BevNET Live Winter ’13: Over 40 Industry-Leading Sponsors and Exhibitors

In addition to one-of -a-kind opportunities to learn and network, BevNET Live Winter '13 attendees will be able to visit and learn from over 40 best-in-class sponsors, suppliers, and vendors -- all armed with high-quality innovations -- during the BevNET Live Expo. The Expo will take place 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, December 9, the first day of the two-day BevNET Live event.

Review: POPWater

POPwater is new line of 30-calorie, fruit-flavored sparkling beverages that are sweetened with a blend of sugar, erythritol and stevia. Packaged in 11.2 oz. aluminum bottles, POPwater has done quite well in terms of flavor and brand execution; it's a line that could certainly gain a loyal following in the low-calorie sparkling beverages segment.

Review: Chiquita Tropicals

Chiquita Tropicals is a new line of tropical fruit juice blends. The products come in four varieties -- Banana Strawberry, Mango, Pineapple, and Passion Fruit -- and contain no added sugar or preservatives. While Chiquita is certainly a brand that has some credibility and awareness as far as produce is concerned, the execution of it as a beverage feels like it's lacking something.

Gourmet Sodas’ Second Wave

The stigma is receding. The notion of bubbles isn’t so bad. From the gourmet to the Stevia generation, fewer products are afraid to fizz. Even as sprawling soda giants like Coke and Pepsi have seen overall volume declines, existing gourmet products like Fentiman’s, Reed’s, GuS, Fever Tree, Maine Root and Q Tonic have all ridden the expansion of the natural and specialty channel to increasing sales.

Review: Quaker Breakfast Shakes

Aligning two emerging beverage trends — oat-based drinks and breakfast shakes — PepsiCo has launched Quaker Breakfast Shakes. However, while the concept, and use of the company-owned Quaker brand, makes…

Weiss: Bai Will Be in 90 Percent of U.S. by End of Q1 2014

Last week, Bai Brands formally announced a new national distribution agreement with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG), to bring its Bai 5 brand of coffee fruit-infused drinks into the soda giant’s vast DSD network. Ben Weiss, the founder of Bai, said that the deal will vault the brand onto the national stage, particularly with a partner like DPSG, which he said “has a real seat at the table” and “puts a lot more wind in your sails as you look to bring on national chains and satisfy that national footprint.”

BevNET Live: Updated Agenda Posted; Only 25 Tickets Still Available

With BevNET Live less than two weeks away, there are only 25 tickets still available. Now might be your last chance to join the almost 500 attendees already registered (including beverage companies, investors, suppliers, retailers, and more). In addition, we've updated the agenda for BevNET Live to include the most recent additions to our lineup.

Calypso Squeezes Simplicity

The health and wellness fervor has become more of an industry idea than something conceived by the consumer, said Tim Kezman, the president of King Juice Company, Inc, makers of Calypso Lemonade. With an overload of vitamins, nutraceuticals and other hard-to-pronounce details, consumers can feel overwhelmed and unsure of their decisions. This opinion isn’t on-trend, but distributors still boast to Kezman about how there’s no educational process needed with Calypso.

Review: Hop Soda

Hop Soda is a unique soda that is made with natural hops extract. While this isn’t the first time that we’ve seen hops in a non-alcoholic beverage, it very well may be the most enjoyable one that we’ve had.

Study Links Mercy to Benefits After Alcohol Consumption

A recent study conducted by Medicus Research indicates that hangover-prevention supplements made by Mercy Nutraceuticals, Inc. can diminish common symptoms from hangovers, such as headache and nausea, and alcohol consumption, such as reductions in attention and cognitive function.

BevNET Live: The Next $7 Billion in Brands, Distribution, and More

Soda keeps shrinking, but beverages keep growing. That's going to create opportunities for new products and brands -- about $7 billion worth, according a presentation at BevNET Live by Neil Kimberley. Kimberley will be joined by Odwalla/Califia Farms founder Greg Steltenpohl and Bonnie Herzog, a beverage analyst with Wells Fargo, to dissect factors that will affect innovators' ability to compete with large beverage entities and existing brands for shelf space and consumer adoption.