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Nine months after The Hershey Company acquired a controlling interest in the company, mix1 is set to launch a major revamp of its nutritional shake/meal replacement line of beverages.Now armed with a sleek upgrade in packaging, mix1 vice president of sales Kevin Conrad said that the company is taking direct aim at category leader Muscle Milk and building a new DSD network “from scratch” in order to position itself for a dramatic leap in sales.
A few years ago, when high-end bottled water got slammed with the twin effects of a deep recession and an environmental backlash, many of us called it the perfect storm. A sector that was riding high suddenly was in an impossible situation: only fairly affluent consumers could afford those brands any more, and within that social stratum it suddenly had become unfashionable to be spotted carrying around plastic bottles containing water shipped from halfway around the world.
It went unnoticed last week, but fast-growing BluePrint -- which makes raw juices and direct-to-consumer juice cleanse products -- has been scooped up by natural foods conglomerate Hain Celestial. Hain did not disclose the amount of money it was paying for BluePrint. Hain Celestial CEO Irwin Simon called BluePrint "an innovative leader." Huss declined comment to BevNET, saying through a spokesman that the deal was not yet finalized.
Samu Thai Coconut Water is a not-from-concentrate coconut water that comes packaged in a 12 oz. aluminum can. With a tagline of “thirst intelligence” and the phrase “naturally the best tasting” on the front of the can, we were somewhat surprised to see that this product contains added sugar. We’re really not sure what factored into their decision to go down the added sugar path, but it has definitely hurt this drink...
And the hits just keep on coming for Monster Beverage. The energy drink giant is facing new scrutiny about the safety of its products, this time from the city attorney in San Francisco. In a letter sent to the company on Wednesday, Dennis J. Herrera alleged that Monster's marketing campaigns have led to “unsafe and irresponsible consumption of its products,” and asked Monster to substantiate its claims that consuming large amounts of its highly caffeinated drinks is safe for consumers.
Tea of a Kind is a new line of teas equipped with a patented cap-activated closure called “Gizmo." When twisted, the pressurized bottle cap forces ingredients - brewed tea, natural flavors, and antioxidants - into a bottle of water, which makes shaking generally unnecessary. While we like the innovative technology, we did experience some significant problems with the cap. Moreover, the branding and packaging of the product definitely needs some work.
Amid the recent wave of negative publicity surrounding energy drinks, and the ire of some elected leaders calling for greater oversight and regulation of the category, consumer perception of the top energy drink brands has fallen to its lowest level since 2009, according to consumer research firm YouGov.
Orgain recently launched a new formulation and packaging for its line of organic meal replacement shakes. Now filled in 11 oz. Tetra Paks with a resealable “Dreamcap” top, Orgain is placing more emphasis on its high protein content, which along with an updated blend of vitamins, vegetables, fruit, DHA, soy and dairy, and mix of sweeteners, make for an overall upgrade and step in the right direction for the brand.
Lady Gaga's manager, Troy Carter, announced that he was launching Pop Water, a low-calorie soft drink with famed fashion photographer Terry Richardson as its design director. Activate Drinks co-founder Burke Eiteljorg is also attached to the project, bringing beverage industry knowledge and contacts to the team.
In an industry that is often risk averse, BevNET Magazine publisher Barry Nathanson suggests that beverage retailers and distributors take more chances on new brands and innovative products. "Beverages are in a lull, waiting for the next great thing. If it arrives soon, terrific. But until then, take a chance on some exciting new entries," said Nathanson.
Screening job candidates is one of the first - and perhaps most critical - parts of the hiring process. It can, however, be very time-consuming and difficult to navigate, particularly for a company with limited resources. In order to more efficiently manage the screening process, Josh Wand, the founder of BevForce, a staffing agency focused on the beverage industry, shares a few ways to most effectively screen potential employees.
Arnold Greenberg, one of three friends who started the new age beverage revolution with the introduction of Snapple drinks, died on Friday, according to an obituary in the New York Times. It was known that he had been battling cancer for some time.
With a number of "zero" branded drinks leading new growth in the category, energy is chugging along – up to $7.2 billion sans Walmart and a few other key chains. While it remains to be seen if the recent negative publicity surrounding energy drinks has a significant impact on sales, the category appears to be surging to $10 billion in annual revenue...
Time is running out to submit your brand for BevNET's Best of 2012 Awards! November 15 is the last day that we are accepting submissions for our 9th annual “Best of” awards, which are announced in December and will feature winners in over 12 categories. Winners will be invited to participate in the awards presentation at BevNET Live Winter 2012, and will have the ability to use the BevNET Best of 2012 logo in press releases, marketing materials, and product packaging.