Review: Coco-Libre Coconut Water + Chia
It had to happen…The combination of coconut water, which has made its way into virtually every beverage category, and chia, an up and coming ingredient that’s trending in the natural…
Expo East 2012 Booth Check-In: Runa
Fresh off a $3 million round of financing, Brooklyn-based Runa showcased its line-up of ready-to-drink and loose Guayusa products at last week's Natural Products Expo East show. In this quick video, BevNET CEO John Craven speaks with Runa co-founder Dan MacCombie about the company's rapid growth over the past year, plans for new distribution on the West Coast, and supporting Runa current retail presence, which is based mostly in the Northeast.
Too Productive?
Beverage marketers discovered the produce section more than a decade ago, and produce buyers went along with them, knowing that the margins those products offered made the space investment worthwhile. The prices it could command, the prominent positioning, the lack of slotting and the familiarity with fast-expiring products made the section a natural for the fresh squeezed, lightly processed, high-turnover juices that emerged in the late 1990s.
BevNET TV: A First-Hand Look at Expo East 2012
While Natural Products Expo East often gets overshadowed by its massive sister shows, this year's edition, which featured dozens of entrepreneurial beverage brands, certainly held its own. Offering a mild glimpse of post-recession recovery for natural beverage brands and the industry as a whole, Expo East featured a strong showing from beverage suppliers, distributors, and manufacturers, with many showcasing innovative ingredients and sweeteners seen for the first time at the show.
Bai Quietly Discontinues Original Line in Favor of Bai5
Sharpening its focus on growing trends of health and wellness, Bai Brands has quietly phased out its original line of coffee fruit-infused drinks in favor of its five-calorie Bai5 line. According to Bai Brands founder Ben Weiss, the company ceased production of the original line "about three months ago," and has set sights on careful expansion of the Bai5 brand with a goal of national distribution by the first quarter of 2014.
Shots: Small Package, Big Universe
Sure, 5-Hour Energy gets all the attention.It should: the company is one of the new millennium’s most impressive meatspace success stories, taking the rising tide of energy drinks and rethinking them into a smaller package. If energy drinks are the mega-version of the soda, then 5-Hour Energy is almost a reimagining of the very same morning espresso that has powered Europe for centuries – a tiny shot that, rather than coming hot and bitter, is in a sweet, portable, oh-so-American package.
Review: Monster’s New Flavors
The ever expanding line of Monster Energy drinks has just been given two new flavors. First up is Cuba-Lima, a non-alcoholic of the “Cuba Libre” cocktail that features a unique…
Expo East Update 2: Oatworks Looking for CEO; Consultants Gone Crazy
Now that it’s bottled and available – for now, pretty much only in Boston, via Blue Coast distributing, but soon to roll out in New York – the company is looking for a full-time CEO to run the business.
Crafting a Field Marketing Strategy? Beverage School Can Help.
Having a potential consumer sample a product and enjoy it enough to buy it is a key step in the successful launch and development of a new beverage brand. However, few entrepreneurial beverage companies fully understand how to most effectively generate the kind of buzz and excitement that is so important to a brand's success. BeverageSchool.com can help and offers crucial guidance on how to create and execute a successful field marketing and sampling strategy.
Review: Mission Root
Mission Root is a new line of “ayurvedic refreshment” beverages that hails from Cambridge, MA. Their products, which are best described as herbal teas, are USDA Organic and are currently…
Can the Clothes Make the Brand?
As I write this column, summer is easing off and soon it will be time to stow the t-shirts away. (At least it will be for those of you for whom t-shirts don’t qualify yet as year-round “business casual” attire.) So I thought it might be fun to riff on t-shirts, given their inextricable role in the beverage business. After all, folks’ reception to t-shirts can be a great gauge of brand health, particularly in image-driven categories like beer and energy drinks.
Expo East Review 1: Can It! Goldman Calls Honest Fizz “Not a Done Deal”
Although there were mockups and flavors – even sampling -- and an accompanying bubbly giddiness at the Honest Tea Expo East booth, there was no confirmation that the brand will be rolling out a line of carbonated soft drinks.
Seeking Experienced Beverage Professionals? Limited Time Offer on BevNET Job Listings
It’s that time of the year where beverage companies are looking to add to their team as they prepare for 2013. That’s why we’re pleased to offer a limited time…
Review: Aquation
Aquation is a new xylitol and electrolyte enhanced beverage that was designed with oral health in mind (it’s “recommended by dental professionals”). It’s a novel approach, but the design of…