Headlines

Press Clips: Coke Offers $1M for Sweetener Innovations

Coca-Cola offers $1 million for new artificial sweetener innovations; Soda tax thwacks Chicago's suburbs; Will Smith plugs JUST Water on James Corden's "Carpool Karaoke"; NPR takes a look at the rise of seltzer; Bai seeks a more mature brand image.

Grady’s Expands With New RTD Line

This fall, Grady’s is seeking to further expand its brand with the launch of its first RTD offering, Lil’ Easy, a pre-diluted, single-serve version of its New Orleans-style cold brew concentrate packaged for portability.

People Moves: Suja CMO Heather MacNeil Cox Departs

CMO Heather MacNeil Cox leaves Suja after three years with company; Harmless Harvest VP of Marketing makes jump to outdoor apparel industry; Target adds new grocery-focused executives; DPS shuffles executives following departure of Bai CEO

Welch’s Prepares Soda Line Revamp

In a press release last week, the Concord, Mass.-based company announced a partnership with Global Beverage Corporation, an independent company that was created to lead an expansion of the Welch’s soda line with new flavors and formats.

Grain Gains: Canvas Spins Beer Byproduct into Plant-Based Protein

Canvas, a beverage startup backed exclusively by Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB) "disruptive growth organization" Zx Ventures, is looking to spent grain -- the nutrient-rich byproduct of the beer brewing process -- as the key ingredient to fuel its new line of plant-based barley beverages launching this fall.

Kill Cliff Fuels Up With Sunrise Investment

Sunrise Strategic Partners, an investment firm with a focus on healthy and sustainable foods, announced Thursday that it has acquired a minority ownership stake in Kill Cliff. The deal marks the eighth investment for the young firm and the first beverage brand addition to its portfolio.

Distribution: Gains for Koia, Picnik

Planet-based protein drink Koia adds six new retailers and debuts a new reduced price point, Austin-based cafe Picnik launches its RTD butter coffee at Whole Foods, and JUST Water lands an exclusive partnership with the Houston Zoo.

Koa Ceases Operations, Founder Joins Dirty Lemon as COO

Unable to secure the necessary funding to continue production of its uniquely formulated beverages, Koa has shut down. Launched in 2009, the company developed a proprietary process to extract sugar and calories from a blend of fruit and vegetable juices, resulting in a clear, nutrient-rich drink that Koa marketed as “olakino.”

IRI Report: Navigating Consumer Differences & Desires

Consumers are buying into new kinds of store programs and formats that better fit their needs– and it’s evolving the food industry as retailers know it, according to market research firm IRI’s Channel Performance Report released last month.

Ethan’s Shots Aim For Cider Vinegar Success

In developing a new line of 2 oz. apple cider vinegar shots, Ethan's founder Ethan Hirshberg aims to create an appealing delivery system for an ingredient that’s not so appealing on its own.

CAVU-Backed Waterloo Sparkling Preps National Launch

Positioning itself as a fuller-flavored challenger brand in a burgeoning category, Austin-based Waterloo Sparkling Water will launch nationally next month in all Whole Foods stores, along with several other retail chains throughout the country.