A federal judge in Florida has denied a request for a preliminary injunction by Bang Energy-owner Vital Pharmaceuticals (VPX) to stop Monster Beverage from distributing its Reign Total Body Fuel energy drink in its current trade dress. In March...
BD caught up with Celsius and A Shoc during the recent NACS show in Atlanta. Celsius CEO John Fieldly said the company has embarked on aggressive plans to...
Bang Energy founder and CEO Jack Owoc appears to be proceeding with plans to launch a new “pre-workout energy drink” under a trademark “Reign.” The name was at the center of a lawsuit filed last spring by Bang parent company Vital Pharmaceuticals against Monster Beverage...
We wanted to know more about Coke Tullahoma’s recent sale of its Tennessee and Kentucky franchise territories to Great Lakes Coca-Cola, which is owned by Chicago-based soft drinks and beer distributor Reyes Holdings. So we called...
Ritual Zero Proof Co-founder Marcus Sakey Discusses Burgeoning Category. ‘Mad Cooking,’ Not ‘Mad Science.’
October 15, 2019
In 2015, UK-based Seedlip pioneered a now small but fast-growing category of distilled non-alcoholic drinks that mimic spirits. Sometimes referred to as “alternative spirits,” these drinks have tapped into the growing consumer desire for low- or no-alcohol bar choices. The alternative spirits category is far less defined in the US, which is why startup Ritual Zero Proof caught our attention after its launch last month. According to co-founder and crime novelist Marcus Sakey, Ritual soon will announce “significant” funding from a strategic investor. We reached out to Sakey to learn more about the category. The following interview is edited for clarity and space...
Legal Terrain Remains Rocky as C-Store Industry Previews Green Rush
October 15, 2019
Convenience store retailers are among those looking to better understand the hectic and uncertain US market for CBD-infused beverages. A raft of CBD products from ready-to-drink coffees to relaxation shots have flooded the market since Congress legalized industrial hemp production late last year, even though the FDA hasn’t legalized CBD for use in foods and beverages. To help store owners make better sense of the market, the convenience store trade group NACS hosted CBD workshops and a “CBD Pavilion” at the organization’s annual trade show, held this year in Atlanta. The CBD display area was a first for NACS. Underscoring the challenges of the emerging category, the CBD Pavilion ...
A photo gallery with this story catalogs the 25 beverage products on display at NACS’ CBD Pavilion.
This year's NACS trade show in Atlanta, with exhibits that covered the space of almost two football fields, offered a first look at innovation being sold into retailers for 2020. The products pictured are some of the newest innovations from Coke, PepsiCo, Keurig Dr Pepper and Nestle. These products mostly launch late this year and early next year.
American Beverage Association to Host Advocacy Summit to Celebrate 100 Years
October 1, 2019
Late next month, the American Beverage Association will host member executives from across the US non-alcoholic beverage industry for an advocacy summit and celebration to mark the organization’s 100th anniversary. The three-day event will include a rare panel...
PepsiCo announced accelerated plastic waste reduction efforts last month, including a new 2025 target to cut the company’s use of virgin plastic for packaging by 35%. Such targets are becoming more critical for beverage makers as consumer backlash against single-use plastic grows. In addition