News

There Wasn’t One Destination to Buy Black-Owned Spirits, So This ‘Tech Nerd’ Built It

Like many people cooped up during the pandemic, Washington, D.C. resident Charles Everett spent much of his time on lockdown scrolling social media and building out his bar. But in the case of these quarantine hobbies, Everett’s quest to collect Black-owned spirits and share them on social media has turned into something bigger: the first bev-alc e-commerce site entirely devoted to Black-owned products.

Elevator Talk: Hip Pop, Pari, Aqua Boost, Pablo’s Mate, Zenjoy

Watch founders and CEOs introduce their brands and provide a recap of recent news and updates. This week's special co-host is Adam Louras, a principal with Mercenary, who shared his thoughts, questions and feedback with the participants.

Distribution: Laurel’s Takes A2 Lattes East With Wegmans

The Los Angeles-based RTD coffee maker is bringing its three-SKU line of A2 dairy milk-based lattes — including a new matcha variety — into all 150-plus Wegmans stores this month, a move that founder Isabel Washington says brings the brand deeper into a channel where it can thrive.

Soda, Energy Drinks Dropped From Nebraska SNAP

Nebraska has successfully petitioned the USDA to remove soda and energy drinks from the state’s SNAP benefits, signaling a broader change happening in MAHA policy and its impact on the beverage industry.

Jones Soda Cuts Losses, But Sales Still Soft

Jones Soda managed to arrest net losses and start generating traction in cannabis drinks in Q1, but lower sales revenue dragged on gross profit as the craft soda company attempts its latest turnaround.

New Products: Vitaminwater Refreshes, Campari Goes NA, and Summer Sippers Arrive

The warm weather is here and summer is on the horizon, and with it comes new refreshing sippers from brands like Milo’s, Jordan’s Skinny Mixes and The Ryl Company. This week’s new products also feature a slew of new non-alcoholic cocktail launches from startups like De Soi and Naked Life to legacy liquor players like Campari. Plus, we look at Vitaminwater’s big refresh.

Protein Drinks Keep Punching, As Core Brands Grow and Occasions Expand

The protein-in-everything trend has flared up at times over the past decade, but current conditions -- with tailwinds from health and wellness now supercharged by the arrival of Ozempic and GLP-1 drugs -- only seem to be growing more favorable.