Though the entrepreneurs and judges may have been miles apart, the Showdown must go on. Twelve beverage startups competed today in the New Beverage Showdown 19 Semifinals, an online pitch slam held ahead of BevNET and NOSH Virtually Live which will take place June 23 and 24. Six finalists were chosen to move on to the next round.
Bar Rescue host/producer Jon Taffer discussed several timely topics, including how bar owners can persevere in the Covid era and what he views as the elements of a successful brand. He also discussed the genesis and growth of his Taffer’s Mixologist brand, the importance of authenticity in leveraging his fame and celebrity and why he’s personally involved in buyer meetings and sales visits.
With more than 30 sessions over two days, BevNET and NOSH’s Virtually Live event will take over your computer on June 23 and 24 -- and serve as a learning and insights platform for much longer. We’ve posted our extensive agenda today! Here are some highlights from the main stage and breakout sessions.
At-home consumption trends sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to continue in May even as parts of the country began to loosen restrictions, according to a Goldman Sachs Equity Research report on Nielsen sales data.
CrossFit saw several of its food and beverage brand partners end their affiliation with the fitness brand over the last 24 hours in response to a tweet by founder and CEO Greg Glassman about racism and public health.
Kitu Life Super Coffee announced today its first steps into the rising plant-based beverage space with a coffee and a creamer, both made with pea protein, launching nationwide this month. The new flavors include Coconut Mocha Super Coffee, which contains 200 mg of caffeine, 10 grams of protein and 90 calories per 11 oz. can, and French Vanilla Super Creamer.
New Age Beverages Corp. will seek to change its name, dropping the “Beverages” to become “NewAge, Inc.” according to a notice of annual meeting of shareholders filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday. The proposed name change comes as the publicly traded company seeks to divest several beverage brands from its portfolio and diversify its product offerings.
Industry group the Sugar Association wants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue stricter labeling guidance on alternative sweeteners in order “to stop misleading claims about added sugars content.” But other industry stakeholders argue that product labels are already transparent enough.
Agua Bucha Kombucha-Infused Sparkling Water is a new product line from Florida-based Mother Kombucha. The products contain only 5 calories and 1 gram of sugar per can and are both USDA Organic certified and shelf stable.
Serial entrepreneur Ashley Rogers spoke how she has applied lessons from her first two businesses to the development of her current brand, Spudsy. She also shared the remarkable story about how she identified and partnered with a co-packer, why she is more thoughtful about retailer relationships than in the past and how outsourced staff has supported Spudsy’s rapid growth.
Organic protein beverage maker Orgain announced yesterday the first recipients of its new Grants for Greater Good program, which provides funds to startup brands with health and wellness oriented missions. The three winning startups include kolanut fruit-based energy drink Bissy, non-dairy ice cream maker Hakuna Brands and IncludeHealth, a maker of fitness equipment for the disabled and elderly.
Global chia producer Benexia is using its proprietary ingredients to expand its CPG brand, Seeds of Wellness, with the launch of chia pastas, plant-based milk and a chia-derived oil.
Monster Beverage Corp. told shareholders at a meeting on Monday that energy drink sales are rebounding as the country begins to loosen restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
