This Week’s New Products: Eggo Nog and NFT Iced Tea
This week’s smattering of new products saw Nutpods and Chobani getting into the winter holiday spirit, Wize Tea making its first foray into NFTs and Manzanita celebrating Día De Los Muertos.
Laird Superfood to Shut Down Oregon Production Plant
Laird Superfood is shutting down its Sisters, Oregon production and fulfillment facility and laying off all workers at the end of this year, the company announced this week.
Can a New Crop of Rum Brands Upgrade the Spirit’s Reputation?
As demand for premium-plus tequila and whiskey continues to grow, will high-end and craft rums help boost the category? A new crop of brands and entrepreneurs offering rums that are premium flavored, sustainable, and positioned for craft cocktails are betting on it.
Taste Radio: Scaling Small? It’s Hubs’ Specialty. And, Our Take On The Bang Bankruptcy.
This episode features an interview with Marshall Rabil, the co-owner of specialty peanut brand Hubs, who spoke about the brand’s efforts to reach younger consumers and the duality of his role as a steward and modernizer of his family’s business. Also, the hosts discussed the news that Bang Energy has filed for bankruptcy and why innovative entrepreneurs are often hamstrung by their own achievements.
Smári Founder Announces Upcycled Barley Milk Brand Bygg
After closing the book on his last food and beverage venture Smári Organics, Smári Ásmundsson’s new brand has the Icelandic-born, California-based entrepreneur thinking Bygg.
PepsiCo Raises Year-End Guidance in Strong Q3 Report
PepsiCo raised its 2022 full-year organic revenue guidance to +12% in its Q3 earnings report this week, citing a strong quarterly performance bolstered by North American market share increases in snacks and sports drinks. The New York-based conglomerate surpassed analyst expectations in its quarterly report, announcing Q3 net revenue growth of 8.8% to $21.97 billion.
KDP: Roger Johnson to Lead New Supply Chain Team
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is recalibrating its supply chain management strategy with the promotion of Roger Johnson as its new chief supply chain officer.
Expo East 2022: Swoon Finds Sweet Spot in Zero-Sugar
Speaking with BevNET at Expo East 2022 in September, Ross explained how the brand’s approach toward the market has informed its product innovation strategy, making gains with Gen Z through its recent collaboration with Chamberlain Coffee, and growing the brand in mainstream vs. natural channels.
Bang Announces Kathy Cole As New COO
Bang Energy has named food and beverage industry veteran Kathy Cole as its new COO, responsible for overseeing the “integration of a new high-performance operations model,” according to the company. She will report to Bang founder and CEO Jack Owoc.
Hard Juice Maker Pulp Culture Launches Protein-Rich, Functional BUILD
With the California-based hard juice brand’s latest flavor – the protein-rich BUILD – Pulp Culture is continuing to push forward its mission of creating a better-for-you alcoholic drink.
BevNET Live Winter 2022: Beat the Pack with Waterloo Sparkling Water’s Jason Shiver
To explore the tactics around building brands in the crowd, BevNET Live will welcome Jason Shiver, the CEO of Waterloo Sparkling Water and a long-time executive who has built teams in competitive CPG categories over the course of his career. During the past two decades, in addition to the sparkling water free-for-all, Shiver has successfully entered the fray in categories that include popcorn (SkinnyPop), gluten-free snacking (Glutino), and the low-carb diet trend (Atkins Natural).
Expo East 2022: TOST CEO Brooks Addington Talks Non-Alc Trends, New Cans
TOST CEO Brooks Addington discussed how rising interest in non-alcoholic alternatives is fueling interest in his brands's sparkling drinks, and shared the company's plans to launch in cans.
Taste Radio: How ‘Super’ Successful Founders Ask For Advice, Build Value And Gain Trust
Super Coffee co-founders Jim, Jake and Jordan DeCicco spoke about how shifting headwinds have influenced recent business decisions, the impact of Covid on innovation and what they learned from being on the front lines of distribution and merchandising since the outset of the pandemic. They also explained the value of being “the world’s foremost experts on Super Coffee” and how they communicate exit planning to their team.
Sanzo Commemorates ‘Linsanity’ Anniversary with Jeremy Lin LTO Launch
Asian-inspired sparkling water brand Sanzo has partnered with former NBA star Jeremy Lin for a new LTO flavor launch – Asian Pear – which is rolling out in retail and online this month. The launch is timed to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of “Linsanity."