Headlined by brand of the year Califia Farms and person of the year Suja CEO Jeff Church, the awards showcase the evolution of emerging beverage categories and companies that most effectively marketed cutting edge innovation in 2015.
GEBN’s end comes three months after The New York Times first shined a light into the organization, which posited that the United States’ obesity epidemic is the result Americans’ lack of exercise rather than their eating habits.
Earlier this year Bulletproof, a brand best known for a recipe of grass-fed butter-and-oil-infused coffee that is said to increase energy and improve health, opened its first retail store. In this video, BevNET speaks with manager Christopher Szeto about the brick-and-mortar location and its role in sharing the brand's philosophy of "biohacking."
Golda Kombucha is an oak-aged kombucha brand (meaning the company ferments its products in oak barrels) based in Atlanta, Ga. Combined with the slightly oaky flavor, the beverages are branded with a Southern craft vibe, both of which help to differentiate Golda from competing products.
The company, which in June launched a brand revamp -- dropping the word "soda" from its labels -- secured new placement in Target, Costco and Aplus/Sunoco and Holiday convenience stores. Dry is also in the midst of a test with Starbucks, which is the carrying the brand's Cucumber and Vanilla Bean varieties in its San Diego cafes through December.
Last year, Honeydrop launched a new line of cold-pressed, high pressure processed juice blends made with raw honey. The company has since expanded its product offerings, which are made with Manuka honey or honey sourced from the Tri State area.
According to a Shire City Herbals press release issued Monday, Temple Turmeric’s ‘Pure Fire Cider’ will now go by the name of ‘Pure Fire Tonic’, and be referred to as such in all branding, marketing and advertising.
Hopwater is a unique line of carbonated beverages that are flavored with natural hop tincture. Sweetened with cane sugar, the line, marketed as a craft soda and mixer, comes in an original variety and three flavored products.
Haralambos has begun carrying AQUAhydrate throughout the Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and San Bernardino counties.
Kelli McCusker, the VP of Beverages for Campbell Soup Co., will outline the case for change for V8 and the company's approach to reframing the brand through innovation, leaning on its core equity, vegetables, to launch new product lines in a variety of beverage categories.
Zola’s Mango & Chia is an organic juice beverage that’s made with a blend of acai, mango, and chia (oil and ground seeds). From a flavor perspective, the product’s flavor is, first and foremost, that of an acai drink.
Also entering Whole Foods is Ginger Shots’ four-SKU line of HPP ginger-based shots, which come in lemon ginger, orange ginger, pineapple ginger and pomegranate ginger flavors. The brand, which launched in 2014, is now available at select locations in Whole Foods’ Southern Pacific region.
With the pumpkin flavor craze making its way into nearly every food and beverage category, it was only a matter of time until someone attempted to use it in a kombucha. That honor goes to Clearly Kombucha, which has done a pretty nice job with it.
From a comparative look at financial models for growing beverage companies to a special session seeking to address ongoing challenges to diversity at the upper reaches of the beverage industry, BevNET Live’s Breakout Sessions continue their tradition of offering depth and variety for beverage entrepreneurs to consider and enjoy.
