Plant-based food and beverage private equity firm Powerplant Ventures today announced the closing of a $42 million fund. The fund is led by Mark Rampolla, founder of ZICO Coconut Water, Kevin Boylan and T.K. Pillan, co-founders of the Veggie Grill restaurant chain, and Dan Beldy, former Managing Director of Steamboat Ventures (the venture capital division of Disney).
Disclosure filings recently made public by the Philadelphia Board of Ethics revealed the trade association spent more than four times the amount of those backing Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney’s initiative.
Runa's revamp was a project nearly 18 months in the making, but co-founder Tyler Gage believes that the company, a marketer of guayusa-based tea and energy drinks, finally got it right.
The usual suspects of this podcast -- John Craven, Ray Latif and Jon Landis -- discuss how their paths led to BevNET and examine parallels in their experiences at an entrepreneurial media company to that of many beverage entrepreneurs.
Reached by phone Thursday, Waiakea founder and CEO Ryan Emmons called the complaints “slander” coming from a competing brand, and that the company resolved the aforementioned labeling issues with the agencies earlier this year.
Bolstered by national distribution at Target, Powell and Mahoney pulled in nearly $3.13 million in sales for the 52-week period ending on May 15, up 75.6 percent year-over-year, according to IRI. Co-founder Mark Mahoney attributes swelling growth to rising consumer demand for premium and natural options within the mixer set, along with brand’s focus on high-quality ingredients and its recent innovation with carbonated varieties.
Munchies recently interviewed Nathan Sims, the man behind @PamplemousseLaCroixMemes, an often absurd and over-the-top social media account dedicated to paying tongue-in-cheek tribute to - and often directly poking fun at - LaCroix sparkling water.
LifeAID co-founders Aaron Hinde and Orion Melehan discussed the investment in a call with BevNET on Tuesday, indicating the amount of the raise was in the “high seven figures.”
Peet’s Cold Brew will ship starting today and will soon be available in select Peet’s Coffee cafés, grocery stores, and partner locations in the San Francisco Bay Area before expanding into new markets.
The BevNET Podcast team quizzed Seth Goldman on a number of other topics, including the ongoing battle over GMO labeling and its impact on the organic movement, as well as the long-term future for Honest within the Coke system.
The sparkling beverage brand shared the revamp - featured across its soda and carbonated water product lines - with BevNET ahead of its upcoming rollout into stores and foodservice outlets next month.
Made with organic apple cider vinegar, cold-pressed fruits and vegetables, and four billion vegan probiotic cultures, the line extension is set to debut at Whole Foods Markets across the country beginning in September.
Convenience store sales of non-alcoholic beverages were up 4.6 percent for the second quarter of 2016, according to Wells Fargo Securities’ latest “Beverage Buzz” report.
Company founder and CEO CJ Rapp discussed the deliberately “modest” capital raise in a call with BevNET, saying the company raised the necessary funds to support its recent “Push For Better” campaign alongside the recent launch of its Karma Probiotics line extension.
