Beet This! Report Says Beets, Tart Cherries Powering Olympians

It's probably too late to put together a company before Expo East, but according to the New York Times, a lot of the athletes at the Olympics this year are drinking beetroot juice and tart cherry juice to improve their performance.

SK Energy Goes Grass Roots in Florida, Eyes $70 Million in 2012 Ad Expenditures

For a brand that plans to spend $70 million in advertising this year, SK Energy, the energy shot with a philanthropic philosophy, is nevertheless embracing a grass roots sensibility. Co-founded by rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, SK Energy recently signed a new distribution deal with Grass Roots Beverage for Florida. Grass Roots is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DNA Brands and distributes a range of entrepreneurial beverage brands including C2O coconut water and New Leaf teas.

5-Hour Energy Partners with Avon Foundation to Introduce New Pink Lemonade Flavor

As part of a major expansion in its sales and marketing initiatives, Living Essentials, the marketer of 5-Hour Energy, has introduced a new pink lemonade flavor for the energy shot in an attempt to broaden its consumer base and appeal to a range of demographics, particularly women. Living Essentials is launching the new flavor in in partnership with the Avon Foundation for Women and has committed a donation of five cents per bottle of Pink Lemonade 5-Hour Energy to the organization.

Spotlight Category: Refrigerated Teas

As a subcategory of the RTD Tea group, these products seem to be growing even faster than their single-serve, grab-and-go counterparts, mostly because the refrigerated case is the home of some pretty hot brands, including Gold Peak and GTs Kombucha. GTs appears all over scan data categories, by the way, also showing up in a variety of juice and fruit drink categories.

FDA Warns Lithia

According to the FDA, disease claims made on the Lithia site include that the product can help lower LDL cholesterol levels, can help lower blood pressure, and fight fungal and viral infections. And that's just for starters. The product also claims that the lithium bicarbonate in the product can help with everything from Alzheimers to headaches, cancer and strokes.

Review: FOCO 100% Pure Coconut Water

Having been in the coconut water business for approximately 25 years, FOCO isn’t a newcomer to the coconut water category.  However, the brand is now attempting to make the jump…

Coke Freestyle Grows in C-Stores, Enters Tedeschi

Coca-Cola Freestyle, an on-premise soda delivery system that allows consumers to build custom tailored beverages, is gradually making its way into convenience stores and recently gained a new partner in Massachusetts-based Tedeschi Food Shops. While Coca-Cola initially targeted restaurant chains for Freestyle, the cola giant began to test the soda fountain machines in c-stores late last year and is aiming for continued expansion in the channel.

BevNET’s 2012 Water Guide — Now Available

BevNET’s 2012 Water Guide is now available. It features over 100 companies that make bottled water, water enhancements (powders and tablets), and supplier and services companies that deal with companies…

Review: Evolution Fresh New Packaging + Coconut Water

Since being acquired by Starbucks in 2011, Evolution fresh has expanded its lineup, rebranded, and even opened a storefront in Bellevue, WA. Oh, and they’ve also added a new coconut…

Shadow: GNC Drinks to Move into Safeway

Expect GNC end-caps in Safeway stores’ non-carb aisles up until February resets, according to Shadow COO Sam Jones. The brand has largely incubated in Arizona through Kalil Bottling in Tucson, along with New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and parts of Minnesota in smaller chains and convenience stores, but the Safeway move gives it national authorizations.

Review: Chia Star

Chia Star is a new hydrated chia seed beverage that is currently available in part of the Northeast. Like some of the other chia beverages out there, this one goes…

Activate Opens Pop-up Shop, Consumers Pay by “Calories or Cash”

In one of the more creative uses for the retail medium, Activate has launched a new pop-up shop in Venice, CA that asks consumers to pay for its vitamin-enhanced water with “calories or cash." Calling the temporary installation a "part pop-up retail experience and part social experiment," Activate has partnered with the Get America Fit Foundation, an anti-obesity non-profit organization, to give away free bottles of the water to customers who participate in some type of physical activity at the store.

BevNET TV: A Visit with Kevin Klock of Talking Rain

In an interview filmed at Talking Rain headquarters in Preston, Wash., BevNET CEO John Craven spoke with Kevin Klock, the CEO of Talking Rain, about how the runaway success of Sparkling ICE is rooted in the company’s transition from one engrossed in beverage innovation to a more traditional beverage manufacturer focused on sales and marketing.

Review: Steaz Super Fruit Iced Teaz

The latest addition to the Steaz Iced Teaz lineup is called “Super Fruit.” It blends USDA Organic and Fair Trade ingredients, including fruit juices, flavors, green tea, and sugar, to…