Talking Rain CEO Chris Hall Stepping Down
Talking Rain Inc., the parent company of flavored sparkling water brand Sparkling Ice, announced on Friday the departure of CEO Chris Hall, effective April 1.
Headlines
Nurture Brands, Myracle Kitchen Close $3.3M Funding Round
Nurture Brands, the London-based food and beverage portfolio company behind the plant-based Myracle Kitchen brand, announced this week that it has closed a £2.5 million (around $3.3 million) funding round that will support its North American expansion.
This Week’s New Products: Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola, Cannabis and GoodBelly KIDS!
Even in the weeks after Expo West, new beverage products and innovations have continued to roll out to stores in anticipation of the return of warmer weather. This week’s roundup of new products includes the launch of limited-edition Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola, an abundance of additions to the fast-growing CBD sparkling water category, and a new line from GoodBelly specifically formulated for KIDS!
Taste Radio: How Trends & Tradition Shape ‘Roses & ‘Rosti. Plus, A Peek At Web3 and QVC.
Our latest episode features interviews with two innovators in their respective industries: Stephen Caldwell, the co-founder of Swiss Rosti, a unique brand of stuffed potato and cheese bites; and Brent Elliot, the master distiller of acclaimed bourbon brand Four Roses. The Taste Radio team also discussed notable brands from the 2022 Seafood Expo, Web3 primers and a sophisticated smoker.
Wandering Bear Raises $5M to Support Ecommerce, Office Growth
New York-based coffee brand Wandering Bear announced this week that it has raised a $5 million funding round backed by existing investors. The new capital arrives as the company seeks to scale its online ecommerce business, which has become its main focus following a post-pandemic pivot.
People Moves: Mocktails Hires Brian Barrett as SVP Hospitality
After more than three years doing business exclusively in the U.K., non-alcoholic cocktail brand Mocktails has hired former GoTab SVP as its SVP of Hospitality to support its return to the U.S. market; Also, Laird Superfood hires a new SVP of sales and Super Coffee brings on a new president.
6 RTD Cocktails to Prepare for Warmer Weather
In this gallery, we highlight some of the notable recently releases across RTD tequila, vodka, and whiskey-based drinks, including the launch of rum based hard seltzer Casalú, a slim can lineup of ranch waters, mojitos and vodka sodas from Cutwater Spirits, and a RTD Classic Daiquiri from OTR Premium Cocktails that features a “pop of bright lime.”
Elevator Talk: Psychedelic Water, Starryside, GoodSport, RUUTS, Doodles
Watch founders and CEOs introduce their brands and provide a recap of recent news and updates. This week's special co-host is Mark Gallo of Nor-Cal Beverage Co., who shared his thoughts, questions and feedback with the participants.
Expo West: Orro’s Tabitha Brown and Shaun Neff on Building an Authentic Plant-Based Brand
In this video, recorded at Natural Products Expo West 2022, Orro founder Shaun Neff and partner Tabatha Brown how the product is being positioned within the beverage market as well as how they believe brands can stand out in the competitive plant-based space.
Office Hours: Charting Growth With Spindrift
Spindrift founder and CEO Bill Creelman drops in to chat about topics including crisis leadership, distribution, online marketing, platform expansion and other issues in a wide-ranging interview.
Expo West 2022: Califia CEO Ritterbush Talks Plant-Based Innovation
In this interview recorded at the show, Califia CEO Dave Ritterbush discussed how the brand is keeping up with consumers’ desire for more plant-based options, the company’s evolving relationship with RTD coffee products, the untapped potential of culinary applications for its drinks and how Califia is honoring its late founder, Greg Steltenpohl.
Beyond Meat & Pepsi JV Launches Jerky in Retail
PepsiCo and Beyond Meat’s joint venture has moved from Ethan Brown’s lap to store shelves. Brown, the founder of Beyond Meat, alluded to a “major product” that he had been snacking on during the company’s last quarterly earnings call, one that would energize both partners after intensive spending and R&D into the line.
NielsenIQ: Beverage Sales Remain Strong Despite Deceleration Across Categories
Though overall beverage sales remained strong, non-alcoholic drinks decelerated across nearly all categories in the two-week period ending March 12, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
Taste Radio: Your Tribe Is Everything. Sanzo’s Stunning Rise Is Proof.
Sandro Roco, the founder and CEO of fast-growing Asian-inspired sparkling water brand Sanzo, spoke about why he’s attempting to “own” a space within the seltzer category and how the company cultivated an “authentic, rabid fan base,” and how that group helped drive capital efficiency. He also explained why the process to become a certified minority-owned brand was worth the effort.