BevNET Magazine March/April 2017 by BevNET.com

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MAGAZ MAGA Z I N E

MARCH-APRIL 2017

POWDER KEG Health Boom Brings Protein to the Front

HOW PREMIUM WATER IS CLAIMING MORE SHELF SPACE

CRAFT BREWERS FIGHTING INDUSTRY DOLDRUMS

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Contents / March – April 2017 / Volume 15 / No. 2

COLUMNS

FEATURES

4 First Drop Politics, Politics, Politics

34 Growing Smart Premium Waters Claim More Shelf Space

6 Publisher’s Toast SKU’d!

42 Powder Keg Health Boom Brings Protein to the Front

32 Gerry’s Insights Store Checks

48 Stripped Down Shots Back to Basics for Function and Energy

DEPARTMENTS

54 The Barrels Are Still Rolling U.S. Whiskey Remains the Big Spirits Story

10 Bevscape/NOSHscape/Brewscape Whole Foods Says No Junk Probiotics; Alt-Dairy Goes to Court 24 New Products Drinkable Veggies Get Real 28 Channel Check FMBs 110 Promo Parade FitWhey Goes Spartan

60 Over the Hill? Craft Brewers Fight Industry Doldrums

SHOWS 64 Craft Brewers Conference Preview

SPECIAL SECTION 67 Functional Beverage Guide Follow Us Online

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THE FIRST DROP BY JEFFREY KLINEMAN

Thinking Politics, Drinking Politics

Regardless of party, the past few months have been a time for a certain amount of self-assessment with regard to one’s relationship with the new political climate. Some would describe it as something of a nightmare scenario, while others are happier with the election and its aftermath. Certainly, regardless of your side, there’s been a lot of frustration and bitterness, and a hardening of the national mood that seems to have carried over with all the bad blood of the year-long campaign season. So where do things go from here? How do brands, industry, companies and consumers conduct themselves, knowing that most of the beverage industry has some connection, either direct or extended, to the pain at the center of the government, and the pain that is wracking the country at large. Certainly, the major forces affecting new product development have strong political components. Health and wellness is the key trend in beverage and has been for two decades, but the legacy of both the Clinton and Obama families (I say families because the Clinton Global Initiative helped negotiate change with regard to products that are sold in schools, while Michelle Obama was a key advocate for changes in the American diet) is one that has led to

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major changes in the way Americans have looked at soft drinks, helping encourage companies to look beyond sugary beverages for growth and beyond schools as the source of those products’ next consumers. At the same time, those sugary beverages have also become something of a flashpoint for both health and wellness advocates as well as those conservatives interested in limiting entitlement programs like the food stamp program, called SNAP. A recent report in the New York Times that food stamps are being used to purchase nutritionally inferior CSDs has become a rallying cry to those who wish to portray SNAP beneficiaries as irresponsible. But at the same time those feelings have raised concerns from health and wellness watchdogs over whether the government should be in the business of subsidizing highly profitable beverage companies. The Times report also came freighted with class and race issues – by paying attention to the 9.3 percent of the average grocery basket SNAP beneficiaries spend on sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juice drinks and energy drinks, the report downplayed the relatively small difference in spending by non-SNAP shoppers, who average 7.1 percent of their grocery spend on those products. Again, beverage is fuel for the argument.

So those are just two examples at the big company level, but there are more: on the retailing side, last month, a group of more than 100 retailers and retail groups got together to rally against a highly publicized 20 percent levy on imported goods being pushed by the current administration. The AAP, a coalition of retailers, says that the proposed Border Adjustment Tax will impact consumers in both the supermarket and the bodega through the industry’s heavy reliance on food imports, both from an ingredient and a produce perspective. Indeed, 30 to 40 percent of fresh produce items are imported into the U.S., according to the National Grocers Association, while the AAP has estimated that the Border Assessment Tax would cost American households up to $1700 as those import levies are added to the cost of goods. Meanwhile, both agriculture and food retailing in the U.S. draw large components of their workforce from immigrant communities, both documented and undocumented. Many of the fields in California and Michigan, the dairy operations in Vermont and the livestock businesses of North Carolina and Texas would struggle to find staff without workers from other countries – those same workers whose security as legal residents and path to citizenship is being fractured by the immigration debate.

