Headlines

Daily Briefing (Insiders Only): Cola Battle: L.A. Takes on Coke and Pepsi

Los Angeles County is looking to take Coke and Pepsi to court over the soda giants’ environmental impact. The county filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company this week alleging they have tried to deceive the public about the recyclability of and potential health issues emanating from plastic bottles.

De Soi’s Distiller Talks Winter Game Plan

Non-alcoholic apéritif brand De Soi is getting a winter makeover today as its first-ever limited-edition flavor hits shelves – part of the brand’s strategy to continue to emotionally connect with its consumers as the adult non-alc (ANA) category “grows and becomes hegemonized."

Victor Allen’s Coffee Maker Trilliant Seeks Growth Outside of Coffee With Nurri

Forty-five-year-old vertically integrated beverage manufacturer Trilliant Nutrition, whose portfolio includes brands like Victor Allen, Aspen Ridge and Study Fuel, is looking for growth opportunities beyond the coffee category with the launch of Nurri ultra-filtered protein milk shakes, exclusively available at Costco.

Taste Radio: Ben Branson Changed An Industry. Can He Do It Again?

Ben Branson, the trailblazing founder of non-alcoholic spirit brand Seedlip and innovative venture studio Pollen Projects, shares his perspective on an evolving market for zero-proof beverages, why “the best” non-alcoholic products are not analogs of legacy spirits and why he’s betting big on an unusual sourcing and production model.

Jones Soda CEO David Knight Exits

Jones Soda is searching for new leadership after president and CEO David Knight departed the company last week, the company announced Monday afternoon.

Lemon Perfect: New CEO Says Scaling Top Priority as Brand Looks to ‘Go Anywhere’

Earlier this month, Lemon Perfect named former Mast-Jägermeister US head Jeff Popkin as its CEO, marking the first chief executive move at the enhanced water startup since it was founded in 2017. A month into the role, Popkin says his priority is to scale a brand he believes has the ability to “go anywhere” from c-stores to golf shops.

Taste Radio: Spiderman & ‘Saints’ Are Top Of Mind. One Was Chased By Sharks.

The hosts chat about actor Tom Holland’s foray into CPG with NA beer Bero, before riffing on an enlightening collaboration between an up-and-coming wine company and personal care brand. We also feature an interview with Megan Klein, the founder and CEO of Little Saints, an innovative brand of non-alcoholic cocktails infused with functional mushrooms, who recently appeared on “Shark Tank.”

New Products: Stok Gets Energized, V8 Joins Grillo’s for Brunch

In this week’s new products roundup, cold brew maker Stok makes its first foray into the energy drink space, V8 and Grillo’s join forces to shake up a classic brunch cocktail and Sprite spices up its portfolio with the return of a winter seasonal.

TRIP Teams with Calm on Co-Branded ‘Mindful Blend’ Drink

U.K.-based functional beverage maker TRIP is teaming up with consumer mental health company Calm on a new co-branded product intended to promote relaxation and mental well-being. The collaboration is timed to fuel an expansion of TRIP’s Mindful Blend collection in U.S. retailers.

KDP: RTD Beverages Grow, But Coffee Hampers Q3 Performance

Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) today posted a 2.3% year-over-year increase in net sales to $3.89 billion in Q3, fueled by segment growth in U.S. refreshment beverages and international markets that was weighed down by a continued decline in U.S. coffee sales.