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...

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.

The past year has been good for Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (CCSWB). The Dallas-based bottler, controlled by Mexico’s Arca Continental, took home the 2019 Candler Cup as Coca-Cola’s best bottler of the year globally. Before that, CCSWB was named Coke North America’s 2018 Market Street Challenge winner as the most improved bottler. And Southwest’s McAllen, Texas production plant earned a President’s Quality Award as CCNA’s No. 1 facility. The accolades rolled in just two years after Arca entered the US market as part of Coke’s massive refranchising of company-owned bottling assets in the US and Canada. In its first year, CCSWB faced Hurricane Harvey, which caused extensive flooding and damage in Houston, a key market. The bottler also faced soaring commodity costs. BD visited Houston recently for a curated market tour that served as a victory lap of sorts. The day was hosted by Coke Southwest executives including COO Jean Claude Tissot, a 21-year veteran of the Coca- Cola system in Latin America. The following recap includes images from the tour and commentary...

Starting this month, New York City Health Department will force food service operators to discard or return to suppliers...

Dave Holmes created an alcohol beverage category by founding and developing SpikedSeltzer, which he sold to Anheuser-Busch in 2016. Now his ambition is focused on the burgeoning hemp-based CBD...

    PepsiCo plans to launch an "all-natural" sports drink called Bolt24 that will debut in select....