Washington state produces about 60% of the country’s apples, resulting in a flourishing market for hard cider. As public demand for cider options continue to grow, creating an experience and showcasing diversity in the category will be the key to success,...
A nutrient-rich, non-alcoholic beer can address the nutrients lost and changes to taste that patients face when undergoing therapy or treatments for cancer, its makers say.
There are 6,655 active craft breweries in the US with more than 2,500 in planning, according to new mid-year metrics released by the Brewers Association (BA).
Stillwater Ingredients launched a non-psychoactive CBD in three formats at the IFT expo this month: a liquid concentrate, a powder and a spray adhesion.
UK-based Rejuvenation is developing carbonated canned variants of its amino acid water to target the alcohol alternatives and mixer segment and stretch out even further as a functional beverage, its founder says.
Entrepreneur Jen Du’s line of ‘hangover cure’ liquid supplements were designed with tweaks she learned from her first, soon-to-be-discontinued product.
Putting new energy into what was once a struggling brand has yielded an energy product that an executive believes could be a game changer in the space.
FORTO Coffee Shots, a two-ounce, single-serve coffee drink brand, is migrating from check-out counters populated by other energy shot brands and into the coffee aisles of 3,700 Walmart stores beginning this month.
Not technically an herbal tea and not a soda, Petal identifies itself as sparkling botanical blend carving out a new space for itself in the world of better-for-you beverages.
Sustainability spotlight: ‘Our bigger mission is to make the whole brewing industry more sustainable’
A Finnish craft brewery hopes to go beyond carbon neutral to become carbon negative – removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than simply offsetting emissions – with the broader mission of inspiring the whole brewing industry to become more...
Up Mountain Switchel, a six-year-old beverage company started in Vermont is continuing its path of reinvigorating a heritage recipe with its most recent product launch, Original Swizzle, a carbonated switchel drink that uses fresh ginger root, Vermont...
High Brew Coffee of Austin, Texas, closed a $20m funding round led by investment firm Charles Street Partners, marking its third and largest investment since launching in 2014.
As a food or beverage startup, it’s natural to want to expand very quickly, but brands should take a moment to revel in their small-scale existence and take advantage of their ability to be nimble, says Poppilu founder Melanie Kahn.
After helping 2017's winners generate growth worth €10 million, PepsiCo's accelerator programme Nutrition Greenhouse is looking for 10 more start-ups for the 2018 round.
In the UK, 63% of independent brewers say they expect their turnover to increase this year: showing ‘the optimism and dynamism’ of the sector against a backdrop of unprecedented competition and continued dominance of big beer, according to SIBA, the UK’s...
Functional beverages have come a long way since consumers first got a taste of drinks that delivered more than taste and refreshment, LA Libations founder and CEO Danny Stepper said at The Beverage Forum in Chicago this week.
Since closing a $1.1m seed series fundraising round led by Rocana Venture Partners, Après seems to be well on its way to addressing what its founders felt was a clear gap in the market of protein nutrition: the boutique fitness-frequenting woman.
With a growing Midwest footprint, ready-to-drink (RTD) cold brew coffee brand Blackeye Roasting Co. said it has ‘aggressive’ plans to triple its distribution to 30 states by the end of 2018 and sees c-stores as its secret weapon to reaching a new base...
By Angus Grierson, managing director, LGB Corporate Finance
M&A activity in the beverage industry is set to continue - and even accelerate - in 2018, writes Angus Grierson, managing director of LGB Corporate Finance, in this guest column.
Cusa Tea is tapping into a missed opportunity in the instant tea category where founder Jim Lamancusa believes major players are not adequately replicating the experience and taste of a freshly brewed cup.
DRY Soda Co. debuted its Zero Sugar organic soda line at Expo West in Anaheim, California, last week; seeking to respond to unmet consumer needs in the diet soda category.
Bronx Brewery has had strong growth from its core beer range that is designed to be approachable to all beer drinkers, but its recent B-Track Series allowed the brewer to push the boundaries of flavor with new and exotic ingredients.
Taste and price are no longer the only criteria for beverage launches: brands need to meet consumer demand for health, natural ingredients, responsible sourcing and sustainability. While the baseline for innovation has become more demanding, there is...
Lazy Bear Tea co-founder Daniela Uribe wants her company's RTD teas - which are made from leftover coffee cherry husks (known as cascara) - to have the social impact of Honest Tea while striking the mainstream appeal and distribution of Snapple.
What's the difference between a great brand, and beautiful packaging design? Will PepsiCo's Drinkfinity concept be a hit in the US? And could sprinkling 'fairy dust' amounts of on-trend functional ingredients in your beverage - and...
Cracking into the $8bn US sports drink market can be difficult for smaller brands, but Chicago startup KRā has found success with its grass roots marketing efforts and charitable business ethos, which has attracted a growing consumer following along with...
Secret Squirrel cold brew coffee is leveraging nearly seven years of experience in the booming RTD coffee space to continue to scale production, add new SKUs, and expand distribution later this year.
Private equity firm Castanea Partners has made a minority investment in Portland, Oregon-based Brew Dr. Kombucha’s parent company Townshend Group (TTG), with an eye on expanding the organic kombucha brand’s US reach and consumer awareness.
For a growing number of wine producers, organic is not just a expanding market to tap into: it’s a fundamental philosophy of their business and a necessity for the longevity of their enterprise and land.
Big Geyser deal will give Soylent access to thousands of doors in the New York metro area
Meal replacement brand Soylent – which built a sizeable business on its own website and is now one of the fastest-growing brands on Amazon - has struck a deal with distributor Big Geyser that will give it access to thousands of stores and offices in the...
The beer industry’s first round of consolidation is largely over as macro US brewers have slowed their pace of craft brewery acquisitions, making way for other types of deals that offer small brewers new paths forward, says Rabobank.
What are the key beverage trends - and companies - to watch in 2018?
One of the most exciting players in the fast-growing meal replacement space, Soylent built its business – and a highly engaged community – online, first on its own website, and later on Amazon, but has recently ventured into the bricks and mortar space...
La Colombe Draft Latte has seized a 1% share of RTD coffee sales in the US grocery category after operating for one year, according to IRI data ending Dec. 3, 2017.
Consumption of alcoholic drinks has been largely static in recent years whereas the use of cannabis is growing and will continue to expand, offering a commercial opportunity for the alcohol industry in North America, according to Euromonitor analysts.
The US Congress has passed the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2017 (CBMTRA), a bill that will cut the federal excise tax on beer, spirits, and wine producers effective on Jan. 1, 2018.
Today, 83% of Americans live within 10 miles of a local brewery. The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association for US craft beer, looks back on the highlights of 2017 for the craft beer industry.
Alkaline water brand Flow is set to launch an organic flavored water line this December, aimed at satisfying the growing consumer demand for premium water products.
Beverage startup Poppilu hopes its antioxidant lemonade can establish a strong foothold in the Midwest region where it sources its powerhouse ingredient for its lemonade products, the Aronia berry.
SomruS, a Chicago-based line of liqueurs, has secured $3.6m in growth funding from venture capital firm, Cleveland Avenue, and aims to achieve US national distribution in 2018.
Eggs are a great protein source but processors lack innovation when creating new convenience formats, says the founder of Peck, whose egg-based beverage packs a nutritional punch that beats highly processed plant or whey protein.
The disruptive influence of challenger brands continues to shake up the food sector, not least because agile companies have proven skilled at responding to – and sitting at the forefront of – emerging consumer demands. FoodNavigator looks at how and why...
