A couple of interesting brands debut in our spotlight category this month: Starbucks Refreshers, which seem to be pulling in convenience and grocery. Also appearing in the rankings is Body Armor, which is close to $6 million here but is likely showing equal growth in uncharted, up and down the street channels. Still, after a long year-plus of pushing, the numbers have to come in as something of a vindication for its founders.
HiBall recently launched a pair of new products to its line of organic energy drinks and sparkling waters. From our perspective, Hiball Organic Pomegranate/Acai – a 120-calorie blend made with organic juice and organic sugar – and Hiball Peach Sparkling Energy Water – a zero-calorie product made with the company's certified-organic energy blend are both well-crafted line extensions for the brand.
According to Center for Public Integrity reporter Dave Levinthal, an expert on lobbying and lobbyists, the flock of nine skilled operatives from the top-tier Podesta Group represents a move that will take an “all-of-the-above” approach to trying to work the levers of power in D.C. at a time when politicians – particularly Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have been holding regulatory agencies’ feet to the fire when it comes to investigating their concerns about the beverages.
It’s been proven time and time again that in blind taste tests, under equal conditions, the average person is rarely able to distinguish between tap water and bottled water. So if taste isn’t why consumers are drawn to high-end water brands, what is it? Like a fancy car, it’s the packaging, and not what’s under the hood (or bottle cap), which most people crave. In the $10 billion plus world of bottled water, branding is everything. And for premium waters, everything begins with the bottle.
ZICO recently debuted a 1.5 L Tetra Pak, the first package of its kind in the U.S. The package will be positioned in grocery coolers within the premium juice category and comes in three flavors: Original, Chocolate, and a new Strawberry Banana variety, one made with 20 percent juice. We think that ZICO has done a great job with both the new package and the new flavor, which has a lower calorie profile than competing juice products.
The country's largest supermarket company has formed a strong internal strategy under VP of Natural Foods Mary Ellen Adcock to try to remake itself in the minds of natural and organic consumers as a place where they can go to discover new, on-trend drinks and other products, partnering with L.A. Libations on the beverage end.
John Lenore & Co. – which has distributed Monster for the brand’s entire existence – will no longer carry it as of April 1. The energy drink volume sales leader is moving to a pair of wholesalers affiliated with Anheuser-Busch, including an AB-owned affiliate in the south half of the city and Markstein Beverage Co. in the north.
In her presentation, called “Avoiding the 10 Percent Haircut, ” Ms. Simon, an expert on transactions involving venture capital-backed enterprises, will discuss ways that beverage entrepreneurs can maximize their company's valuation during investment rounds and company sales.
Honest Tea's Honest Splash is a new line of juice drinks designed for older children that is currently sold in a exclusive deal with Target. While the formulation mirrors that of the Honest Kids line, from the packaging, it's not totally obvious that the products are made for kids, which definitely could be by design in the sense that the market for smaller portion sizes is definitely growing.
For the first time since 1997, Pepsi will introduce a new bottle shape next month. The brand will also debut new graphics, according to Ad Age.
Wai Koko's Coconut Water is a not from concentrate coconut water that is packaged in a 17.5 oz can. Inside the can, you'll find flavor that's extremely similar to other products that come in this package, and while it's definitely as delicious and thirst-quenching as the competition, it’s ultimately a formulation that seems pretty interchangeable.
BevNET is pleased to announce that Tyler Gage and Dan MacCombie, the founders of Runa, will be speaking at BevNET Live in June in New York City. The event will be held on June 4 and 5 at the Metropolitan Pavilion.
Zola’s Coconut Water with Pulp is a line extension to their coconut water, which was launched in 2012. We’ve definitely had coconut water products with more pulp and bigger pieces, but Zola - which uses smallish chunks of pulp throughout the beverage - seems like it has taken a good mainstream-oriented approach.
BevNET is pleased to announce that the final agenda for Beverage School in Chicago is now available for viewing. Held on April 10, Beverage School in Chicago presents a unique opportunity for launch-focused beverage entrepreneurs to get an early understanding of the most important issues in the business. It will also feature a panel that offers strategic advice on launching in the Midwest.
