After Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) received a tweet with an image of a toy boat draped in branding from Rockstar Energy, CNN anchor Jake Tapper aired Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on his news show to chat about youth marketing and energy drinks, a rather familiar subject by now.
Amid rising demand for low-calorie and flavored sparkling waters, Rockstar has released a new “Sparkling” brand extension to its line of energy drinks. The beverages, which come in Cherry Citrus and Peach varieties, are zero-calorie seltzer-like products that are sweetened with Ace-K and sucralose. With a softer vibe than its primary line, both in terms of flavor and branding, the drinks are a nice addition to the Rockstar family.
In an investor call yesterday morning, Campbell’s Soup CEO Denise Morrison said that "proliferation of specialty beverages and packaged fresh juices" is having a significant effect on first quarter 2013 sales of its V8 brand of shelf-stable juice drinks.
Beverage entrepreneurs often hear about ways that they might succeed in a rough-and-tumble and unforgiving industry: start small, build regionally, create a memorable brand. But what about the -- often unspoken of -- ways to fail in beverages?
BevNET is delighted to announce that attendees of BevNET Live will get two perspectives from inside the country’s largest convenience store chain, 7-Eleven. Julie Whittle, the Category Manager for Soft Drinks and Energy, will speak on getting into 7-Eleven and staying in, while Raja Doddala, VP of Portfolio Management, will discuss a new venture capital model that is emanating from the retailer itself: 7-Ventures.
In a joint interview, John Eagan, the V.P. and Senior General Merchandiser for Costco Wholesale, and Danny Stepper, the CEO & Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, will participate in a discussion matching one of the company's most important gatekeepers with an entrepreneur who has a strong background in introducing and supporting products in the chain.
At BevNET Live in Santa Monica, BevNET will bring together a group of three of the best “secret weapons” in the business – a trio of experienced beverage entrepreneurs who have gone on to work with companies as investors, board members, and advisors and who are highly cognizant of the factors that cause companies to succeed or fail. Together, they will discuss the repeated challenges and some of the most effective ways they have seen for companies to assess their performance.
Although water has overtaken carbonated soft drinks as the most consumed beverage among U.S. adults, children and teens remain more likely to choose drinks like milk and soda than water, according to a new report from The NPD Group, a market information and advisory firm.
With over 400 registrations to date, BevNET Live Winter 2013 is selling at a record pace, and space is filling up faster than ever. At this pace, the conference, which will be held on Dec. 9 & 10 at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, is expected to sell out well before the event date.
Vivaloe has added a mango variety to its line of aloe drinks. Like the company's other flavors, this one blends aloe vera pulp and aloe vera gel with sugar, natural flavors and stevia to form the base of the drink. Added mango juice gives the product a nice tropical twist, and, overall, it's a solid addition to the lineup.
Coca-Cola will continue to distribute Evian through the first half of 2014, however, its last ship date will be on July 3. After that, Evian, a branch of The Danone Group, will work with several wholesalers and use the distribution system of Dannon yogurt, another branch of The Danone Group, to compensate for the loss of Coke’s expansive network.
In programming that will focus on the needs of small and unique companies, BevNET Live attendees will hear about selling their products in one of the world’s fastest-growing fitness innovators, as well as from an investor focused on helping small companies succeed through early intervention during the program, which will take place in Santa Monica on Dec. 9 and 10.
BevNET Live Winter ’13 is just around the corner, and the conference will once again feature a special edition of Beverage School, BevNET’s signature introduction to the beverage business. As with previous Beverage School programs, the agenda will offer valuable information geared toward early-stage entrepreneurs and industry newcomers.
Recent developments in distribution news indicate that retailers are beginning to express more confidence in oat-based beverages. Shortly after BevNET reported that, alongside Sneaky Pete’s line of oat-based drinks, Target will include Oatworks in its emerging brands test, FreshDirect announced on Thursday that it will also carry the Oatworks line.
