Beyond the Shelf, Farmers Fear Hemp Regulations
The uncertainty surrounding the future cannabis regulations could impact the amount of hemp farmers plant in the coming year.
News
What We Learned from the Hemp THC Drinks Boom – Brightfield Group December 2025
Brightfield Group unpacks how a category that barely registered a few years ago is now reshaping how consumers think about relaxation, socializing, and alcohol itself.
GoodBelly, Cheribundi Parent NextFoods Closes $10M Funding Round
NextFoods Inc., the parent company of better-for-you beverage brands Cheribundi and GoodBelly, has raised $10 million in a funding round led by investment firm ECP Growth. ECP (Emil Capital Partners) has long been the largest investor in NextFoods and helped steer the 2023 merger with Cheribundi.
Clean Alcohol Collective Launches to Push Bev-Alc Transparency
You’ve likely heard of clean beauty, but clean alcohol? A new trade group is aiming to do what many in the bev-alc industry have historically avoided: define what “clean” means when imbibing.
New Products: Louie Louie’s High Class Partnership and Playboy’s Energy Play
This week’s new products are offering up some holiday highs for consumers. We take a look at several new THC beverage launches from High Rise, Uncle Arnie’s and Louie Louie, as well as some non-infused innovations in coffee and creamers courtesy of MUD\WTR and Laird, and new energy drinks from C4, BUM and Playboy.
How Beverage Investors Find The Next Big Thing
Three beverage industry investors discussed the metrics they use to guide their decisions in backing new drink brands.
Taste Radio: Candy Dates & ‘Noise Canceling’ Tonics. Is Niche The New Norm?
Candy-coated dates, cocktails in pouches, collagen-infused beauty drinks and “noise-canceling” tonics. The latest wave of launches begs the question: is niche now the norm in food and beverage?
How Generous Brands is Working to Become the ‘Goldilocks of Strategics’
At BevNET Live Winter 2025, Generous Brands Chief Transformation Officer Todd Putman dove into the company’s unique position as an early-stage strategic acquirer and how the company strives to be the “Goldilocks of strategics” that can target brands that are “not too big and not too small” and grow mature brands into its existing platform.
White House Issues Executive Order to Reschedule Cannabis
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Thursday directing the U.S. Attorney General to move cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule III controlled substance, marking a watershed moment in the history of U.S. marijuana policy and a significant step forward for the nascent THC-infused beverage industry.
Distribution: VALR Gets Midwestern, Odyssey Lands In Airport Channel
In recent distribution news, energy drink makers are capitalizing on demand in convenience, conventional grocery and airport channels.
Report: Luckin Coffee Interested in Potential Blue Bottle Acquisition From Nestlé
Rising Chinese coffee giant Luckin Coffee is reportedly interested in a potential acquisition of Blue Bottle Coffee, according to a report in Bloomberg this week.
Nutrabolt Names Jason Cantelli as Chief Commercial Officer
Nutrabolt, the parent company of C4 Energy and Bloom, has named Jason Cantelli as Chief Commercial Officer, overseeing strategy including the company’s DSD performance and key account relationships.
Kowa Builds U.S. Beverage Lineup with Shohei Ohtani
The family-owned Japanese company has been in operation for over a century, yet its goal to become a major player in U.S. beverages is only beginning.
Reviews: Wizzie’s, Uncle Arnie’s Share New Takes on Tea
This week's review roundup sees two very different takes on teas: freshly brewed (Wizzie's) and freshly buzzed (Uncle Arnie's).