The question is whether brands should try to present themselves as an alternative category to the average Starbucks drink – which some describe as a dairy type of beverage – or as another part of the coffee mix.
“These nutso ideas are what everybody’s looking for right now” Primozich said. “Weirdo ideas like putting soup in a bottle and throwing it in the beverage case.”
Two common threads link this year’s best: One, brands have maintained a focus on health-driven trends, initiating timely innovation in both formulation and packaging. Two, companies have executed on multi-channel retail and distribution strategies at a time when mainstream consumers become increasingly aware and actively pursue beverages in natural-focused categories.
Pickle Juice Shot is a 2.5 oz. product that was designed to help alleviate cramping during exercise. This functionality comes from a blend of vinegar, salt, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin E. The pickle flavor comes from dill flavoring and appears no bearing on whether this product works or not; it appears to be a marketing ploy (or perhaps placebo) more than something that actually needs to be there.
The round is the third in the past 18 months for the company, taking the total amount invested in the brand to $45 million.
There’s an increasing number of people questioning the whole premise for dairy milk, either because they’ve embraced non-dairy paleo lifestyles, have environmental concerns associated with a dairy-centric agricultural system, or just plain don’t like the taste as much.
Earlier this year, KeVita splashed into the kombucha category with the launch of its Master Brew Kombucha, a brand extension that is formulated with the company's proprietary probiotic culture and sweetened with a blend of evaporated cane sugar and stevia. While we enjoyed the taste of the varieties that we sampled, it's the packaging where we feel KeVita has put its best foot forward.
East Imperial is a New Zealand-based beverage company that produces a line of high-end tonic and mixers. Packaged in 5 oz. glass bottles with an old world look and textured label, we think that the high end vibe that will certainly work well on-premise.
The founder of GT's Kombucha will be on hand to provide insights for entrepreneurs derived from his own 20-year journey building the brand and the kombucha category.
Bob Groux of Coast Brands will be stepping in to replace former U.S. CEO John Carroll on an interim basis.
Nearly four months after its launch of a juicing facility in Southern California, Vital Juice has announced its arrival in the New York City market.
According to multiple sources, the Brooklyn-based company, which markets a line of bottled iced coffees and made functionality a key point of differentiation from competing products, has laid off most of its staff and is said to be seeking a new infusion of capital in hopes of a restaging its coffee line.
Alley Cat is a Tennessee-style “fruit tea” that contains 48 percent juice, including orange juice, pineapple juice and lemon juice (all from concentrate). For us, the formulation feels much more like a juice cocktail than anything that resembles tea.
This time around, we’ve made a couple of adjustments to the voting structure for New Beverage Showdown, in which attendees and livestream viewers will have a direct role in the judging process.
