Coke VEB President Scott Uzzell Announces Departure to Join Converse

The Coca Cola Company’s Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) unit announced the departure of president and general manager Scott Uzzell this morning, as the 18-year company veteran will leave next month to become president and CEO of footwear and apparel company Converse, a division of Nike, Inc.

Incubator Ends Plan for Former Pilotworks Space

The former members of shared kitchen space Pilotworks were dealt another blow this week as Nursery, the incubator set to reopen in the space, ultimately decided to not move forward with its plans.

Review: Koia Keto

Koia, maker of non-GMO verified plant-based nutrition beverages, is expanding its portfolio with a three-flavor line of ketogenic (keto) protein drinks.

USDA Announces New GMO Rule

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced new mandatory disclosure requirements for labelling genetically modified foods that will take effect in 2020.

Coca-Cola Leads $15M Investment in Dirty Lemon Parent Co. Iris Nova

The Coca-Cola Company announced today it has taken a minority stake in Iris Nova, the parent company of functional beverage brand Dirty Lemon, leading a $15 million investment round that also included former baseball star Alex Rodriguez.

Novamex Acquires Tio Gazpacho

Novamex has acquired Tio Gazpacho for an undisclosed sum, the company announced today, more than a year after the Hispanic-focused beverage marketer first invested in the drinkable soup brand. Primarily an importer of Mexican brands such as Jarritos and Mineragua, Novamex said in the announcement that it is focusing on becoming a growth platform for natural and organic beverages, such as the organic certified Tio Gazpacho.

Peet’s Acquires Majority Stake in Revive Kombucha

Peet’s Coffee has taken a majority stake in California-based kombucha brand Revive, giving the growing company a single long-term partner with which to build upon its existing growth. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

BevNET Live Winter 2018 Video: Walmart As Your Launchpad

In this video from BevNET Live Winter 2018, Sarah Alderson, divisional merchandise manager of chilled packaged goods at Walmart, discusses how the retailer is embracing innovation and seeking to break its monolithic, low-priced reputation by opening the doors to startups and offering a powerful launchpad for maximizing a brand’s value.

Review: Trusol 5:30 Daily Metabolic Elixir

5:30 Daily Metabolic Elixir is the first product from New York-based brand Trusol. Available in a single SKU, the USDA Organic product contains functional ingredients for energy and metabolic benefits.

Cannabis Forum Recap: Taking the First Steps

Mapping this new landscape of cannabis CPG and charting a path forward for the nascent industry was the focus of discussion at the first-ever Cannabis Forum for Food & Beverage, presented by BevNET and NOSH, on Dec. 1 in Santa Monica, Calif.

Taste Radio Ep. 142: Humm Kombucha CEO Jamie Danek On The Number One Thing Good Leaders Must Do

Danek spoke about how she grew into the role of CEO of Humm and the most important thing she learned along the way. She also explained why launching the brand during a recession actually worked, discussed the importance of Bend, Ore. to the company, and how relationships were key to its landmark deal with Target, one that made Humm just the second national kombucha brand.