As many foodservice operations cease or dramatically reduce their footprint, food products originally produced and packaged for restaurants, hotels, schools and other establishments are being rerouted to retailers and wholesalers. But before feeding the surging demand in stores, they need labels that are approved for these new channels.
Hilary McCain, founder/CEO of CBD-infused sparkling water brand Sweet Reason, spoke about attempting to own a distinct message about the benefits of CBD, strategizing amid an uncertain cannabis regulatory environment and how she convinced Lerer Hippeau, an early-stage venture capital fund notable for early investments in Warby Parker and Casper, to invest in the brand.
While many established companies are bearing up under the storm thus far, small entrepreneurial brands, from early stage startups to regional players, who often have less distribution to start, are feeling the pain from retail disruptions. However, amidst lost supermarket sales or cancelled expansion plans, online is providing a possible bright spot for these brands.
The increased demand for products through online sellers like Amazon means that brands need to shift tactics -- something that’s hard to do during a crisis; Betsy McGinn sat for a video interview with Jeff Klineman, BevNET’s editor-in-chief, to provide important advice on how brands should approach their Amazon and broader e-comm strategies as consumer behavior takes a disruptive turn to online food and beverage purchasing.
We're back for a 60 minute livestream today, March 26th. The fourth round of food and beverage brands includes Suja, Coolhaus, Poppi, Cappello's, and Tempo. As a special treat this week, we also have Darren Rovell, who is a Partner at Tastemaker Capital and former ESPN reporter, weighing in on the brands and providing feedback.
Even as the coronavirus has ground most of the U.S. economy to a near stop, food and beverage suppliers and retailers — deemed an essential business by state and federal governments — are running at full speed, and looking to expand.
Jones Soda reported revenue and gross profit declines during its Q4 and full year 2019 earnings report, released yesterday, driven by a 9% drop in its fountain business as the result of a decrease in the brand’s 7-Eleven store count. The Seattle-based craft soda maker reported $11.5 million in full year revenue, down 6% from $12.6 million the year before.
In a video call with BevNET editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman, Adnan Durrani, the CEO of American Halal, the maker of the Saffron Road line of meals and snacks, gave strategic insight into the challenges of operating a large food and beverage company during these chaotic times.
In this gallery, we highlight a selection of new ready-to-drink cocktail releases, including low sugar cocktail launches from XED, Well and Miami Cocktail Co., along with three new vodka expressions from Insolito and limited edition offerings from Van Gogh Vodka and Germain-Robin.
Announced in February, Tea Riot Plant-Powered Energy is both a new product and a pivot for the company. Whereas its previous offerings were non-carbonated beverages, this one is carbonated and is packaged in a 16 oz. tallboy can.
With an unprecedented level of competition in craft beer, many traditionally beer-centric businesses are choosing to diversify their portfolios and provide a wider range of options by adding distilling to their operations.
If you’ve ever seen an episode of ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” chances are that John Brenkus is a familiar face. The Emmy Award-winning creator/host of “Sport Science,” and Chief Brand Officer of natural energy drink brand Kill Cliff, Brenkus joined us to discuss the origins of his work, his process for evaluating functional ingredients, including CBD and navigating pitfalls in consumer education.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was designed to provide an option for employees to take paid leave due coronavirus-related illness, quarantine or loss of childcare. But some food and beverage company CEOs are also concerned about keeping their manufacturing facilities staffed, due to their operating at a size at which having a few employees out on leave could hamper production.
Last week, private equity firm VMG Partners and marketing firm Right Side Up hosted a webinar, titled “Shifting to Online Amid COVID-19,” to help companies swiftly optimize their ecommerce business to meet increased demand and maximize their direct-to-consumer (DTC) and Amazon sales.
