In this Distribution Roundup, Lemon Perfect picks up two new DSD partners in Southern California in the form of John Lenore & Co. and Classic Beverage. Meanwhile, natural energy drink brand Sunshine is gaining a foothold in Florida through expansion in Publix and 7-Eleven. Plus, DRY makes moves in Texas, Aura Bora lands at Whole Foods and pea milk brand Sproud makes its North American retail debut.
On Tuesday, Oatly closed one of the largest food and beverage financing deals of the year when it announced a $200 million funding round led by Blackstone Growth. Speaking with BevNET, Oatly CEO Toni Petersson said the financing represents a diversification of the company’s ownership structure, bringing in an American firm that will work directly with its European and Asian arms.
Thanks in part to encouraging sales growth and a rebound in energy drinks, C-store retailers are more optimistic about the outlook for the total beverage category than a month ago, according to a survey conducted by Goldman Sachs Equity Research analysts published today.
Greg Fleishman, co-founder and CEO of clean label baking mix and snack company Foodstirs, discussed how the brand has adapted to a new consumer environment, explained how to manage and enhance relationships with retail buyers, why it’s critical to leverage every resource at your disposal during the pandemic and why consumer communication is the one thing that keeps him up at night.
As consumers continue to seek better-for-you options in the hydration and sports drink space, Arizona-based Recover 180° is aiming to amplify its nationwide presence as it expands into new regional markets across the country. Founded in 2018 by real estate developer Mike Meldman, Recover 180° makes a line of functional hydration drinks intended to meet multiple need states including post-workout, travel, and hangovers.
In episode two of SprintToSuccess, we’ll be giving a glimpse into our sprint strategy process and show you how we applied it to Melissa’s brand and tackle some of her challenges. We cover surveying her competitive category, identifying a target, crafting positioning, and honing brand personality and tone.
Five years in the making, kombucha trade association Kombucha Brewers International (KBI) this week released its Code of Practice, a set of processing definitions, safety protocols and quality standards aimed at establishing transparency with consumers amidst a slew of innovative products and rapid category changes.
An internal battle over whether to publicly support the Black Lives Matter movement at Red Bull has led to the exit of two of the energy drink maker’s top North American executives, according to media reports this week. In an email to BevNET, Red Bull confirmed that Red Bull North America (RBNA) CEO Stefan Kozak and president and CMO Amy Taylor were “no longer with the company.”
SZZL is a new line of sparkling tea drinks that is launching with two flavors, Peach Perfect and Ginger Lime. The products have 30 calories per 12 ounce can.
The seventeenth round of Elevator Talk Livestream features leaders from SOUND, Aura Bora, Fruitbelt, ReGrained and ENOF. This week's special co-host is Jennifer Palmer, CEO of Gerber Finance, who will share her thoughts, questions and feedback with the participants.
Detroit-based beverage company Ellis Island Tea announced this week that it has received an investment from comedian Kevin Hart, a partnership that will allow the brand to increase production ahead of expansion plans this year. Details of the deal were not disclosed.
In a deal that values the company at nearly $2 billion, Swedish oat milk producer Oatly has secured $200 million in new equity funding in a round led by Blackstone Growth and a group of celebrity investors which includes Oprah Winfrey and former Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz, the company announced today.
On this week's Office Hours, BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero is joined by Alisa Williams, Partner at VMG, and Matt Thomas, founder and CEO of Brew Dr. Kombucha, for a discussion exploring the roles that CPG entrepreneurs and brand leaders can play in supporting a more diverse, equitable and inclusive industry.
PepsiCo’s North American beverage business felt the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic in Q2, the company announced today in its quarterly earnings report, as organic revenue fell 7% due to declines in the convenience, gas and food service channels, offsetting positive growth in grocery, mass and dollar stores.
