Reviews: Fruga, Live Soda, Jas Mojito, Barbarian Water
In this roundup of new product reviews, we try new beverages including sparkling prebiotic sodas from Fruga and Live, functional mocktails from Jas, and Barbarian Water, the first product that…
News
Ball Acquires Florida Can Manufacturing Facility, to Build New Plant in Oregon
Ball Corporation’s full-year earnings call proved eventful, with the world’s largest can manufacturer announcing plans to build a new dual-line can manufacturing facility in Oregon, as well as acquire a Florida manufacturer in a $160 million deal.
Tequila Powerhouse Diageo Blames Tariffs For Possible Trouble In 2025
Spirit suppliers got a brief reprieve when President Donald Trump delayed tariffs with Mexico and Canada on Monday, but the threat of a trade war has still hampered the growth outlook for one of the industry’s biggest players.
UPTIME Energy Acquires RISE Brewing Co.; New Glass Bottle Line Targets C-Stores
UPTIME Energy has acquired cold brew coffee maker RISE Brewing Co. in a deal that aligns two established independent brands in their respective categories into a fully integrated new platform.
Food & Beverage Financing Trends: FABID 2024 Annual Report
Venture funding decreased by 11% year--over year, as investors shifted away from CPG, struggled to raise new funds, and deployed capital in smaller, more selective increments. View the full report.
Daily Briefing (Insiders Only): How Bevs Can Draft Off Convenience Foodservice Boom
In 2020, for reasons that should probably be obvious to everybody by now, foot traffic in the convenience channel plummeted. But times have quite thankfully changed and traffic is back up (+58.6% since January 2021, to be precise) as in-store sales surpassed $327.6 billion annually.
Distribution: Casey’s New Innovation Set, High Ground Joins with Sèchey
Casey’s, a convenience channel chain operating roughly 2,900 stores nationwide, has selected 13 food and beverage brands for placement in its stores, following the conclusion of its first Innovation Summit program; High Ground Elixir has joined with Sèchey.
Jones Soda Enlists New Leadership to Fuel Innovation, C-Store Distro Push
Jones Soda begins a new era today with Scott Harvey and Brian Meadows stepping in as CEO and CFO, respectively, with designs to “transform Jones from a craft soda company into a full-fledged beverage company.”
Total Wine & More Trend Watch: Smaller Sizes, Unique Package Formats, No Carbonation
Resealable packages, smaller sizes and non-carbonated beverages are among the hot bev-alc trends Total Wine & More’s senior leadership team are watching in 2025.
PepsiCo: Weak Demand for Drinks and Snacks in North America Drags Q4 Revenue
PepsiCo will spend the year ahead restoring consumer demand for snacks and drinks in North America after facing revenue declines in Q4 2024, CEO Ramon Laguarta said in an earnings report today.
Taste Radio: Intentional Growth. An ‘Accidental’ Exit. How Nona Lim Found Its Buyer.
Nona Lim, the founder of Nona Lim Foods, a trailblazing brand of convenient Asian-inspired meals, reflects on the journey of building and eventually selling her company, the importance of generating retail velocity without heavy marketing spend and why having a well-organized data room is essential for raising funds or preparing for an exit.
Hi-er Highs: Cannabis Beverages Chase THC Dosage
Hemp-derived THC drink brands and beverage-alcohol distributors are growing closer as they seek to open up new opportunities in higher-dose products as value becomes a more pressing metric for shoppers.
Absolut Extends RTDs, Ready-to-Serves with February Flavor Launches
Absolut is expanding both its ready-to-drink and ready-to-serve cocktail lines today, announcing several new flavor additions, including an expansion of its co-branded partnership with cranberry giant Ocean Spray.
Spirits Temporarily Avoid Trade War As Trump Pauses Mexico and Canada Tariffs
President Donald Trump’s plans to levy 25% tariffs on goods imported from Mexico and Canada have been postponed, temporarily averting a trade war that put American alcohol in the crosshairs.