A SHOC Closes $29M Series B Funding Round
Performance energy drink brand A SHOC announced today it has closed a $29 million Series B funding round backed by existing investors and a roster of celebrity athletes.
News
World Of Wonder And RuPaul Launch “House Of Love” Collection Of Premium Canned Cocktails And Mocktails
Category is… Cocktails & Mocktails! World of Wonder and RuPaul, the multiple Emmy-award winning team behind the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” global franchise, are serving up the light, love and laughter of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” with House of Love, direct-to-consumer canned cocktails and mocktails. A collaboration among World of Wonder, RuPaul, and SVEDKA VODKA founder Marina Hahn, this line celebrates everyone who lives life with pride. Pre-sales start April 15; sales begin May 20.
Distribution Roundup: Jeng Adds Sarene On East Coast; Alkaline88 Enters Europa
In this week's Distribution Roundup, craft mocktail brand Jeng partners with beer distributor Sarene to service the East Coast, while Alkaline88 targets fitness and nutrition retailers via Europa Sports, plus news from Wynk, RISE Brewing Co., Poppilu, Play Mode and Rowdy Energy.
Spirited Hive Cocktails Named Exclusive Ready-To-Drink Cocktail of Nashville Soccer Club
Spirited Hive, a new line of ready-to-drink craft cocktails made with quality spirits, all-natural ingredients and organic honey, has been named the exclusive ready-to-drink cocktail of Major League Soccer’s Nashville Soccer Club. Debuting May 1 at GEODIS Park, the club’s new home and largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada, Spirited Hive will be available at two standalone bars and throughout the stadium’s bar carts.
Breakthru Beverage Group Names Erin Engels as Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development
Breakthru Beverage Group, a leading North American beverage distributor with operations and affiliates in the U.S. and Canada, today announced it has named Erin Engels to the role of Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development. Engels will manage the development and continuous evolution of Breakthru’s multi-year strategy with initiatives that support innovation and growth and provide partners increased data insights and expertise.
People Moves: Canteen Spirits Names Brian Smith as Chief Sales Officer; Cometeer Exec Exits
Austin, Texas-based RTD cocktail brand Canteen Spirits has hired industry veteran Brian Smith as its new Chief Sales Officer, charged with leading the brand’s national expansion; Zach Rueda, chief brand officer of Massachusetts-based flash frozen coffee capsule producer Cometeer, has stepped away from the company.
General Mills Invests $15 Million in Funds for Minority and Female Entrepreneurs
General Mills announced its venture capital arm, 301 INC, will invest a combined $15 million into two early-stage venture capital funds, Fearless Fund and Supply Change Capital. These investments are part of General Mills’ commitment to standing for good and promoting racial and gender equity in representation through economic opportunity for minority and female food entrepreneurs.
Jose Cuervo Enters the Cristalino Category With Tradicional Cristalino
The world’s #1 tequila announced the launch of its first-ever Cristalino: Jose Cuervo Tradicional Cristalino. First released in Mexico, the new expression is now available nationwide in the U.S. Combining more than 225 years of trusted tequila expertise and craftsmanship with modern innovation, Cuervo’s entry into the Cristalino category is poised to bring this emerging tequila expression to the masses. As the original 100% agave tequila, Jose Cuervo Tradicional remains on the forefront of product innovation, releasing new expressions that deliver on quality and taste.
LIFEAID Beverage Company Launches FITAID Energy Collection
LIFEAID Beverage Company has released a new line of clean performance energy drinks. The FITAID Energy collection is the long-awaited clean-caffeine addition to their original Sports Recovery product, FITAID, boosted with 200mg of caffeine from green tea. The FITAID Energy + Sports Recovery blend is naturally sweetened with only 15 calories, no sucralose, no aspartame, no fillers, and no synthetic caffeine. Available in four electric flavors: Mango Sorbet, Peach Mandarin, Blackberry Pineapple, and an online exclusive Raspberry Hibiscus, FITAID contains no artificial flavors or colors.
SUYO, Single-Origin Craft Pisco, Makes its American Debut With Skurnik Distribution
Peruvian Pisco is a clear, all-natural spirit made from 100% grapes by single-distilling freshly fermented natural wine. It is the national spirit of Peru and, per its Denomination of Origin, can only be produced from 8 grape varieties, grown across 5 coastal southern regions of the country.
Del Monte Launches New Bubbly Beverage Brand: Joyba
Del Monte Foods is tapping into the fast-growing Bubble Fruit Tea beverage market with the launch of its new bubble tea brand: Joyba. To ensure launch success, Del Monte partnered with New York-based brand design agency CBX to establish the new beverage brand’s positioning, tone, and reason for being.
High Spirits: Next-Gen Cannabis Drinks Seek to Emulate, Evolve Alcohol
Rather than trying to pull spirits drinkers into a new format, a cohort of emerging brands are looking to make the transition from cocktails to cannabis as smooth as possible.
ADM to Expand Capacity, Open New Protein Innovation Center
CHICAGO, Ill.–ADM (NYSE: ADM), a global leader in nutrition, announced today that it will invest approximately $300 million to significantly expand its Decatur, Illinois, alternative protein production, as the company…
Experts: Austin Cocktails Purchase Doesn’t Signal Open Season on RTD M&A
Another independent canned cocktail maker boarded the “mother ship” last week when Constellation Brands announced Thursday the full acquisition of Austin Cocktails. It’s a move that’s in step with the other global beverage companies picking up fast-growing RTD producers - but observers in the industry caution that the deal may not be the harbinger of a flood of RTD acquisitions.