been left to individual companies to carve out their own philosophy towards indulgence.

New Food Dye Bill Could Have Suppliers Seeing Red

Earlier this month, State Senator Bob Wieckowski, a Democrat, introduced California SB 504, a bill that would require warning labels on all food containing synthetic dyes, including those sold in restaurants. If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in any state.

CB Insights: Investors Still Drooling Over Disruptive Brands

Zoe Leavitt, Retail & Food Technology Analyst at CB Insights, led the online presentation, which explored recent investments, current trends and forward-thinking innovations in the food and beverage industries.

Expo West 2017 Video: Dairy Alternative and Nut Milk Trends

In this video, BevNET’s John Craven and Ray Latif examine current trends in the dairy alternative category through the lens of the product developments on display at the recently-concluded Natural Products Expo West 2017.

Wasted Not: Beverage Brands Advance Upcycling – Part 1 of 2

Great taste will always be paramount, but several brands that use crops like coconuts, bamboo and watermelon are taking a closer look at upcycling, the practice of using discarded waste and byproducts from the production process, as a way to promote sustainable farming practices and responsible environmental stewardship.