Don’t get caught with your pants down “STRAIGHT PEOPLE, LGBT PEOPLE, SMALL PEOPLE, LARGE PEOPLE, HISPANIC PEOPLE, JEWISH/CHRISTIAN/MUSLIM PEOPLE, WHITE PEOPLE AND BLACK PEOPLE. WE ARE ALL AMERICANS AND WE ARE PROUD OF OUR COUNTRY AND ITS VALUES.” KARA GOLDIN - FOUNDER, HINT

On the procution side, regulation by agencies like the EPA and the FDA is also something that’s going to change. A move away from respect for climate change science has the potential to continue environmental upheavals that are already affecting crops and growing patterns for key ingredients. A move away from the ability to effectively regulate the production end could more easily result in adulteration of products and consumer harm. Pull on any part of the political web, and you’re likely to tip a drink. But there’s more than that: there’s the character of the leadership that becomes important to consider, and at a time when leadership style and personality are as under scrutiny as any policy point, they start to overlap and affect the entrepreneurial forces that are improving the industry as a whole. One reaction from within the entrepreneurial space that I think is worth citing is from HINT founder Kara Goldin, who had just begun a two-year term as a member of the NACIE, the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, shortly before the election. Anyone who has followed Goldin’s career understands that she has been a strong advocate not just for her brand, but for entrepreneurialism as an economic and cultural force. In many

ways joining the NACIE was something of a plateau to which she had aspired for its ability to further improve the access to resources for the entrepreneur. In February, however, she posted her resignation from NACIE, making a clear argument that the mission and values of the current administration are at odds with the mission and values that govern her life as an entrepreneur. While noting that under normal circumstances the council’s mission wouldn’t be affected regardless of the party in the White house, she said she was resigning “because I believe that we now have a President that has no interest in advice, that is pursuing power as an end in and of itself and that has no intention of solving real problems or creating real opportunities for the people of this great nation. More importantly, as the leader of an innovative company that’s helping America get healthier, I feel a deep obligation to our employees, our investors and our customers to distance myself from the sexism, racism, protectionism and hate that has defined the Trump administration’s first days in office.” She cited the makeup of her company as a key reason for her withdrawal – one that has more women than men working there, “straight people, LGBT people, small people, large people, hispanic people, jewish/ christian/muslim people, white people and black people. We are all Americans and we are proud of our country and its values.” Goldin was consistent in her message when I asked her about it a couple of weeks later. “Hard to be a leader to people when there is confusion as to what their leader is doing,” she wrote to me. “If you want your team focused, I think, you need to cut out any confusion and noise.” I agree. It’s also important, I think, to be vigilant and well-informed, and to understand, as Goldin does, that business plays a role in the theatre of politics. Contrary to the stagecraft we’re seeing today, It’s not just a show. There’s real power in drink, and as things progress, more of the industry may be called to action. Use it.

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PUBLISHER’S TOAST BY BARRY NATHANSON

SKU’d Reality Over the course of the past two weeks, I’ve had personal friends and friends of personal friends reach out to me about beverages. Usually industry connections are the ones who recommend me so the interest from my own personal circle was a little strange. But they, like so many others, were considering launching brands, and determined that I would be their sounding board. We got together for a few hours, discussing the industry, the opportunities, the pitfalls, the upside, and the downside – which is the more likely side. We covered chapter and verse on launching a brand. There was so much to cover, a BevNET Beverages 101 cram course, in essence. The variables are vast, as there are so many paths to take, but for those who were thinking about launching, we found

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other stores. They had rows and rows of Gatorade, Dasani, Muscle Milk and all of the portfolios of the bought shelves of Coke, Pepsi and Dr Pepper brands. I did see a few newer, innovative brands, but they were mostly the new acquisitions of the big guys. There were facings of 8-12 SKUs for so many of those brands, all at the expense of the more exciting, creative brands that are enlivening the beverage landscape. You wouldn’t be aware that the wave of innovation in beverages was upon us. The smaller brands were lucky to get four facings on the shelves. The stores my wife and I shop at, those places like Whole Foods and Fairway, were a different story. There was a vista of excitement. Here were dozens of brands, each with 4 to 6 SKUs dotting

Barry J. Nathanson PUBLISHER bnathanson@bevnet.com Jeffrey Klineman EDITOR-IN-CHIEF jklineman@bevnet.com Ray Latif MANAGING EDITOR rlatif@bevnet.com Martín Caballero SENIOR REPORTER mcaballero@bevnet.com Brad Avery REPORTER bavery@bevnet.com Chris Furnari BREWBOUND EDITOR cfurnari@bevnet.com Justin Kendall BREWBOUND ASSISTANT EDITOR jkendall@bevnet.com Carol Ortenberg PROJECT NOSH EDITOR cortenberg@bevnet.com Meagan McGinnes PROJECT NOSH SENIOR REPORTER mmcginnes@bevnet.com

