Relaxation At The Center Of $300M Intoxicating Hemp Beverage Business
Relaxation and anxiety/stress release are the top reasons consumers say they’re drinking intoxicating hemp beverages, data analysts reported.
Headlines
Breakthru CCO Talks Backing Out of RNDC Deal, Priority Categories
After backing out of a deal for Republic National Distributing Company’s (RNDC) Kentucky and Indiana operations in August, Breakthru Beverage is charting a cautious path forward.
Three Trees Acquired By Next In Natural, Will ‘Explore’ Chameleon Collab
Clean label plant-based milk and milk tea brand Three Trees has been acquired by Next in Natural for an undisclosed sum.
Seth Green’s Hellbent Cocktails Turned a Scrapped Robot Chicken Sketch Into A Brand
Not every Robot Chicken pitch makes it to air. But at least one rejected sketch made it to the fridge.
Taste Radio: Do What The Others Won’t. It’s Why This Brand Works.
How do you repair an industry that’s steadily lost relevance with younger consumers? If you’re the founders of Wonderwerk, you go where they live and breathe – and throw a party. Co-founder Issamu Kamide joins us to share how the unorthodox wine brand challenged category conventions, used culture and community to build the brand, and turned consumer behavior into a roadmap for innovation.
Something & Nothing Raises $6.4M, Builds On ‘Not Pop’ Campaign
Premium soda brand Something & Nothing has raised $6.4 million in a new funding round led by early-stage venture firm Venrex. This is the second investment by Venrex, which recently…
Review: All Día Is A Day Drinking Dream
All Día goes the extra mile to be even lower than some of the typical 5% ABV hard seltzer and hard teas on the market.
Distribution: Cann Embraces Live Music with Austin City Limits Partnership
THC beverage brand Cann is teaming the Austin City Limits Music Festival, becoming the first microdosed THC tonic brand to be sold at the annual event.
Judge Dismisses Patco Brands’ Counterclaims in BuzzBallz Trademark Case
A federal judge dismissed the last of Patco Brands’ counterclaims against BuzzBallz, ending a three-year fight between two rival orb-shaped, ready-to-drink (RTD) brands.
Coke Names Rob Gehring as Next North America President; Capri-Sun CEO Exits
Gehring returns to Coke after roughly two years at Monster Energy Company, which he joined in 2024 as Chief Growth Officer.
Caliwater Rides Retail Momentum, Nearly Triples Walmart Footprint
Under the leadership of Blair Owens, Caliwater has increased dollar sales by 198% year-over-year as it expands deeper at Walmart.
THE CPG INSIDER WEEKLY
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Taste Radio: Red Bull vs. Kroger Is Bigger Than Energy Drinks
Kroger is drawing a line on pricing — and some of the biggest brands in CPG are finding themselves on the wrong side of it. We dig into the retailer’s standoff with Red Bull and Boar’s Head and what Kroger’s growing embrace of private label could mean for brands negotiating with major retailers. We also discuss HopLark’s recent bankruptcy filing and recap our spirited San Francisco meetup.
New Beverages: NA Beer Is Everywhere; Novamex’s New Zero Sodas
This week we raise a glass to a pair of beer-flavored innovations from C4 and olive oil maker Graza, plus highlight oHHo's move into energy, MET-Rx's shift into (more) protein, and Califia's coconut creamers.