Two publicly-traded beverage companies are tapping into the power of celebrity. Today, The Alkaline Water Company announced that it has brought on Shaquille O’Neal as an equity partner and advisor, while Monster Energy is turning to rapper Post Malone to help promote a new giveaway campaign.
Canned water brand Liquid Death has closed a $15 million Series C round of funding that includes celebrities like Tony Hawk, Wiz Khalifa and Steve Aoki, as well as Live Nation Entertainment, which will carry the product as the exclusive water at over 120 venues and festivals across the United States.
Fitness-focused functional beverage brand CELSIUS announced first quarter revenue growth of 78% to $50 million in an earnings report today, reflecting a “record” sales period despite several headwinds caused by pandemic-related shockwaves.
Adaptogenic beverage startup Droplet accused PepsiCo of “corporate plagiarism” in an Instagram post this weekend, claiming the conglomerate’s new Soulboost brand “blatantly” lifts its concept and brand identity. PepsiCo has denied all allegations.
In this week's Distribution Roundup, CBD beverage maker Unity Wellness doubles its nationwide distribution, partnering with several new DSD distributors including Legacy Distribution Group in Colorado and Lipman Brothers in Tennessee. Plus: updates from Reed's, Costa Brava Cocktails, Waterloo, BIOLYTE, Pivot Cold Brew and more.
BellRing Brands, the holding company for Post Consumer Brands’s nutrition entities, including Premier Protein and Dymatize, reported a net sales increase of 9.6% to $282.1 million for the second fiscal quarter ending March 31, according to the company’s earnings report last week.
New Realm will launch three vodka-based, 7.5% ABV canned cocktails by the end of May: Lemon Drop, Orange Crush and Naka Cranberry. A fourth flavor — Tequila Paloma — will launch later in the summer, while gin and bourbon RTDs are also in the works.
Jason Wright, the co-founder and CEO of chicken- and pork-based chip brand Wilde Brands, explained how he was able to land investment without having a finished product, why he regrets working with a co-packer, how he collaborated with retail buyers to establish a new protein-centric segment within the snack category and why the keys to winning consumers over always begins with taste.
Non-alcoholic beverage year-over-year sales remained elevated during the period ending April 24 as the industry moved past the effect of last year’s pandemic-driven pantry loading, according to an analysis of Nielsen data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
Sparkling tequila soda brand Onda has closed a $5 million Series A round of funding led by Aria Growth Partners and beverage entrepreneur Clayton Christopher, the company announced last week.
DELOCE, a California-based maker of ready-to-drink espresso martinis, announced last week that it has closed a $1.5 million series seed round led by Vice Ventures. Founded in 2019 by CEO Sean Zoka and CMO Keaton Moody, DELOCE makes a canned Espresso Martini made with 100% cold-pressed arabica espresso beans and premium vodka.
Nestlé Health Science has acquired hydration tablet brand Nuun for an undisclosed fee, the company announced today. The deal is expected to close in Q3 2021.
Plant-based protein brand Aloha is getting ready to become a more serious beverage player. The Colorado-based, plant-based CPG brand, which makes bars, powders and protein drinks, announced this week a line extension of its ready-to-drink beverages, adding new rPET plastic-packaged variations of its core flavors.
Prebiotic soda brand Mayawell has raised $2 million through seed funding led by Mexico-based distillery, Casa Armando Guillermo Prieto, to expand distribution throughout Texas, California and Florida as well as introduce a new flavor and packaging with a lower carbon footprint.
