Bai Launches New Distribution in Chicago

Bai Brands, the makers of Bai 5, today announced new distribution in Chicago, a significant component of the company's plans to be a national brand by the end of 2014. Bai's launch in the Windy City will be supported by distribution from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, which also works with the company in metro New York. Bai has also secured placement in grocer chain Jewel-Osco, which has a significant presence in the Midwest.

Review: Found Pure Juices

Based in Australia, Found Beverage Co. made its U.S. debut earlier this year at the Summer Fancy Foods Show and drew crowds with its sleekly designed, slim glass bottles. The company markets a range of natural juices and flavored sparkling waters, and in our review of two of the juices, we like what we see, but wonder about the marketability of the liquid inside the bottle.

Wells Fargo Survey: C-Store Beverage Sales Up 3 Percent in Q3 2013, Energy up by Double-Digits

Just ahead of the upcoming National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show, Wells Fargo Securities has released the results of a survey on C-store beverage trends during the third quarter of 2013. The investment bank’s “Beverage Buzz” survey, found that year over year sales of non-alcoholic beverages rose by 2.6 percent in the quarter, led by double-gains in energy drink sales, which offset declines among CSD products.

Review: Klarbrunn Vita ICE

Vita ICE is a 17 oz. zero-calorie sparkling beverage that comes in a variety of fruit flavors. Sound familiar? It’s a clear play on Sparkling ICE in terms of branding, flavor and formulation. Not that there’s anything wrong with (at least in theory) emulating a larger, more successful brand... except that there's a lot to fix in this case...

Karma Tries for a Pure Play

Karma Water, best known as one of the leading mix-to-drink brands utilizing a cap that enables vitamins to be dispersed into a bottle of water, has launched a new alkaline…

Short-Term Innovation: Red Bull Soccer, Sprite’s Seasonal

Call it a nod to niche: a couple of high-profile beverage brands recently launched limited edition line extensions. Red Bull has launched “Bull Energy Drink," a new sweet orange-flavored variety that is sold in soccer arenas and other special venues, and the Coca-Cola Co. has introduced a new cranberry-flavored Sprite for the holidays.

Manhattan Marketers Create Tea Cocktails

Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield, the founders of Owl’s Brew, a tea made specifically for cocktails, didn't set out to reinvent the mixer category, but BevMo likes the idea, anyway.

Novartis Puts NoDoz Into Energy Shot Game

Long before Red Bull, Monster and 5-Hour Energy, there was NoDoz, one of the first and best known over-the-counter caffeine supplements sold in the U.S. In recent years, however, energy drinks and shots have become a booming, multi-billion dollar category, and, in the process, made NoDoz seem like a relic of previous generations. That may change. After years of sitting on the sidelines, NoDoz has finally gotten into the game with the recent launch of NoDoz Energy Shots.

Review: Harmless Harvest Cinnamon & Clove

Harmless Harvest’s Cinnamon & Clove 100% Raw Coconut Water is a new “seasonal” product that is being introduced for the 2013 holiday season (it’s launching in early November in Whole Foods nationwide). As far as flavor goes, it’s definitely something that’s unique and creative, almost to a fault (at least from a natural appeal perspective).

Evolution Fresh Puts Pressure on Cold-Pressed Competition with Launch of New $70 Million Facility

The new 264,000 sq. ft. facility, is “one of the largest (in dollar sales) HPP juiceries in the U.S. capable of sourcing, peeling, squeezing and pressing raw fruits and vegetables,” according to the company. Equipped with four HPP machines, the new manufacturing plant will allow Evolution Fresh to produce 140,000 gallons of juice per week, four times as much as the old facility.

BevNET Live Santa Monica to Feature Special Edition of Beverage School

BevNET Live will once again feature a smaller, in-depth look at the challenges facing beginning beverage entrepreneurs through a Special Edition of Beverage School on Sunday, Dec. 8 for qualified BevNET Live registrants. Sponsored by Sovereign Flavors, The program will offer attendees lessons on product development, sales and marketing, supply chain management, distribution, and more.

Review: Belvoir Rose Lemonade

Building on the same elderflower base that’s in the company's Elderflower Presse flavor, this variety adds lemon and rose extracts to the mix. While lemon juice and rose petal extract are definitely complimentary flavors, rose seems to be one of those “love it or hate it” type of flavors. Nevertheless, Belvoir Fruit Farms has created a well-executed and sophisticated product that will likely do well with its customer base.

First Beverage Ventures Invests in Kombucha Brand

Six months after launching a new fund aimed at investment in emerging non-alcoholic beverage brands, the private equity arm of First Beverage Group has taken a stake in Health-Ade, which markets a line of premium, small-batch kombucha products. The deal is the first transaction made by First Beverage Ventures’ new fund.