PureCircle Ice Cream. Global stevia producer PureCircle has launched a branded stevia-sweetened gourmet ice cream in Chicago, where the company is based. The ice cream uses PureCircle’s Reb-M stevia formula and contains half the calories of regular ice cream. The product, branded with PureCircle’s corporate name, will be sold from food trucks and offered to foodservice customers, according to PureCircle. In a statement, the company said it wants to demonstrate “confidence in the great taste of its next generation stevia sweeteners.”

Retailers. McDonald’s has expanded its McDelivery service to more than 10,000 US locations in an agreement with food delivery service DoorDash; the burger chain has about 14,000 US locations overall … REGO restaurant group, which includes Quiznos and Taco Del Mar, has signed a multi-year beverage supply contract with CocaCola … 7-Eleven has rolled out a mobile checkout system, which is integrated with the convenience chain’s 7Rewards loyalty program … Target has launched a new private label food brand called Good & Gather as the retailer phases out its Archer Farms and Simply Balanced store brands and reduces offerings under the Market Pantry line.

Sustainability. Pathwater, the maker of bottled water in refillable and recyclable aluminum, is now available at the San Francisco Airport as the facility pledges to go waste-free by 2021 and had banned bottled water in PET packages … RePlanet, California’s largest operator of package redemption and recycling centers, went out of business last week, closing almost one-fifth of the state’s bottle and can redemption in a single day … A new report by the World Health Organization said there is no current evidence that microplastics in drinking water harm human health; the organization said that further research is needed, however, and advocated for the reduction of plastic pollution.

Launches, Expansions. Celsius is launching a new fitness drink containing branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, that are popular with bodybuilders; BCAAs are a key ingredient in Bang by Vita Pharmaceuticals and Reign by Monster Beverage … Peet’s Coffee has added a Nespresso-compatible decaf capsule called Decaffeinato Ristretto to address a rising demand for decaf coffee; Peet’s is owned by JAB Holding, which is the controlling shareholder for Keurig Dr Pepper … Nestlé has launched three plant-based latte coffee drinks in almond, oat, and coconut under its Nescafé Gold brand … For the holidays, Coke will sell Coca-Cola Cinnamon and Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry from September to January … Kill Cliff, an energy drink founded by a Navy Seal, has launched a 15-calorie, sugar-free CBD beverage called Orange Kush … Functional drink maker Bio-Up has released a line of teas for heart health and cholesterol management touting the use of liposomes to carry nutrients into tissues … Two Roots brewing has introduced a non-alcoholic version of their THC-infused craft beer … PepsiCo-owned juice maker Naked has launched a Piña Colada blend with pineapple, banana and coconut milk … Mountain Dew has introduced a Halloween-themed Mountain Dew VooDew soda in a mystery flavor … Caribou Coffee launched a line of caffeinated sparkling waters … Alkaline88 is adding shots to its line of hemp-derived CBD-infused beverages and products.

International. Coca-Cola Japan has invested in a “relaxation beverage” called Chill Out that will be produced with hemp seed extract; the investment is being led for Coke by Matthew Mitchell, a former VP at Coke’s Venturing & Emerging Brands unit in the US … Global ingredients supplier Prinova has expanded into Asia-Pacific with a new subsidiary in Australia.

Correction. An article about Coca-Cola Energy in the July 12, 2019 edition cited an inaccurate number published in an analyst report concerning weighted distribution for Coca-Cola Energy in Western Europe. A correct figure is not available.

Quick Takes. The TSA isn’t allowing souvenir Coke bottles from Disney’s new Star Wars theme park in Orlando on flights because they look like thermal detonators … Contigo has recalled millions of reusable water bottles because the silicon spout can be a choking hazard … A Canadian man who pushed a fake bottled water brand saying he had ties to Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, and former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has been charged with defrauding investors out of $5 million dollars over four years … Coca-Cola and Pepsi both will provide juice and flavored drinks to the Natrona County public school system in Wyoming … Walmart has removed violent video game displays and signage after two recent shootings in its stores; the action comes as beverage makers form closer ties to eSports leagues often centered on battle-oriented video games … US Open champion Naomi Osaka has signed an endorsement deal with Bodyarmor … Saturday Night Live star Kyle Mooney has signed an endorsement deal with Danone’s Stok Coffee … The 2019 MTV Video Music Awards featured six minutes of in-show integrated branded content from Pepsi and Toyota … Privacy concerns were raised in New York City recently after a 12-year-old boy’s DNA was added to a police database; according to the New York Times, the sample was taken from a McDonald’s soda straw that the boy used while being questioned by detectives for a felony charge that was later dropped … In case you are wondering, Popeyes, the fast-food chain that caused a run on its new fried chicken sandwich, pours Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper (and Pepsi at some legacy locations).