BevNET Live NYC on June 10 + 11: Meet the New Beverage Showdown Semifinalists
It’s time to reveal the semifinalists for BevNET’s signature pitch competition, the New Beverage Showdown, taking place at BevNET Live NYC on June 10 + 11.
Distribution: Juni Adds Kroger Banners, BRĒZ Takes On Mass
In beverage distribution news, sparkling adaptogenic tea brand Juni is now available at Kroger banner stores, as Magic Mind takes to the skies with Fiji Airways.
Spritz Society Bets the Brand on The Skinny Spritz
After the diet culture of the 2000s propelled the commercialization of the skinny margarita, can the better-for-you trends of the 2020s do the same for the skinny spritz? One brand is betting on it.
NIQ: Hard Tea RTDs Gain On-Premise Share as Spirits & RTDs Lead Growth
On-premise bev-alc trends have been steady this year, trending between flat and up 1% over the last few months, but categories have experienced their own twists and turns, according to a new report from market research firm NIQ.
Taste Radio: How Ripi Landed Whole Foods & Target In Its First 15 Months
Breaking into a crowded grocery category takes more than a great product – it takes a brand shoppers can’t ignore. In this episode, Ian Tecklin, the founder and CEO of chef-driven frozen pasta brand Ripi, explains why he made brand identity and packaging a core investment from day one and how it helped the company secure nationwide launches at Whole Foods and Target within its first 15 months.
Olipop Embraces ‘Feel Good Soda’ With Branding Refresh, Campaign
Olipop is unveiling its first major brand refresh since its launch in 2018, debuting an updated label design as part of a new marketing and creative initiative positioning it as “The feel good soda.”
Zero-Proof Playbook: Echelon’s Max Schikora on White Space, Sales Occasions
As part of our ongoing series on the evolution of zero-proof drinking, we talked to the Echelon Kitchen & Bar's Max Schikora on where he sees white space in NA spirits, why sugar plays an important role in how consumers are drinking, and which seasonal moderation trends still matter.
Can Better Pricing, More Variety Spark Growth In Non-Alc Wine?
Non-alc wine is betting that a reduced entry price point, more variety and a sprinkle of functionality will bring more mainstream consumers to the set.
Report: Danone Set to Exit Lifeway Foods
The French food giant is selling its stake in the U.S. kefir market leader less than a year after it attempted to acquire the company.
People Moves: Nutpods CEO Departs; Slate Recruits New CMO
The CEO had been with Bellevue, Wash.-based Nutpods since April 2024, months after the plant-based creamer brand was acquired by private equity firm MPearlRock.
Jones Soda’s ‘Fallout’ Collab Leads to Radiant Q1 Earnings
Co-branded Fallout beverages provided Jones Soda with a jolt of revenue growth in its Q1 2026 earnings this week, as the company posted a 193.9% year-over-year increase to $12.4 million, up from just $4.2 million the year before.
‘Protein for All’: Muscle Milk Reformulates RTD Line with Ultrafiltered Milk, Cleaner Labels
Muscle Milk is undergoing its most significant transformation yet, rolling out a reformulation and packaging refresh across its RTD line to reposition the brand from strictly gym fuel to “protein for all.”
Taste Radio: CPG’s Plot Twist: Old Ingredients, New Money
From beef tallow fries to real sugar candy and olive oil potato chips, the hosts discuss how the hottest brands in CPG are winning – and raising serious money – by reimagining old-school ingredients for modern consumers. We also meet with Better Sour co-founders Bella Hughes and Semira Nikou to discuss the brand’s new gummy line and upcoming launch at Whole Foods.
Spirits Distribution: RNDC Exit Shakes Up Partnerships; RTDs Expand
This month’s distribution moves are headlined by RNDC's continued national wind-down, scattering independent and major brands to new partnerships. Meanwhile, a wave of ready-to-drink (RTD) brands are pushing into new markets from Wisconsin to Southern California.