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ourselves spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how many SKUs make a good opening salvo. So we took to the streets to check it out. I took my friends for an afternoon journey across the width and breadth of New York City retailers to see what the opportunities are. It was actually a great exercise for me, as well. We covered CVS and Walgreens, a traditional supermarket, Gristedes, and the unconventional Trader Joe’s. We hit Whole Foods, our own Fairway markets, and even threw in higher end specialty shops such as Garden of Eden, Citarella and Gourmet Garage. As expected, the drug and standard markets didn’t have the selection of the

the shelves. Water brands took more facings as did the teas and the high-end juices. I was impressed with the selection at Whole Foods and the display treatments there – they seemed to give every brand their moment in the sun. Many brands actually had 8 to 10 facings, along with endcaps and freestanding displays. The other retailers weren’t slackers, but Whole Foods was the standout. To new brands entering the marketplace and looking to make an impression, I’d say start with 4 sku’s, with rollouts at the ready. There are just too many options for retailers to devote more space to an unproven brand or fledging ones. Start slow, and be realistic. You’re not going to garner more space, so take what you can get.

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BEVSCAPE

THE LATEST BEVERAGE BRAND NEWS

Raises: Dirty Lemon Dirty Lemon is looking to add some juice. A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reveals that the New York City-based company, which markets a line of all-natural functional wellness drinks made with fruit juices and botanicals, is attempting to raise $4.5 million. Dirty Lemon turned heads upon its launch in 2015 for its innovative text message-based ordering platform. The brand sells its four SKUs –Detox, Energy, Skin + Hair and Sleep –exclusively through SMS: customers simply register their phone number, billing, shipping and credit card information online, then text the Dirty Lemon number to place an

our current product offering.” According to Normandin, part of that expansion includes exploring new innovations that may have a larger consumer base and different use occasion than Dirty Lemon has tapped into thus far. “We are focused from an R&D standpoint on broadening the appeal of the brand,” he wrote, noting the company is developing more products for everyday drinking. “For example, having an entry level offering will allow customers who are excited about the brand to have an easier opportunity to become a customer.” Social media has been a key part of Dirty Lemon’s strategy to build a lifestyle brand from the beginning. The company

order. A 6-pack of bottles costs $65, which includes two-day shipping on all orders. In an interview with BevNET, CEO Zak Normandin, who founded baby and toddler organic food brand Little Duck Organics, said the company was in the middle of closing the fundraising round and declined to go into specifics. He said that the new resources would be directed towards the company’s current focus on marketing initiatives and developing new products. “Over the last year we’ve built something in beverage that is clearly non-traditional,” he said in an e-mail. “Looking forward we need to elaborate on what we have done well and expand

announced its official launch on Instagram in 2015, but it has used that app to communicate a broader personality rather than simply promote the line. One is as likely to find a random meme or risque bedroom shot as an image of the product itself. For example, in a nod to its Sleep variety, one post features in image of semi-nude woman sleeping in bed, captioned with “snoring is absolutely an aphrodisiac.” “We’ve never really explored traditional marketing in the way that most brands do,” Normandin said. “Because it has been a part of the brand since Day One, it has naturally been a core focus as we continue to grow.”

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5-hour’s $4 million Settlement

Living Essentials, maker of 5-hour Energy, and its venture capital arm, Innovation Ventures, was ordered to pay nearly $4.3 million in penalties and legal costs following a trial in Washington in which a judge found the company in violation of the state’s Consumer Protection Act. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court in 2014, alleging Living Essentials made “deceptive and/or unfair representations” in its marketing that 5-hour Energy claimed to provide energy and alertness, was superior to coffee, was recommended by doctors, and does not cause a crash in consumers. A trial was held in August 2016. “The makers of 5-hour ENERGY broke the law in pursuit of profit, and now they are paying for it,” Ferguson said in a press release. Judge Beth Andrus ruled that Living Essentials and Innovation Ventures had “scant evidence” behind the science the company cites in its marketing of 5-hour Energy. “Defendants spent more time trying to justify the science behind their ads after-

the-fact than they did before marketing the products in Washington,” Andrus wrote in the ruling. “The Court was struck by the fact that Defendants presented no testimony from a single scientist actually involved in developing the contents of this product.” The companies were ordered to pay roughly $2.2 million in civil penalties, $2.1 million legal costs and fees to the Attorney General’s office, and were instructed not to make claims about the physiological effects of 5-hour Energy and other products without proper scientific evidence to back up the claims. The Washington lawsuit was filed alongside similar deceptive marketing complaints by attorneys general in Oregon and Vermont. Living Essentials won its case in those two states. In an email sent to BevNET, Living Essentials spokesperson Melissa Skabich denounced the ruling. “Unlike the two other courts that found in our favor, this court did not follow the law,” Skabich said. “We intend to vigorously pursue our right to appeal, and correct the trial court’s incorrect application of the law.”

