Pernod Ricard Appoints New North America CEO
Pernod Ricard announced new leadership today for its North America business. Conor McQuaid will take the helm as CEO of Pernod Ricard North America at the start of the new year.
Headlines
Taste Radio: How Maya Kaimal Stayed On Track Even When A Misstep Almost Derailed Her Brand
Maya Kaimal, the founder and Chief Culinary and Creative Officer of Maya Kaimal Foods, a groundbreaking brand of Indian-inspired sauces, condiments and ready-to-eat dishes, spoke about how her company operates and innovates at the intersection of data, trends and retailer needs, aligning with an investor that could support her vision; and what she’s learned about hiring the right – and wrong – people.
Yerbaé Teams With Penn State NIL Collective To Build “Beachhead” For Eastern Expansion
Yerbaé has partnered with Penn State University’s NIL collective, Happy Valley United, in a unique marketing arrangement that includes the release of an exclusive Blue Razz flavor and new distribution partners in Pennsylvania.
Humanitea Makes Mission, Sustainability Its Focus in Growing Tea Set
After acquiring the small startup brand in 2020, the owners of RTD tea maker Humanitea are getting ready to pour gas in the tank, beginning with a slate of three new flavor innovations.
Data: De-Premiumization Across Categories, Spirits Resilient On-Premise
Spirits 12-month rolling volume trends are down 3.5% from October 2022 to September 2023, and down 5.1% for year-to-date ending in September, according to Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA)’s SipSource.
Taste Radio: A Spicy, If Unexpected, Deal. Plus, Sweet Treats And MUD.
It’s not often that a high-profile investment deal is announced just before a major holiday, but we got lucky this week. After discussing the news that Kim Kardashian’s private equity firm SKYY Partners has invested in upscale condiment brand TRUFF, the hosts munched on a new brand of cookies launched by popular Twitch streamer Pokimane and dove into a growing pool of caffeine-free energy drinks.
Small Steps: How Tilden is Going After The On-Premise Premium Mocktail
When Tilden, a 750 ml ready-to-serve mocktail debuted at the start of the year, the founders used flask-sized sample bottles to pitch their new product in sales meetings.
BellRing Brands: Premier Protein Fuels Strong FY 2023 Earnings
As it moves to discontinue its PowerBar brand business in North America, protein products portfolio company BellRing Brands announced full fiscal year 2023 net sales over $1.6 billion, up 21.5%, in an earnings report this week.
Hemp Dreams: Drinkable Company Plans for Pivot
For Mark Mahoney, founder of Massachusetts-based The Drinkable Company, the Delta-9 THC market is beginning to mature to the point where his extensive CPG expertise and experience can further press an advantage.
Raise the Dead: Weird Beverages Teams With Legendary Band
Canned tea maker Weird Beverages is teaming with our Editor-in-Chief’s favorite band, The Grateful Dead, to release a pair of new permanent flavors -- Grateful Grapefruit and Mystical Mint -- in its 16 oz. can Weird Yerba lineup starting on January 1.
“The Single Best Decision We’ve Made”: Inside Wilderton’s First NA Distillery in the U.S.
With its first season in the books, the founders behind zero-proof spirit brand Wilderton have one major takeaway after opening the first non-alc tasting room and distillery in the country: it’s working.
Taste Radio: Step One To Winning A Gold Rush? Do This, Straightaway.
Cy Cain, the co-founder and CEO of Straightway Cocktails, an award-winning brand of super-premium bottled and canned cocktails, explained how years of preparation gave the company a strong foundation on which to build, why passion and opportunity equally drive the business forward and how he assesses a broader opportunity to reach consumers in other beverage alcohol categories.
Phreshly Harnesses Cultural Roots To Stand Out In RTD Redesign
After its debut last year, Phreshly has revamped its ready-to-drink cocktail packaging as it aims to distinguish the brand in BevAlc’s hottest category by focusing on its unique ingredients and cultural roots.
BioSteel Finds New Owner Through Court-Supervised Sale
After announcing it would drop its flailing sports drink brand BioSteel earlier this summer, Canopy Growth announced Friday it has found two buyers for the brand’s assets through a court-approved agreement.