While Red Bull represents an uncommon distribution network to consider, emerging beverage brands have long been familiar with UNFI, the independent distributor of organic and specialty foods and beverages in the U.S. and Canada. On Friday morning, Epicurex LLC announced that it will partner with UNFI to distribute its coconut water, Cocozia.
Little Miracles, a line of tea-based, organic energy drinks that are distributed in 21 European countries, is aiming to make its U.S. launch next month, beginning in the Southern California market. The drinks, which are formulated with tea, fruit juice, Panex Ginseng, acai and agave, took in € 8 million (approximately $11 million) in 2013 sales.
When we asked attendees of BevNET Live Winter ’13 to describe their reactions to New Beverage Showdown 6, we heard a lot of the “same old, same old” about the beverage brand competition: compelling; dramatic; inspiring; nerve-wracking; sensational. Boring stuff, indeed.
Schnell, the CEO of outsource consulting firm MetaBrand, has teamed with 6Pacific Capital, a West Coast private equity fund, to make investments in early-stage health and wellness companies doing business in food, beverage, and nutrition.
Hiball’s latest addition to its for its line of organic energy drinks comes in the form of a new ginger ale flavor. We can't say that we've had too many ginger ale-flavored energy drinks, but we really like that Hiball has taken a classic flavor and successfully made it feel new and enjoyable in a way that hasn’t been done in the past.
Company CEO Paddy Spence revealed to BevNET yesterday that the brand was in the process of implementing a new sweetener mix – “Sweet Smart” – which deploys a purer form of Rebaudioside A (more commonly known as Stevia) mixed with Erythritol and Monkfruit extract.
Nick Webb of The Irish Independent writes that Kilkenny, Ireland-based Glanbia, an international nutrition and cheese company, is amid a three-way shootout to buy Cytosport, Inc., the company that produces Muscle Milk, for about $500 million. Webb writes that Glanbia is said to be facing competition from dairy-ingredients firm Whitewave Foods and NBTY, a manufacturer of vitamins and nutritional supplements.
Following the dismissal of its lawsuit against San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Monster Beverage Corp. has issued a statement in response to one released by Herrera’s office earlier this week.
Industry veterans have expressed a wide range of opinions following the decision by The Coca-Cola, Co., Inc. to split its North American operations into two units. However, despite the range, one sentiment prevails with many: the shift could present a new set of challenges for Coke and its partners.
Danone Waters of America (DWA), the makers of evian spring water, announced last week that it will test a distribution partnership with Red Bull Distribution Company (RBDC). The test will focus on small format channels such as convenience, drug, select food service and specialty retail stores in southern California and central/southern Florida, two of evian’s key markets.
blk Beverages has introduced a new flavored line extension to its brand of fulvic trace mineral infused waters. blk+ contains the same black-colored liquid as blk's primary line along with citric acid, natural flavors and stevia, which keeps the calorie count at zero. All in all, blk has done a good job in creating a mainstream-oriented offering, although the company still needs to do a bit more in terms of educating consumers about the functional benefits of the products.
Seven months after Monster Beverage Corp. filed a lawsuit against San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, one that aimed to block his investigation into the company’s marketing practices and regulate the caffeine content in its energy drinks, a federal judge has dismissed the case.
Eisner, who co-created the brand with Burke Eiteljorg as the Rising Beverage Co., Inc. in 2005, announced Friday that he was buying the company back from its current investors and that he would be taking over the position of President. Craig Berger was taking on a dual COO/CFO role while current president Reza Mirza was departing.
Last week, Whey Coco, which markets a powdered blend of whey protein and coconut water, announced a new broker agreement with SoCal-based beverage incubator L.A. Libations. The deal has been in the making since June and recently produced a major retail placement for the brand: Whey Coco will gain shelf space in select Kroger stores in the Northeast beginning in March 2014 with plans for a national launch later in the year.
