Headlines

‘Kombucha Crisis’ Fuels Progress

The so-called "Kombucha crisis" seems to tell us more about an affinity for alliteration than anything resembling reality; several beverage industry veterans believe that it hasn’t been detrimental at all. In fact, some say that the supposed calamity actually fueled Kombucha’s rapid rise.

Monster Sues SF’s City Attorney as FDA Begins to Investigate Use of Added Caffeine

On the heels of an announcement that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will begin investigating the safety of caffeine as a food additive, Monster Beverage Corp. has filed a lawsuit against San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera over his demands that the company reduces the caffeine content in its energy drinks and stop marketing to minors.

Beverage School: Designing an Effective Logo

As the primary focus on most labels, it’s a given that a logo should be a memorable and recognizable symbol of a brand. However, the process of designing a logo is often a difficult path to navigate; every company wants its brand to stand out, but how does a logo most effectively align with what’s inside the bottle?

BevNET Magazine App Hits iTunes, Google Play

BevNET is pleased to announce the launch of the BevNET Magazine app in the iTunes and Google Play stores. As the first in the industry to offer a mobile/tablet app for its print publication, readers will be able to view the magazine in digital format on all Apple and Android devices.

Sweet Leaf Founder Hires Deep Eddy CEO

In a hotel across the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., about 40 miles south of Los Angeles, Clayton Christopher had dinner with Eric Dopkins to discuss consulting. He didn’t expect to make a hire.

Federal Legislators Introduce Mandatory GMO Labeling Bill

With a stated purpose of establishing “a consistent and enforceable standard for labeling of foods produced using genetic engineering," legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have introduced a new bill that would require mandatory labeling of genetically modified (GMO) foods and ingredients.

U.S. Bottled Water Sales Totaled $11.8 Billion in 2012

A new report from the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) states that in 2012, overall consumption of bottled water jumped by 6.2 percent to 9.67 billion gallons, while sales increased by 6.7 percent, totaling $11.8 billion. The statistics were compiled by beverage consulting firm Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC).

New Leaf Brands Acquires Beverage Network of Maryland

New Leaf Brands, which earlier this year announced plans to expand business operations via strategic acquisitions, has purchased Beverage Network of Maryland, a distributor in the Mid-Atlantic market with 20 brands and over 200 SKUs in its portfolio. New Leaf acquired Beverage Network for $2.9 million in cash and stock, and will retain Morris Stodard as its president.

Boston Consulting/IRI Study: TalkingRain Tops Small Companies in 2012

A new study by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Information Resources, Inc, (IRI) lists TalkingRain as the top performer among small companies ($100 million to $1 billion in retail sales) in 2012. The study, which analyzed 400 CPG manufacturers with annual revenues of at least $100 million, compared public and private CPG companies through dollar sales growth, volume sales growth and market share gains.

BevNET Issues Call for Entries for the First Natural Beverage Guide

BevNET's 2013 Natural Beverage Guide is the beverage industry's largest guide to beverages targeting the natural channel, including juices, teas, bottled waters, CSDs, concentrates, powders, and other natural beverage enhancers. This key resource will be aimed at beverage retailers and distributors who are looking to include additional natural products.

WSJ: Coke’s Board Getting Younger

For a company that counts 18-30 year old consumers as its “sweet spot,” the Coca-Cola Co., Inc. is a bit long in the tooth when it comes to its board of directors. That’s changing, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal which reports a slow, but steady, changing of the guard.

Libonate Returns to FRS as SVP of Sales

Three months after Carl Sweat stepped down as CEO of the company, FRS continues to reorganize its executive team and has brought back a familiar face to head up its sales department. Richard Libonate, who held the position of General Manager, Retail Sales for FRS from March 2008 to June 2010 has returned to the company as its Senior Vice President of Sales.