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Distribution Roundup: Riff Expands in San Francisco with UNFI

Som Sleep adds nearly 2,000 Walmart stores; Riff Cold Brewed partners with UNFI to grow in San Francisco; Mother Kombucha adds Florida area Whole Foods; Phivida launches ecommerce for Oki line; CHERRiSH expands distribution into Texas and New Mexico

Elevator Talk: Sir Owlverick’s Aims for the Long Game with Classic Tasting Coffee Beverages

Lillard Anthony Wong is the co-founder of Sir Owlverick’s with his partner Amy Tang, who is a third generation coffee roaster. The brand focuses on crafting a classic medium roast with a smooth taste profile to appeal to a wide audience, while offering new and innovate SKUs like Vietnamese iced coffee and cold brewed double espresso shots.

Nielsen: Total Beverage Sales Up During Easter Sales Period

This year’s late Easter holiday contributed to a 6.7% jump in snack and non-alcoholic beverage sales for the four-week period ending April 20, according to a Wells Fargo Securities analysis of Nielsen’s all channel sales data report.

Taste Radio Ep. 160: From Turmoil to $200 Million in Sales. How Pete and Gerry’s Turned it Around.

Nearly 20 years ago Jesse Laflamme came home from college to find his family’s egg brand, Pete and Gerry’s, on the precipice. Despite the urging of his parents to consider another career, he was committed to the brand and solving its problems. In this episode, Laflamme spoke about how the company not only got back on its feet, but also excelled beyond anyone’s expectations.

Gallery: April’s New Product Launches

In this gallery, we highlight some of the notable new products that were launched or announced over the past month, including three new fruit-flavored sodas from Pepsi, a new batch of CBD-infused drinks, and the latest release from Dirty Lemon.

Propel Launches Clean Label Vitamin Boost Line

As consumers increasingly seek out cleaner labels and functional beverages, PepsiCo-owned Propel Water is hoping to bring them under its wing, undertaking a “brand transformation” beginning this week with the launch of Vitamin Boost, a new functional water line made without artificial sweeteners.

Regatta Rebrand Embraces Craft Mixer Platform

Connecticut-based premium craft mixers maker Regatta is looking to bring an aspirational lifestyle positioning to the category, as it makes the transition from an on-premise focused ginger beer company to one with a broader product portfolio and multi-channel strategy.

Hapi Drinks Lands PepsiCo Greenhouse Grant

PepsiCo concluded the inaugural edition of its North American Nutrition Greenhouse accelerator program this week, naming Austin, Texas-based Hapi Drinks as the final recipient of a $100,000 grant from the soda giant.

Taste Radio Insider Ep. 31: Who Really Owns Your Brand? Hint: It’s Not You.

You might have put time, money, blood, sweat and tears into building your brand, but at the end of the day it doesn’t belong to you. That’s the perspective of Christian Krogstad and Thomas Mooney, the co-founders of Westward Whiskey, which helped establish the rapidly growing American single-malt whiskey category.

Sensing Momentum, Bitters Brands Seize Moment to Enter RTD Space

Presented with the opportunity to expand their platforms with products that align with a variety of current trends, the likes of Hella Cocktail Co. and Bitter Love are working to establish sparkling bitters as a new segment of the RTD market.

BevNET Magazine Feature: Powdered Beverages Embrace Hydration

The hydration-focused powdered sports drink mix category has been experiencing a renaissance as independent brands offer consumers clean label credentials with clinical testing to back efficacy claims, while also delivering fun, lifestyle brand identities to bring in new consumers and celebrity influencers.

Dr. Priestley’s “Small Batch Fizzy Water” Celebrates Soda Inventor

Named for Dr. Joseph Priestley, an 18th century renaissance man who is recognized as the first documented inventor of soda water in 1767, the New York-based beverage company, which launched last month on Amazon, markets a line of premium sparkling waters with cocktail-inspired flavor profiles.

Soda Tax Update: California Bill Collapses, ABA Attacks Philly Mayor

In this update or recent news around taxes on sugar sweetened drinks, legislative efforts in California to introduce a two cents per fluid ounce tax on sodas and sugar-sweetened drinks have been put on hold until next year, while the American Beverage Association targets Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney with a new round of negative ads.