IRI Reports: Small Brands Have Mighty Presence as Pacesetters
For the first time small companies with revenues under $1 billion make up more than half of IRI’s New Product Pacesetters report, which was released yesterday.
KDP: Headwinds From Allied Brands Blunt Solid Q1
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) reported a net sales increase of 2.5% for the first quarter of 2019, remaining on track to hit its long-term growth targets despite taking a hit in packaged beverages. All four segments of KDP’s business — Packaged beverages, Beverage Concentrates, Latin American Beverage and Coffee Systems — registered an increase in underlying net sales.
Review: Agua Rica
Agua Rica is a new line of beverages created to bring traditional agua fresca flavors to the masses in a convenient ready-to-drink form. The brand’s initial three flavors include Hibiscus, Cucumber, and Lemonade, each packaged in 12 oz PET bottles.
Cannabis Shot Startup K-Zen Lands $5M in Seed Funding
Underscoring the momentum behind the nascent cannabis beverage category, San Francisco-based startup K-Zen Beverages yesterday announced it has secured $5 million in seed funding from venture capital group DCM prior to its projected launch this summer.
Elevator Talk: Bold Brew Coffee Wants to Inspire Consumers to Be Bold with Natural Energy
Jack Doheny is the co-founder of Bold Brew Coffee, a brand that aims to fuel active lifestyle consumers with organic coffee drinks. The company produces classic cold brew, nitro cold brew, and oat milk lattes in cans.
Bare Bucha and Stout Tanks Announce New Kombucha Fermentation Tech
Seeking to help kombucha brands deliver a consistently non-alcoholic product, Bare Bucha and Stout Tanks have partnered to create new technology they say will not only cut fermentation time in half, but also keep alcohol levels below the 0.5% ABV legal threshold without pasteurization, dilution, or microfiltration.
Review: Dr. Priestley’s Fizzy Water
Dr. Priestley's Fizzy Water is a new line of “small batch” flavored sparkling water that recently launched via Amazon. The initial four flavors include Rosemary Grapefruit, Cucumber Mint, Meyer Lemon Ginger and Original Virgin.
Taste Radio Ep. 161: The Decisions That Almost Derailed a Mamma’s Mission
As part of a wide-ranging interview, Mamma Chia founder/CEO Janie Hoffman spoke about the origins of her brand and how she created a foundation for its rapid ascent. She also discussed a painful lesson about hiring for experience versus cultural fit, explained her belief that “you can’t teach attitude” and why everyday happiness starts with a joyful spirit.
SPINS: Kombucha Sales Growth, Velocity Slow as MULO Share Expands
Having reviewed the data and discussed the conclusions, here are our three biggest takeaways from SPINS’s kombucha market performance analysis, as presented by Bobbi Leahy, Director of Sales at market research group SPINS, during Kombucha Brewers International's (KBI) KombuchaKon 2019 on April 19 in Long Beach, Calif.
Press Clips: Philadelphia 76ers Innovation Lab Welcomes Hydrant Powder Mix
The NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers have welcomed Hydrant, a hydration powder mix, into its Innovation Lab, Forbes reported. The team’s incubator also helped Hydrant close a $2 million investment round.
Cannabis Forum: New Frontier Data Provides Clarity in Cannabis
Make your decisions about developing cannabis-infused products well-informed ones. At the Cannabis Forum for Food and Beverage presented by BevNET and NOSH, John Kagia, the Chief Knowledge Officer of New Frontier Data, will dive into the market and consumer data you need to grow your cannabusiness.
Taste Radio Insider Ep. 32: The ‘First’ Name in Investment Opens Up Its Playbook
A trio of executives from investment and advisory firm First Beverage Group joined us for a discussion about its portfolio and investment philosophy and how they evaluate synergies with entrepreneurial brands. They also discussed which categories might be best suited to weather a potential downturn, and why CBD is not the only cannabis-based ingredient that’s caught their attention.
Red Bull Terminates 3 Massachusetts Wholesalers, Leading to ‘Mass Layoff’ at Burke
Red Bull North America this week announced it would terminate distribution contracts with three Massachusetts beer and non-alcoholic beverage wholesalers in June, as it transitions to a self-distribution model for off-premise accounts.
Monster: Q1 Results Beat Analyst Expectations
Monster Beverage Corp. beat analysts’ expectations during the first quarter of 2019, reporting strong sales growth despite facing increased competition in the energy category. Net sales for the company in the first quarter were $946 million, up 11.2% from $850.9 million in 2018, according to financial results released yesterday.