Koia Announces $7.5M Fundraise
As part of the round, Bill Moses, co-founder of probiotic beverage brand KeVita, which was acquired by PepsiCo last year, will join Koia’s board of directors.
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Juicero Cuts Staff, Evans Steps Back
In a letter sent to employees on Friday and shared with BevNET, Juicero CEO Jeff Dunn explained that the staff reduction, which was mainly sales and marketing employees, would allow the company to shift towards “more focused investment on product development, manufacturing, shipping and improving our sourcing of organic produce.”
Congressman Wants Hearing on Amazon’s Whole Foods Deal
Speculation that Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods might spark legal backlash came to fruition this week as U.S. Representative David Cicilline (D-RI), the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s antitrust panel, called for the subcommittee to hold a hearing on the online retail giant’s latest acquisition.
Beverages on Broadway: Non-Alcoholic Innovations Showcased in New York
Earlier this week, BevNET visited New York City to meet with two companies taking inspiration from the craft spirits movement to help elevate non-alcoholic drinking through complex flavors, eye-catching presentation or immersive on-premise experiences.
Taste Radio Ep. 66: Andy Thomas On Innovation and Inspiration In Craft Beer; A Surge in Switchel
On this week's episode of Taste Radio, BevNET CEO John Craven joins Brewbound editor Chris Furnari for a conversation with Andy Thomas, CEO of the Craft Brew Alliance.
Sol-ti Heads East with New Distribution
Looking to shine a bright light in the cold-pressed juice category, Sol-ti have already expanded from their native California into seven more states this year, with eyes on picking up another four or five by the year’s end.
People Moves: PepsiCo’s Khan Joins Indigo Board
Mehmood Khan joins Indigo Ag board of directors; Val Stalowir begins as new CEO of Reed's following founder's resignation; Mamma Chia hires new sales SVP; Mark Ellis moves on to next project with Rally; Caribou Coffee announces new CEO and President
Analysts React to Stonyfield Acquisition
In discussing the deal with BevNET, analysts and experts in the organic grocery space noted that while the deal was ostensibly about freeing Danone to secure the bigger prize of acquiring WhiteWave, it also affirms the long-term value of a strong organic brand.
Evy Tea Closes $1 Million Seed Round
Founded in 2014, Evy Tea’s ready-to-drink line is now available in roughly 500 stores throughout the Northeast, and Chen said she wants to dominate the region before expanding further. The company is currently in serious talks with several top beverage distributors.
Kohana Reinvents with Sales Team Shakeup
Kohana has had a reinventive year so far, hiring a new sales team, announcing an ambitious innovation pipeline, and a breaking ground on an expanded production facility expansion that will allow the cold brew coffee makers to produce its ready-to-drink coffees in-house with enough extra canning and retort space to rent out capacity to an outside co-packer.
Ex-Employees File Lawsuits Against Bai
Three former employees have sued the company and its recently departed founder and CEO, Ben Weiss, for allegedly cheating them out of the fair market value of their ownership stakes in the company ahead of its $1.7 billion sale to Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS) last November.
Suja To Launch Kombucha At Costco This Month
The San Diego-based brand will unveil a four-SKU line of organic kombucha at Costco stores in three regions later this month, with a broader launch in natural and conventional grocery channels set to commence this fall.
Taste Radio Ep. 65: Runa’s Alex Galindez Flexes Marketing Muscle; Also, Broccoli Beverages and Tickle Water
This week’s episode of the Taste Radio podcast includes a feature conversation with Alex Galindez, a veteran marketing executive in the food, beverage and media industries who leads guayusa-based beverage company Runa.
Soylent Enters Retail with L.A. 7-Eleven Launch
After several months teasing that the brand would soon be available in retail outlets, Soylent today announced that it will be making its brick-and-mortar debut this month at 18 7-Eleven locations in Greater Los Angeles.