Energy drinks marketed as dietary supplements have received their share of negative news stories over the past eighteen months, and many companies are weighing various options to find relief from the mounting concerns surrounding these products. One option that is being explored by many companies is the reclassification of liquid dietary supplements as beverages. However, making this switch is not as easy as just changing the name on the front of the can.
At a time when a more and more consumers seek out healthier kids’ beverage options, we’re beginning to see a steady trickle of new products that offer all-natural and low-sugar…
It’s known and celebrated for a vast selection of namesake private label goods, but the relationship that Trader Joe’s shares with ZICO is a special one, indeed. ZICO is one of a handful of brand-name products -- and the only coconut water -- that Trader Joe’s carries in its stores. Now, the two companies have taken their close arrangement one step further with the quirky natural grocer’s exclusive release of new variety ZICO Tropical.
According to new CEO Dave Henderson, the quercetin-based supplement company will take a broader portfolio approach and look to supplement-friendly retailers like GNC stores as its core channels
BevNET is now accepting submissions for its new Natural Beverage Guide, the industry's largest guide to beverages targeting the natural channel, including juices, teas, bottled waters, CSDs, concentrates, powders, and other natural beverage enhancers. This key resource will be aimed at beverage retailers and distributors who are looking to include additional natural products.
Just Chill, a line of relaxation supplements, recently unveiled new packaging graphics and a few tweaks in the formulation of its products. Sporting a new tagline of “Promotes a Chill Mentality,” Just Chill has done well to stand out as one of the few products in the relaxation/stress relief category, that's a.) actually enjoyable to consume, and b.) can appeal to a broad audience.
In the wake of the great goat devastation wrought by a Mountain Dew advertisement directed by rapper Tyler, the Creator, for the citrus soda, the media was rife with stories about ways that brands that seek an “urban edge” often fall off that edge into the chasm of unintended consequences.
In Los Angeles, known as a hub for beverage incubation, the nascent cold-pressed juice category has found a suitable home that’s ripe for new additions.
An ongoing move toward segmentation – the meshing of a product with an occasion – appears to be propelling the sports drink category forward and broadening the field beyond the traditional two-horse race with Gatorade and Powerade. With products that suit any hour of the day and pack a wider range of ingredients, consumers are now seeking sports drinks during times once reserved for water, juice or carbonated soft drinks.
Of the two flavors of Blue Donkey that we sampled (Original and Light), it was this one, Light, that we preferred. That being said, the two varieties aren’t all that different and, despite being named Light, this product really isn’t something that is low in calories (it has 120 per 8 oz. serving).
One of the most impressive elements of New Beverage Showdown 5 was the number of innovative formulations and brand propositions offered by each of the 21 semifinalists. From a first-of-its-kind tea and aloe blend, to a sparkling matcha drink, to a chia-infused kids’ smoothie, the early-stage companies offered up a range of distinct, yet on-trend, products. In the process, the Showdown saw perhaps the best and most competitive field of entrants since its inception.
Co-founders Justin Guilbert and Douglas Riboud -- currently abroad to look at tea operations for their new product line -- confirmed to BevNET that they have begun checking a few new channels for their coconut water, which has grown a huge presence in Whole Foods over the past two years.
In its annual meeting held on Tuesday, the policy-making arm of the American Medical Association (AMA) voted to endorse a ban on the marketing of energy drinks and shots to people under the age of 18.
A semifinalist in BevNET's New Beverage Showdown 5, Taki Mai is marketed as a “naturally calming” kava supplement. While the coconut-flavored product has a rather polished look and a straightforward and enjoyable taste, we wonder about the marketability of a liquid supplement that is made with a niche ingredient and in a category, relaxation, that -- no pun intended -- appears to be slowing.
