News

International Beverage Holdings Ltd. Partners with Hotaling & Co.

International Beverage Holdings Ltd. has announced a new partnership with leading super-premium artisanal spirits importer and distiller Hotaling & Co., as part of a new phase of ambitious growth for its portfolio in the US market.

Hebridean Drinks Businesses Collaborate for Remote Tastings

A company which sources ‘wild water’ from the Isle of Lewis for whisky drinkers to enjoy with their dram is uniting remote island communities in a digital collaboration with a small whisky shop in the Outer Hebrides, a well-known Scottish distiller and a whisky expert

Plantible Raises $4.6M to Scale Plant Protein

B2B food tech startup Plantible announced this week the close of a $4.6M seed round, co-led by Hong Kong-based early-stage venture capital group Vectr Ventures and New York-based Lerer Hippeau, along with Kellogg’s venture arm eighteen94 Capital and San Francisco-based Food for Thought Worldwide (FTW) Ventures.

BluePrint Founders Launch Earth & Star Mushroom Lattes

While their latest venture, Earth & Star, is a sharp departure from BluePrint, co-founders Zoe Sakoutis and Erica Huss are applying the same principles that proved so successful in juice as they look to put their spin on a new product: functional mushroom-infused oat milk lattes.

Taste Radio Insider Ep. 83: How Bubble Is Redefining E-Commerce For Next-Gen Brands

We spoke with Bubble founder & CEO Jessica Young about how she drew upon her experience as a chef and product developer to launch the health-focused online marketplace, how Bubble is enhancing visibility and sales for small brands via the platform and how she assessed opportunities and challenges for the company and thoughtfully communicated each to investors.

KeHE VP: Innovation, Promotion Still Crucial in Crisis

In a webinar, three leaders in the natural grocery space -- KeHE Distributors VP of category management and growth solutions Kate Paul, Independent Natural Food Retailers Association interim CEO Pat Sheridan, and Natural Co-Op Grocers senior director of purchasing Ben Nauman -- discussed how distributors and retailers are responding to the fast-changing environment and what brands can do to stay on top of the crisis.

Reusable CPG Packaging Platform Loop Expands Nationwide

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many high-profile sustainability initiatives have taken a back seat to single-use packaging, with many grocery stores banning reusable bags and Starbucks no longer accepting refillable mugs. Despite this, Loop is going all in on reusable packaging, launching its waste-free CPG delivery platform nationwide through retailers Walgreens and Kroger with heavyweight brand partners including PepsiCo, Nestlé and Unilever.

Gallery: April’s New Products

April’s new product launches were all about caffeine and CBD, with energy-boosting launches from Talking Rain and Moonlight Beverage Co and hemp-infused offerings from Aprch, Tempo and CBD Living. Check out the gallery for notable April releases, including the latest flavor from MTN DEW and Pathwater’s charitable Earth Day bottle.

Neuro Turns to Gut Health For Next Functional Innovation

Despite being one of the established veterans of the functional beverage set, Neuro is still looking for ways to expand its product range. Along with introducing powdered products, the California-based company is this month introducing its eighth SKU, Probucha, a shelf-stable probiotic drink intended to promote gut health.