Headlines

Water Still Plays Second Fiddle for Children, Teens

Although water has overtaken carbonated soft drinks as the most consumed beverage among U.S. adults, children and teens remain more likely to choose drinks like milk and soda than water, according to a new report from The NPD Group, a market information and advisory firm.

Evian and Coca-Cola to End Distribution Partnership

Coca-Cola will continue to distribute Evian through the first half of 2014, however, its last ship date will be on July 3. After that, Evian, a branch of The Danone Group, will work with several wholesalers and use the distribution system of Dannon yogurt, another branch of The Danone Group, to compensate for the loss of Coke’s expansive network.

Distribution Roundup: More Oats in the Mainstream

Recent developments in distribution news indicate that retailers are beginning to express more confidence in oat-based beverages. Shortly after BevNET reported that, alongside Sneaky Pete’s line of oat-based drinks, Target will include Oatworks in its emerging brands test, FreshDirect announced on Thursday that it will also carry the Oatworks line.

Honest Tea Sued Over Marketing of Honey Green Tea

Honest Tea is facing a proposed class action lawsuit which alleges that the company is dishonestly marketing Honey Green Tea because the beverage doesn’t contain the amount of antioxidants that it lists on the label. The lawsuit accuses the Coca-Cola-owned company of misleading consumers about the actual amount of “antioxidants green tea flavonoids” in the product.

Scientists Aim to Clarify Reports on Caffeine

Researchers shared their insights on what they termed the misinformation, research gaps and potential benefits of caffeinated products during a webcast hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists earlier this week titled The Buzz on Caffeine: New Developments in Safety, Regulation and Adverse Event Reporting.

Press Clips: ‘Natural’ Modifier in Limbo, Trans Fats Near End, Analyzing Green Juice, Swift the Influencer, Mexican Coke Keeps Cane Sugar

An article in The Wall Street Journal by reporter Mike Esterl notes that food and beverage products labeled as “natural,” such as PepsiCo’s Naked juice, are beginning to shed the hazy modifier. Also, last Thursday, the FDA proposed measures that would “all but eliminate” artificial trans fats, a major contributor to heart disease in the U.S., from the food supply.

WSJ: Orange Juice Prices Soar Amid Weak Crop Forecast

A bacterial disease damaging Florida’s citrus groves has caused a spike in orange juice prices, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. While demand for orange juice is at an all-time low, pricing could still rise because of the amount of damage to crops as well as the imminent winter months.

Honest’s Chuck Muth to Head VEB Sales Force

VEB President Deryck van Rensburg has tapped Chuck Muth, Honest Tea’s VP of sales, with the responsibility for leading an internal group focused on selling VEB-affiliated brands to bottlers and Coke’s own distribution network. He will move into the role of SVP, Sales at VEB on Jan. 1.

Q&A: The Plans of Kombucha Brewers International

Hannah Crum and Alex LaGory, the proprietors of KombuchaKamp.com, have long worked with kombucha companies and homebrewers to help explain the proper steps and characteristics of this widely-unknown form of beverage, which uses a live bacteria as its base. With the recent announcement that the two have founded Kombucha Brewers International, a kombucha trade group, their roles not only become more official, but they also expand.

AriZona Partners with Skinnygirl Founder on New Line of Sparkling Waters

Continuing its foray into carbonated beverages -- and celebrity partnerships -- AriZona Beverages today announced that it has joined forces with former reality TV star, beverage entrepreneur and current talk show host Bethanny Frankel on a new line of five-calorie sparkling waters called Skinnygirl Sparklers.

Xyience’s Lennon: “We Want to Be the Energy Drink of the Health Club”

In a recent interview with BevNET, Xyience president John Lennon said that amid new distribution and retail placement for the brand, the company is looking to further develop and enhance its reputation as an energy drink for athletes and plans to introduce a protein-infused line of drinks next year.

Morgan Stanley: Monster Stock Overweight

The report states that Morgan Stanley projects Monster’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) at 11 percent, ahead of the 9 percent market and consensus forecast. Monster’s shares are selling at $57.11, but with an overweight value, Morgan Stanley estimates that figure at $65.

McClafferty, Nistico, Brody Hoping to Make a Splash Post-Marley

The executive team behind the launch of Marley’s Mellow Mood has teamed up with the brand’s former head of marketing to launch a company that will develop and sell a portfolio of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverage brands.