Evian, Fiji, Perrier and the Battle for Relevance
The bottled water wars are back and even the 1 percent are being sent off to battle.
Headlines
Press Clips: Kraft and Heinz Announce Mega Merger; Coke Plans For a World Without Happiness
Behind the blockbuster deal are Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital, who originally partnered up in 2013 to buy Heinz for $23 billion.
Still Infused with Faith
“The cap category hasn’t even started yet,” insists Mikel Anderson, whose Blast Cap Technologies develops and sells caps to other manufacturers. “It’s not even born yet."
Tazo Founder Steven Smith Dead at 65
The co-founder of Tazo, Stash, and Smith Teamaker died on Monday. Reporter Richard Read, has touchingly written about Smith's life and last days.
Coke’s Fight for a Future
For the world’s largest beverage company, the question is no longer whether or not it needs to reinvent itself to thrive but whether or not it can, and if it can, then how?
Preliminary Agenda for FBU Chicago is Now Available
This edition of FBU features a special emphasis on financial partnerships, including a pitch session with three growth-oriented investors and individual sessions that indicate the best ways to attract and communicate with potential funding partners.
Channel Check: Refrigerated Fruit Drinks
This category is reflective of some of the new energy coming into conventional stores through both the produce and chilled natural sets. While Sunny D and other big brands dominate the center, take a look at what GTs, Kevita, Mamma Chia and Goodbelly are doing.
Distribution Roundup: PepsiCo Lands Live Nation; Starbucks’ RTD Frappucinos Head to China
Here’s the week in review in distribution news across the beverage industry:
Video: One-on-One with Temple Turmeric’s Daniel Sullivan
In this video, Daniel Sullivan discusses the back story of Temple Turmeric's propriety turmeric variety, the recent rebrand, and its work and relationship with Boulder Brands Investment Group, which took an equity position in the company last year.
Video: What’s Next for Cold-Pressed Juice? Brand Executives Weigh In.
In the following videos, we take a deeper dive into the fast-growing segment, having queried brand owners and company executives at the event -- including Evolution Fresh president Jeff Hansberry, Suja VP of Marketing Heather MacNeil and Lumi Juice founder Hillary Lewis -- about the continued development for cold-pressed juice.
Press Clips: Starbucks Gets in on the Cold Brew Craze; Biotech and Non-GMO Advocates Face Off in North Carolina
The addition of cold brew coffee comes as the latest news in Starbucks’ ongoing push into trending categories. In February the company added coconut milk as a dairy alternative for both its hot and cold beverages.
Video: Ingredient Trends — Plant-Based Protein, Turmeric, Matcha Emerge at Expo West
In this video, filmed on location at the 2015 Natural Products Expo West, BevNET CEO John Craven and BevNET Managing Editor point to specific examples of brands and products that aim to address sustained consumer demand for natural functionality through the application of emerging ingredients.
Expo West Video: Why Millennials are Key to Califia Farms’ Innovation Strategy
Describing millennials as “leading the way now,” Califia Farms CEO Greg Steltenpohl and his team are focused on an innovation and marketing strategy that targets consumers within the demographic set.
Expo West Video: The Continued Evolution of Cold-Pressed Juice
Amid a constant flow of new entrants to the category, cold-pressed brands, as expected, continue to lean on new and trendy ingredients as a way to innovate and differentiate. However, it was clear that many are also attempting to distinguish themselves via price and package variety.