Constellation Brands announced this week it has acquired a minority ownership stake in Karma Culture LLC, the makers of Karma Wellness Water. The deal marks the beer and spirits giant’s first investment in a non-alcoholic beverage brand through its Constellation Ventures arm. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In this roundup of People Moves: Fernando Mercé steps down as CEO of Nestlé Waters North America, SodaStream USA adds Matt Kahn as its first ever United States-based CMO and Jordan Shulman joins Better Booch as VP of sales. Meanwhile, Juliet Blake leaves Lemon Perfect to launch a brand consulting service and Red Thread Coffee Co. names its new VP of sales and operations.
Soul Grind is a line of unsweetened cold brew coffees that are infused with 10 mg of hemp CBD. The line includes three SKUs: Black, Vanilla and Mexican Chocolate. All three of these flavors contain a straightforward list of ingredients at their foundation: organic cold brew coffee, natural flavors and broad spectrum hemp extract (which contains hemp oil and coconut oil).
Canned water maker Liquid Death announced today it has raised $9 million in a Series A funding round led by Velvet Sea Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to $11.25 million. The round will primarily help the brand to build out its sales team ahead of national expansion in retail and on-premise outlets this year and will also help to increase manufacturing output.
![In the Courtroom: Court Tosses Wanu Water Suit in Blow to Founder [Updated]](https://dg6qn11ynnp6a.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/19172721/BevNet_wanuwater_courtroom_thumbnail-150x150.jpg)
A lawsuit filed by Wanu Water against shareholders and former directors was dismissed last week; Monster and Coke lost a jury trial last week which ruled in favor of the family of Hubert Hansen; LaCroix maker National Beverage Corp. declared victory in a class action lawsuit after the plaintiff retracted allegations that the brand was falsely advertised as “100% natural.”
Jacinda Swan is the co-founder of The Water Kefir People, an early stage probiotic beverage brand focused on delivering the highest quality fermented beverages made with organic fruits, roots, teas and botanicals. The company aims to share its culture with active lifestyle millennials as it continues to expand along the West Coast.
For some time now, the analytic mantra ‘drinking less, but drinking better’ has been the chant du jour for both industry experts and companies. The movement, led by Millenials and Gen Z, suggests that consumers are going out less and opting for low-ABV or premium spirits and that they’re also drinking fewer drinks throughout the evening.
In this breakout session held during BevNET Live Winter 2019, Blair Cornish, senior VP of sales at Vive Organic, breaks down the essential elements of building a sales team while scaling, from the hiring process to onboarding and culture.
Viraj Puri, co-founder/CEO of greenhouse innovator and fresh produce brand Gotham Greens, discussed the company’s genesis, its ambitious mission and multifaceted business model, weaving technology and human resources to reach an optimal outcome, how he defines and communicates ‘local’ as a marketing term and best practices for working with local governments and leaders.
BrightFox is a unique beverage concept that describes itself as a “nightlife hydration beverage for a brighter tomorrow.” The product blends vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and antioxidants into six-SKU line of zero-calorie beverages packaged in 10.1 oz aluminum bottles with either a black or white matte finish.
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) announced today it has agreed to acquire a “substantial portion” of dairy producer Dean Foods’ assets for a base price of $425 million as a stalking horse bidder. According to a press release from Dean Foods, DFA is set to acquire 44 of Dean’s liquid and frozen facilities, including real estate, inventory, equipment, direct store delivery system and other corporate assets.
As demand for cold brew coffee continues to grow, many brands have focused on single-serve innovations to gain a foothold in the category. Minnesota-based Bizzy Coffee, however, believes it can make bigger long term gains as a fridge staple rather than playing me-too in the grab-and-go set.
Beyond THC and CBD, some studies suggest that other cannabinoids -- such as CBG (cannabigerol) and CBN (cannabinol) -- offers a range of other functional benefits, including antibacterial and antispasmodic effects.
According to Emily Schildt, “We’re living in an age of too much stuff.” With the goal of cutting through this clutter, Schildt, a CPG marketing consultant, founded Pop Up Grocer, a traveling food and beverage brand activation spotlighting a curated selection of emerging natural brands, offering them exposure to consumers, influencers and industry professionals in a candy-colored Instagram-friendly setting.
