Dean Foods, the largest dairy processor in the U.S., has announced plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO) for White Wave Foods, a company subsidiary that markets Silk, Horizon Organic, and International Delight brands. Dean is aiming to raise $300 million in the offering and use the funds to pay down its debt, according to the filing.
It's probably too late to put together a company before Expo East, but according to the New York Times, a lot of the athletes at the Olympics this year are drinking beetroot juice and tart cherry juice to improve their performance.
For a brand that plans to spend $70 million in advertising this year, SK Energy, the energy shot with a philanthropic philosophy, is nevertheless embracing a grass roots sensibility. Co-founded by rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, SK Energy recently signed a new distribution deal with Grass Roots Beverage for Florida. Grass Roots is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DNA Brands and distributes a range of entrepreneurial beverage brands including C2O coconut water and New Leaf teas.
As part of a major expansion in its sales and marketing initiatives, Living Essentials, the marketer of 5-Hour Energy, has introduced a new pink lemonade flavor for the energy shot in an attempt to broaden its consumer base and appeal to a range of demographics, particularly women. Living Essentials is launching the new flavor in in partnership with the Avon Foundation for Women and has committed a donation of five cents per bottle of Pink Lemonade 5-Hour Energy to the organization.
As a subcategory of the RTD Tea group, these products seem to be growing even faster than their single-serve, grab-and-go counterparts, mostly because the refrigerated case is the home of some pretty hot brands, including Gold Peak and GTs Kombucha. GTs appears all over scan data categories, by the way, also showing up in a variety of juice and fruit drink categories.
According to the FDA, disease claims made on the Lithia site include that the product can help lower LDL cholesterol levels, can help lower blood pressure, and fight fungal and viral infections. And that's just for starters. The product also claims that the lithium bicarbonate in the product can help with everything from Alzheimers to headaches, cancer and strokes.
Coca-Cola Freestyle, an on-premise soda delivery system that allows consumers to build custom tailored beverages, is gradually making its way into convenience stores and recently gained a new partner in Massachusetts-based Tedeschi Food Shops. While Coca-Cola initially targeted restaurant chains for Freestyle, the cola giant began to test the soda fountain machines in c-stores late last year and is aiming for continued expansion in the channel.
BevNET’s 2012 Water Guide is now available. It features over 100 companies that make bottled water, water enhancements (powders and tablets), and supplier and services companies that deal with companies…
Expect GNC end-caps in Safeway stores’ non-carb aisles up until February resets, according to Shadow COO Sam Jones. The brand has largely incubated in Arizona through Kalil Bottling in Tucson, along with New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and parts of Minnesota in smaller chains and convenience stores, but the Safeway move gives it national authorizations.
In one of the more creative uses for the retail medium, Activate has launched a new pop-up shop in Venice, CA that asks consumers to pay for its vitamin-enhanced water with “calories or cash." Calling the temporary installation a "part pop-up retail experience and part social experiment," Activate has partnered with the Get America Fit Foundation, an anti-obesity non-profit organization, to give away free bottles of the water to customers who participate in some type of physical activity at the store.
In an interview filmed at Talking Rain headquarters in Preston, Wash., BevNET CEO John Craven spoke with Kevin Klock, the CEO of Talking Rain, about how the runaway success of Sparkling ICE is rooted in the company’s transition from one engrossed in beverage innovation to a more traditional beverage manufacturer focused on sales and marketing.
Vita Coco announced that as of yesterday, the former Red Bull executive has gone from VP of Sales at Vita Coco to President. He joined the company 11 months ago. It's not surprising that Vita Coco would go to a veteran to keep the trains running on time as the company's distribution network becomes both larger and more centralized via its ongoing relationship with DPSG.
Bossa Nova co-founder Palo Hawken – the company was eventually purchased by Sunny Delight -- helped develop the soon-to-launch REBBL tea line, which seeks to provide indigenous tribes in the Peruvian rainforest with the means to create a stable business that will allow them to protect themselves from enslavement.
Avitae caffeinated water has landed new authorizations in Safeway's Eastern Division and nationwide at Office Depot retail locations and officedepot.com. The agreements with Safeway and Office Depot will significantly expand distribution of the brand, which promotes itself as healthy alternative to sugary and high-calorie caffeinated drinks. According to CEO Brian Pitzer, Avitae is now available in over 15,000 retailers in 30 states across the U.S.
