Single-serve offerings of coffee and tea led the way for the most successful new beverage launches in 2011, according to SymphonyIRI’s 2011 “New Products Pacesetters” report. The report, which compiles the top new food and beverage brands based on dollar sales, lists carbonated, sports and energy categories as having the second-most active launches within the beverage industry.
In celebration of their 20 year anniversary, AriZona is offering the chance for their fans to vote -- via Facebook -- on one of three new flavor concepts that they’ve created. Since it would be impossible to have every fan that votes try the flavor samples (and what fun would it really be to just vote based on the name of a flavor?), AriZona asked a variety of people, including food writers, celebrity chefs, random consumers on the streets of New York, and yours truly, to work as “Flavor Panelists.”
We are pleased to announce that Brewbound.com (that’s BevNET.com’s site for craft beer) will be coming to NYC in June with its second conference dedicated to the craft beer industry.…
And there's another one in the pool... AriZona has leaped into the growing sub-segment of coconut water/coffee combos with the introduction of CocoZona Espresso. The new beverage - the first product extension in AriZona's fledgling CocoZona line - is a 100 percent coconut water and espresso blend and contains 50 mg of caffeine and 70 calories per 14.5 oz. bottle.
PepsiCo tipped its hand on its innovation plans today, advertising for a position on a still-forming team designed to work with emerging beverages out of its Naked Juice offices near Los Angeles. The Beverage Growth Ventures team will be led by Chris Lansing, the General Manager of its Naked Juice and Izze division, BevNET has learned. Naked/Izze operates as a separate, West Coast entity, although it is owned by PepsiCo.
A federal judge has ruled that a class action lawsuit filed against the makers of Muscle Milk cannot proceed until the lead plaintiff improves her claims that the marketing of the brand is false and misleading. Although U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken agrees that Cytosport's claims that Muscle Milk contains “healthy fats” and that the product is a “nutritional shake” might mislead consumers, she stated that the complaint lacks sufficient detail for the suit to proceed.
First Beverage Group has announced new details about the debut and initial distribution of its Oatworks brand of oat and fruit smoothies. Oatworks will simultaneously launch on the East and West Coast beginning in Boston through DSD distributor Blue Coast Beverage, and in San Fransisco through DBI Beverage, Inc., also a DSD distributor.
Today Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog released research derived from a poll of beverage retailers.The survey represents “tens of thousands of convenience store locations across the country” and offers some interesting insights into the overall performance of many individual beverage categories.
Had to squeeze one last headline out of that one. Neuro, which has finally been spotted in the Boston area, has softened the brand messaging on one of its more memorable SKUs.
In yet another coup for the brand, Harmless Harvest has added specialty grocery chain The Fresh Market to the rapidly growing list of retailers carrying its raw and organic coconut water. The Fresh Market , known for its innovative and on-trend product mix, as well as an affluent and influential consumer base, will launch Harmless Harvest in its 115 stores later this spring.
Do you have a brand that was launched within the last year (or is launching soon)? The New Beverage Showdown 3 is taking place at BevNET Live Summer 2012 in…
In most cases, successful beverage brands tend to follow the old adage “crawl, walk, run” as - for sure - knowing how to first stand up goes a long way in preventing unnecessary scrapes, stumbles and outright flops. One brand that appears to be following this gradual approach is Chia\Vie, a line of ground chia and fruit smoothies. A year removed from its debut at Expo West 2011, Chia\Vie has gently found its balance, and is most certainly on its feet, albeit in no hurry to start sprinting.
Ending months of waiting, the Coca-Cola Co. has finally purchased a majority stake in Zico Coconut water, consummating a deal that has lingered in the final stages since the early Fall. Independent shareholders of the brand began to receive checks for their stakes in the company earlier this week. Coke’s initial stake in the company, acquired in 2009, was part of a combined $15 million stake that also included a group of entrepreneurs, distributors, celebrities, and others.
Having helped grow brands like Vitaminwater, Honest Tea and Zico – and before that products like Nantucket Nectars, among others -- Big Geyser has deservedly earned a reputation as one of the best distribution partners for emerging brands in New York City. The company has also leveraged its skill at growing new products into a brand development laboratory, or sorts, for Coca-Cola’s emerging brands group, giving test runs in the city to products like Illy Issimo.
