Bai Executive Helps Brand Achieve ‘Look of Success,’ Named New President

One week after Ben Weiss, the founder and CEO of bai, said at BevNET Live in New York that he expects his company’s sales to increase fivefold this year, he followed his words with an executive shift, announcing Tuesday that Ken Kurtz has been promoted to company president.

Review: OnJuice

Yes, the market has -- seemingly overnight -- become flooded with new cold-pressed, high pressure processed juice brands. Most, if not all, utilize extremely high quality and/or organic ingredients, but does that mean the products taste good? Look good? Not necessarily, but in the in case of South Florida-based OnJuice, the company has done an excellent job with the formulation and packaging of its juice blends.

The Brand Emanates from the Team

With Mike Kirban’s new-age-y approach to management, which he shared on stage during BevNET Live Summer '13 last week in New York, he revealed that he had established Vita Coco as a state of both mind and business.

Review: Chasing Rabbits

While there’s probably some way to turn Chasing Rabbits into a good-looking brand, it currently lacks any emotion that a consumer might connect to. Both the branding and the execution of the design leave something to be desired, starting with the seemingly random name that is “Chasing Rabbits.”

Coke Launches Powerade Zero Drops

The Coca-Cola Co., Inc. has extended its reach into the rapidly growing world of water enhancers with Powerade Zero Drops, a new line of zero-calorie liquid concentrates. Aimed at on-the-go sports drink consumers, the new products are infused with the same range of electrolytes as its flagship brand.

BevNET Live: Brand Identity, Patience Key Profitability

It's rare to see Don Vultaggio, the co-founder of AriZona Beverage Co., out in a public forum, as he was during his appearance on Tuesday during BevNET Live Summer '13 in New York. But he appeared to be in a fine mood, letting his own style, which symbolizes an insightful, unique nature that has carried his company to sustained achievement, wash over the crowd.

Review: Buchu Life

BuchuLife is a sparkling water that is enhanced with buchu oil, and ingredient that is positioned as having anti-inflammatory benefits. Unfortunately, the product is, at least in liquid form, very difficult to consume. Overall, this variety in this review -- as well as the rest of the BuchuLife sparkling water flavors -- needs serious improvement.

Motto Wins New Beverage Showdown 5, Will Enter Kroger Stores

Motto not only survived judge Kelly Marlowe’s tough question; they braved the field of 21 and won the showdown’s first place, granting them a $5,000 jumbo check (game show style), an automatic entry into select Kroger retail locations, and the less tangible rewards of this competition, such as exposure and pride.

New Beverage Showdown 5 Finalists Substantiate Industry Shift

The final six brands in New Beverage Showdown 5 at BevNET Live Summer ’13 in New York City confirmed an increasingly evident truth about innovation in this industry. “The days of artificial everything are the days of the past,” said Eric Schnell, a judge for the event and the founder and CEO of Metabrand.

WATCH LIVE NOW: Video Stream of BevNET Live Summer ’13, Day 2

Day one of BevNET Live Summer '13 is in the books - and what a day it was! Wednesday's agenda leads off with a case study on acai beverage company Zola. CEO and founder Chris Cuvelier will discuss how companies can find growth in shifting from single-ingredient focused product to broader beverage company. Next will be a presentation on building beverage brands in Kroger stores, led by Mary Ellen Adcock, VP of Natural Foods, Kroger.

WATCH LIVE NOW: Video Stream of BevNET Live Summer ’13, Day 1

And so it begins! BevNET Live Summer ’13 has finally arrived, and we’ve got a superb line-up for day one of the conference. Kicking things off will be the semifinal round of New Beverage Showdown 5 in which 21 beverage companies will vie for a spot in the finals on Wednesday and a chance to win $10,000 in cash and prizes.

Mintel: Coconut Water Intros Quintuple in Last Five Years

Over the past five years, a deluge of new products introductions has helped pushed coconut water from the outskirts of the beverage industry to one of fastest growing and visible categories on the market. According to Mintel, a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence, new coconut water products have grown by 540 percent since 2008 with most brands utilizing health claims associated with the liquid to propel product launches.