Review: Ugly Limited Edition Flavors Tackle Soda Head On

Amidst the global pandemic of 2020, Ugly recently announced a new limited edition flavor program to help further drive the company’s DTC business. Today, we’re taking a look at three of these flavors, including Cherry Cola, Dr. Ugly and Orange Soda.

DrinkTru Secures $1.5M To “Save” Company

Boston-based functional shot brand DrinkTru has secured $1.5 million in new funding, founder James McNamara told BevNET last week. According to founder Jack McNamara, the company had been in talks over a potential investment with a venture capital partner for about four months before they pulled out in March, requiring the brand to quickly change gears.

SOS Hydration to Launch RTD Line

SOS Hydration, a California-based maker of electrolyte drink mixes, is the latest powdered beverage brand to take the leap to liquid, announcing today it will launch a ready-to-drink enhanced water line this summer. The line features Citrus, Fruit Punch, Mango and Watermelon flavors and will retail for $2.48 per 16.9 oz. bottle.

Taste Radio Ep. 215: After A $550 Million Exit, Why Vega’s Co-Founder Has ‘Culture’ On His Mind

Brendan Brazier, co-founder of pioneering plant-based protein brand Vega and “hard” cold-pressed juice brand Pulp Culture, spoke about how his passion for plant-based nutrition culminated in Vega, why the company embraced the saying “ignorance is our only competition,” how he assessed the opportunity for a better-for-you alcoholic beverages and his perspective on the evolution of plant-based foods.

Review: Untitled Art CBD Sparkling Water

As a brand, Untitled Art is focused on delivering the “newest drink concepts and styles, showcasing our amazing artists, and collaborating with our friends around the world.” The company currently produces a beer and a CBD-infused sparkling water.

Spirits Feature: Despite Uncertainty, Capital is Still Out There

In the first quarter of 2020, thanks to Covid-19, the investment landscape for spirits—and literally every other category—quickly devolved into something unexpected. So what does this mean for investors and entrepreneurs looking for venture capital funding?

Review: Taika

Taika is a new line of 9.5 oz. ready to drink coffee beverages that describes itself as “the world’s first perfectly calibrated coffee.” The three-SKU line, which is sold direct-to-consumers via the company’s website, features formulations that are enhanced with adaptogens and functional mushrooms while still providing smooth flavor.

Taste Radio Insider Ep. 86: GT Dave Has A Refreshing Take On His Iconic Brand

GT Dave, founder & CEO of GT’s Kombucha, spoke about the brand’s recent packaging refresh and what he viewed as significant problems in how consumers perceived each of the company’s product lines, how his perspective as a category creator impacted the moves, why he’s embraced a more public persona than in the past and reacted to the provocative “Forbes” profile of him.

Out of Office: On Draft Coffee Suppliers Pivot to Survive

As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a shutdown of all non-essential businesses, leading to both mass layoffs and a widespread shift to work-from-home for white collar workers, the growing space for cold brew coffee on draft has been effectively halted. The impact has forced coffee brands and distributors that had relied heavily on the office channel to make rapid changes.

Office Hours: Common Challenges, Hard Choices for Brands & Investors Under Stress

Office Hours, BevNET and NOSH’s weekly live call-in show, returns Tuesday, May 26 at 3 p.m. ET. Jordan Gaspar, managing partner at AF Ventures and Ben Mand, CEO of Harmless Harvest will field questions from food and beverage industry entrepreneurs about investor and brand relationships and how they can evolve in a crisis climate.

Review: HopTea Limited Edition “The Citra Bomb One”

The Citra Bomb One is Hoplark HopTea’s first flavor that’s being released as part of the brand’s new membership program, which offers subscribers an exclusive flavor every month. This variety, which is their member offering for May 2020, uses a white tea base and carbonated water and is double dry hopped with citra hops.