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Gallery: The New Spirits of Early Summer

In this gallery, we highlight a handful of notable new spirit ranges and limited releases, including two new expressions from Woodford Reserve, a Great Lakes-inspired vodka from New Holland Spirits, and Australian distiller Starward's debut U.S. release.

Taste Radio Insider Ep. 35: What Happened To Kumbaya In Kombucha? And Is Fat Truly Back?

In the latest installment of Taste Radio Insider, the hosts discussed the fallout from a controversial profile of GT’s Kombucha creator GT Dave in Forbes magazine. Later in the show, we feature an interview with Suzie Yorke, the founder/CEO of Love Good Fats, a fast-growing maker of keto-friendly snack bars and shakes that is attempting to become the “beacon brand” for healthy fats.

Forbes Fallout: Health-Ade, KeVita React to GT’s Feature Story

In an article published earlier this month, GT’s Living Foods founder and CEO GT Dave sat down with Forbes reporter Chloe Sorvino at his Beverly Hills mansion for a deep dive into the making of his kombucha empire in which he appeared to take a few conspicuous swipes at some of his company’s rising competitors.

Inside Vita Coco’s Bathroom Breakout

Last Wednesday, Vita Coco began the day by launching its new Impossible to Hate campaign -- a marketing drive to promote its pressed coconut water line. By 3 p.m. their social media coordinator was standing in the bathroom holding a jug of urine and asking for an address where she could mail it.

New Coke Finds New Life on Netflix’s Stranger Things

Starting May 23 at 5 p.m. EST, Coke will release a limited amount of New Coke, made using the original 1985 recipe, as part of a promotion with Netflix's hit series Stranger Things.

Coffee Giants, Startups Target Growth in “Flash Brew”

Japanese beverage giant Suntory and Mass.-based startup Elemental Beverage Company are both seeking to develop the market for flash chilled coffee — the general term for coffee which is brewed hot and then quickly cooled without being diluted with ice or water — which is prized by coffee aficionados for its ability to capture the nuanced flavor notes and complex aromatics that emerge during a hot extraction process.

Tribucha Closes $1.5M Series A

North Carolina-based kombucha maker Tribucha has closed a $1.5 million Series A funding round, the company told BevNET this week. The raise comes as the five-year-old brand, which markets its product in 12 oz cans, plans to expand distribution by more than 600 accounts this year.

Taste Radio Ep. 163: Oatly Failed and Probably Will Again. But That’s Okay. Here’s Why.

On its way to becoming one of the hottest brands in food and beverage, oat milk brand Oatly had “already failed in the biggest ways possible,” according to the company’s U.S. general manager Mike Messersmith. In an interview included in this episode, he explained the simple philosophy that guided Oatly through its growing pains: “It’s all about progress.”

Boxed Expands Private Label Offerings With Seltzer Launch

In April, online retailer Boxed made its entrance into the space with the launch of Stellar Seltzer in 12 oz. cans. The four-SKU line of naturally flavored, zero calorie sparkling waters is the next step in Boxed’s plan to feed the beverage segment of its private label business with engaging brands that can compete in high velocity foundational grocery categories such as water.

Zola Acquired by Cannabis Brand Caliva

The acquisition will help Caliva to broaden its vertically-integrated cannabis business -- which produces flower, vape, and oil products -- into beverage through its access to Zola’s research and development team and established retail distribution network.

Soda Tax Update: Study Finds Philly Sales Down by Half

The results found that sales of sugary beverages dropped 51% in the first year after the city’s soda tax took effect in 2017. The tax also led to an increase in beverage prices and a sharp decline in volume sales, dropping from 2.475 billion ounces in 2016 to 1.214 billion ounces in 2017, according to the report.

Press Clips: The Cultural Influence of AriZona Iced Tea

Last week, Eater analyzed the eternal cool factor of AriZona Iced Tea, the 99 cent 24 oz. gas station mainstay which hit shelves in 1992. The brand has withstood the test of time, somehow avoiding the trappings of trendy 90s nostalgia to become what Eater calls simply “a mood.”

Help Yourself: Vending Tech Aims to Solve Keg Cold Brew’s Cost Issues

Arlington, Va.-based Commonwealth Joe, which roasts, brews and provides kegs of cold brew to clients on the East Coast, is one of several partners across the country working with Smart Beverages Technologies (SBT) as a provider of the company’s Kegerator Vending Machines (KVM), an innovative self-serve concept that aims to address one of the major hurdles to cold brew providers.