New Beverage Showdown 19: Meet the Contestants and Judges!

Next week BevNET’s New Beverage Showdown 19, the leading business pitch competition for the beverage industry, will feature the founders of the hottest new beverage brands, all competing virtually. The semifinalists have been chosen, as well as the expert judges who will be narrowing the field, providing feedback, and choosing the winner. Let’s meet the players.

Review: BeforeYouSpeak Coffee RTD

BeforeYouSpeak is a company that produces functional coffee products, which, up until recently, were only available in instant form. Now, the company has ventured into the RTD space with this product, an 11.2 ounce cold-pressed coffee enhanced with functional ingredients.

Speed Date Your Next Investor at Virtually Live Summer 2020

To connect emerging brands with a group of investors who can support their fundraising efforts, the BevNET & NOSH Virtually Live Summer 2020 two-day event will feature structured investor speed dating sessions to spark new business partnerships.

Research Recap: 2019 ‘Blockbuster’ Year for Launches, But Pandemic Causes Shifts

Though the current market has been thoroughly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving uncertainty about how consumer behavior will shift long term, a new report by market research firm IRI showed that last year was marked by numerous “blockbuster” food and beverage launches. Also, Euromonitor predicts food and beverage to be lone growth sector in 2020 as pandemic impacts become clearer.

‘Shocked and Abhorred’: Industry Reacts to Inequality, Violence

In response to the death of George Floyd, some of the country’s largest food and beverage companies, as well as a large group of entrepreneurs and emerging brands, have offered statements of support, financial donations to advocacy groups and commitments to open a dialogue about racial justice in America.

Taste Radio Ep. 216: World-Class Brands May Start With Passion, But They’re Driven By This

Justin Baldwin, founder of the acclaimed Justin Winery, chronicled the development of his highly awarded brand and spoke about the importance of leveraging one’s skill sets and admitting their weaknesses, mitigating risk through financial discipline and how entrepreneurs can best position their companies for success in good times and bad.

Shaka Tea Raises $2.3M as Brand Preps Nationwide Growth

Shaka Tea, a Hawaii-based maker of ready-to-drink and bagged tea products, has raised $2.3 million in a funding round led by farming company Mahi Pono, bringing the brand’s total financing to $4.1 million. The round also includes investments from King’s Hawaiian, Gingerbread Capital, LDR Ventures, Allison Rose Culinary Ventures and Park Bench Capital as well as several angel investors.

Gallery: May’s New Products

Brands started gearing up for warmer weather this month, with a limited edition summer launch from DRY Botanical Bubbly, new lemonades from IZZE and cherry-flavored releases from Olipop and Ugly. Check out the gallery for notable May launches, including Rebbl’s new keto line and kombucha-infused sparkling water from Mother Kombucha.

Taste Radio Insider Ep. 87: Winning Over Investors Is Step One. Step Two Is About This.

Allison & Stephen Ellsworth, co-founders of prebiotic soda brand Poppi, spoke about lessons learned from their first year in business, the keys to winning investment on “Shark Tank,” how they navigated a brand overhaul and maintaining their independence while aligned with influential and experienced strategic partners.

Review: Recess Adds New Flavors

As discussed in a recent interview with CEO Benjamin Witte, Recess is expanding its line of CBD enhanced sparkling beverages to include flavors that target a mainstream audience. Today we’re taking a look at the three latest SKUs: Black Cherry, Blood Orange and Coconut Lime.