PepsiCo CFO: Sweetener Innovation Could Fundamentally Change Cola Business

Following PepsiCo’s fourth quarter earnings call last week in which CEO Indra Nooyi announced that the company will lead the cola category via “disruptive innovation,” its CFO stated that its work with new natural sweeteners could “fundamentally change some of the elements of the core product offering in carbonated soft drinks.”

Expo West Intro: Califia Farms Iced Coffee with AlmondMilk

In the midst of rising demand for iced coffee products, Califia Farms announced that it will throw its hat into the ring with a new line of natural coffee drinks designed for vegan and non-soy consumers. Califia Farms, which markets a line of natural juices and almond milk products, will introduce Califia Farms Iced Coffee with AlmondMilk at the upcoming Natural Products Expo West show.

Review: Rage Aid

Rage Aid, a line of non-carbonated energy drinks from Canada, recently launched two new varieties: Lemonaid and Teabagger. While the overall execution of the drinks is good, it's the name Rage Aid that has us a bit confused about what the brand is trying to communicate.

Honest Tea Looks to Make a Splash With New Kids Line

Extending its reach in the kids’ beverage category, Honest Tea has introduced Honest Splash, a new line of 70-calorie juice drinks. In a statement, Honest Tea called the products an “evolution of the Honest Kids brand” that is designed for older children. Honest Splash will be sold exclusively at Target from mid-March until the end of June, when the drinks will roll out to other retailers.

Beverage Industry Seeks Delay in Enforcement of NYC Soda Ban

Opponents of New York City's impending ban on large format sugary drinks appeared in court today in hopes of delaying its enforcement until a lawsuit filed against the city is settled. Beverage marketers and retailers attempted to persuade Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling that if ban does go into effect as planned, companies risk losing sales if the ban is ultimately deemed unlawful.

Review: Runa Unsweetened

Runa, which markets a line of bottled teas made from Amazonian guayusa tea, has launched two new unsweetened varieties. Much like its other offerings, Runa, which was the Best of…

Review: Novo

Novo is a new line of organic sports drinks made with a blend of coconut water, grape juice concentrate, and electrolytes. While the packaging and positioning of the product are not the typical approach for sports drink brands, Novo is definitely off to a good start.

Marking Time with Mike: Kirban Says No Deals, for Now

Compared to the number of times the questions get asked of Mike Kirban, the overall frequency is disproportionate, but the dimes get dropped to us a lot, nevertheless, so I decided to head down to Manhattan to ask him. So, I said, as Kirban settled behind his desk -- yes, in the corner office -- are you selling Vita Coco to Dr Pepper/Snapple?

Review: Angels Aphroenergy

Angels Aphroenergy is new product that has dual functions as an aphrodisiac drink and energy supplement. While the company behind the product, which is based out of Las Vegas (natch), has done a fair job with its branding, we think that it has very limited marketability.

Monster Goes for Nutrition, Muscle

After months of vociferous criticism from elected officials and consumer advocates who allege that its products are inadequately labeled, Monster Beverage Corp. will begin using a “Nutrition Facts” panel on its energy drinks and introduce labeling that includes the caffeine content of its products, according to the Associated Press.

Review: Starbucks Iced Coffee

As reported last week by BevNET, Starbucks has launched a new four-SKU line of blended coffee and milk drinks. While we applaud the company for finally coming out with an…

Beverage School to Hold Chicago Session on April 10

BevNET’s Beverage School is announcing that it will be hosting a live, one-day intensive introduction to the beverage business for aspiring entrepreneurs in Chicago on Wednesday, April 10. The event will offer a chance for beverage entrepreneurs from the area to enjoy a comprehensive overview of some of the key areas of the industry, including product formulation, sales and marketing, distribution, fundraising, and company organization.

Review: Life Support

As the hangover recovery category continues to expand, more companies are touting unique ingredients and packaging to attract new consumers to the space. Life Support is one of those companies.…

Starbucks Takes Evolution Fresh Eastward

Fourteen months after acquiring the brand, Starbucks today launched Evolution Fresh products in its cafés in New York City and Boston. The company said that while East Coast availability of Evolution Fresh will initially be limited to its stores in the two cities, the expansion “furthers growth plans to be in approximately 8,000 Starbucks and grocery locations by the end of the year.”