Video: Expo West 2014 – Sweet Leaf Tea Co-Founder Gets into Coffee Biz with High Brew

In an interview with BevNET CEO John Craven, David Smith said that High Brew would “attempt to reverse that trend” of sweet coffee products with a formulation that features a stronger coffee flavor than competing brands along with reduced sugar and calorie content, as compared to other coffee drinks.

Video: Expo West 2014 Profile — Omgblends

The luxury of eating well without putting in the time was once reserved for those able to finance a maid or butler. Now, replacement beverages are stepping up and Omgblends wants a piece of the pie, which already includes brands such as Suja and Sambazon.

Review: Uce Juice

UCE Juice Taro Twist is a 45 percent juice-based beverage that is enhanced with caffeine and sweetened with fruit juices and stevia. All in all, it’s a decent tasting juice cocktail product that is probably best described as caffeinated fruit punch. Unfortunately, however, the branding has us somewhat confused as to what this product is and where it fits in the market

Kobe Bryant Invests in BodyArmor, Becomes Third-Largest Shareholder

The NBA’s Black Mamba may be winding down his basketball career, but when it comes to the beverage business, Kobe Bryant is just getting started. In an interview with ESPN’s Darren Rovell, Bryant revealed that he has made a multi-million dollar investment in BodyArmor, the functional sports drink brand launched by FUZE founder Lance Collins and helmed by Mike Repole, the co-founder of Vitaminwater.

Review: Suja Bliss

Suja Bliss is the most recent addition to the company's “Classic” line of high pressure processed juices. This particular blend is a bit of a departure from the other products in the line, starting with the fact that it is made with banana and a slightly thicker body that’s closer in style to a smoothie than a juice.

Video: Expo West 2014 – KeVita Aims for Konventional

For one of the country’s hottest brands in the natural channel, Natural Products Expo West 2014 also seemed to be something of a point of departure for Kevita, a fast-growing sparkling probiotic brand that aims for 100 percent growth annually for the next five years – and has hit that mark for the past two, according to co-founder Bill Moses.

Review: Gravity Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

Gravity Apple Cider Vinegar Drink is a blend of 30 percent apple juice and two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. The product, which is also sweetened with xylitol and honey and enhanced with vitamins, tastes very much like apple juice. This is a different approach than other apple cider vinegar drinks that we’ve sampled (yes, there are a few out there), which tend to be much more forward in their vinegar flavor.

BevNET FBU Boston is One Week Away! Don’t Miss Your Opportunity, Register NOW.

There are only a few days left to register for BevNET FBU Boston, a one-of-kind business education and networking event designed for early-stage entrepreneurs and newcomers to the food and beverage industry. If you are not yet signed up, NOW is the time to register. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn from the best in the business and position your brand for a quick start and sustained growth.

Video: Expo West 2014 Profile — Garden of Flavor

When we’ve seen companies fuse disparate categories into one beverage, it’s the consumers who often inspire the innovation. It’s the same story with Cleveland-based Garden of Flavor, which blends cold-pressed juice with probiotics.

Review: Organic Gemini Guarana Energy

The premise of Organic Gemini’s Guarana Energy is seemingly straightforward and simple: blend coconut water (from concentrate) with a caffeinated punch of guarana extract. The resulting product has the flavor and hydrating abilities of a traditional coconut water and the caffeine equivalent of a cup of coffee. To that end, this USDA Organic beverage is enjoyable and fills what seems like a logical niche in the coconut water category.

Video: Expo West 2014 – Health-Ade Adds Kombucha Vet as Operations Chief, Ramps Up Production

In this video, filmed at Heath-Ade’s booth at Natural Products Expo West 2014, BevNET CEO John Craven speaks with co-founder Daina Trout about the company’s frugal deployment of capital, its production strategy and why an increase in manufacturing requires a slow and steady approach. Trout also discusses the target market for Health-Ade, why the kombucha category can pull from other beverage segments and new distribution of its beverages.

Video: Expo West 2014 Profile — Arty Water

Think maple and birch tree water companies have lots of work to do before persuading consumers? Think the same for cactus water? From a matter of association, and the arduous steps of building a contiguous category, the challenges could be next to nothing when compared to those of artichoke water.