THE BEST PACKAGE DESIGN OF 2016

BEVSCAPE Super Battle over Super Tea There’s a battle brewing over tea trademarks. Last month, pomegranate beverage maker POM Wonderful filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California alleging that Bai Brands had infringed on its “Super Tea” trademark. The product in question is Bai’s Antioxidant Supertea line, one of a range of low-calorie, antioxidant-infused beverages marketed by the New Jersey-based company. Bai, now owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, introduced the product in 2015. Attorneys representing POM and its parent The Wonderful Company are arguing that Bai infringes on POM’s trademark by causing a likelihood of confusion with the “Super Tea” mark. In the suit, POM’s lawyers state that POM’s “SUPER TEA Mark was custom designed to be distinctive, innovative and recognizable to consumers so that the SUPER TEA Mark would act as a source-identifier.” They argue that “there is a substantial goodwill associated with

the SUPER TEA Mark” due to the years of time, money and resources the company has dedicated towards developing and marketing the line. A cursory search of U.S. trademark registration records indicates that both companies may indeed have reasonable arguments to present with regard to their ownership of the term. POM has used “Super Tea” on its tea products since 2009, one year after records show the company acquired the rights to the mark under the 12 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

classification of Goods and Services defined as “sports drinks containing caffeine.” Records show that Bai registered the marks “Bai5 Antioxidant Supertea” and “Bai Antioxidant Supertea” on May 4 and Oct. 26, 2015, respectively, for for tea-based beverages, with fruit flavoring and antioxidants. According to the suit, to “further protect its established common law rights,” POM filed an new trademark application on May 4, 2016 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to secure the rights to the “Super Tea” mark for “non-alcoholic beverages with tea flavor; fruit juice concentrate; fruit flavored beverages,” and “non-alcoholic beverages containing fruit juices.” POM sent Bai a cease-and-desist letter regarding the use of the term later that month, on May 16, but Bai didn’t stop its trademark infringement, according to the suit. POM is seeking to enjoin Bai from further infringing on its trademark, and for all infringing products, packaging, advertising

and promotional materials to be recalled, seized, impounded and destroyed, according to the lawsuit. The brand is also asking for compensated for its legal fees and any other relief the court deems just to provide. Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., which completed its acquisition of Bai for $1.7 billion earlier this month, was not named in the suit. A representative of POM declined to comment on this story. Bai did not respond to requests for comment.

Capitol Hill: Kombucha Bill On Tap

A bipartisan group in the U.S. Congress introduced legislation in February aimed at eliminating federal alcohol taxes and updating regulations for kombucha. The Keeping Our Manufacturers from Being Taxed Unfairly while Championing Health Act, or KOMBUCHA, would increase the applicable alcohol-by-volume limit for kombucha from 0.5 percent to 1.25 percent. The bill is co-sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), while Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Scott Tipton (R-Colo) have introduced a companion version in the House. The bill addresses one of the chief concerns of kombucha manufacturers: the presence of trace alcohols, at amounts of up to 1 percent, that can occur during the production process and trigger federal excise taxes typically reserved for alcoholic beverages. “Kombucha is the fastest growing beverage category in the United States,” said Polis in a press release. “This bipartisan bill will eliminate unfair taxes for kombucha brewers, many of whom are small businesses. By taking kombucha out from under alcohol in the tax and regulatory code, we can help a new industry grow throughout Colorado and across the country.”

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BEVSCAPE Uproar Grows Over Plant Milks In the wake of the introduction of a Senate measure designed to prevent makers of plant-based dairy substitutes from using terms like “milk” or “yogurt” on their packages, a new theatre of combat has opened, this time in the courts. Two leading alternative milk producers have been hit with class action lawsuits alleging their products falsely claim to be equally or more nutritious than dairy milk. Lawyer Lee Cirsch at Capstone Law APC filed two suits in the Superior Court in Los Angeles County, one against

Although the amount of nutrients in alt-milks can vary widely depending on ingredients and brand, pro-dairy advocates have often pointed to a lack of protein and vitamins in many nut and plant-based milks as evidence of dairy’s superiority. But many alt-milk producers and supporters disagree that there is any consumer confusion about the nutritional benefits of nut and plant-based milks. Molly Spence, director of North America for the Almond Board of California, told BevNET that the attempt at litigation

would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce regulations defining the terms “milk,” “yogurt,” and “cheese” as strictly related to animal dairy products, effectively banning nut and plant-based alternatives from using the terms in their names or packaging. The proposed bill came several weeks after a bipartisan group of U.S. Congressmen submitted a letter to the FDA requesting they crack down on dairy alternatives. This increased federal scrutiny left many dairy alternative beverage producers ques-

WhiteWave Foods, producer of Silk, and another against Blue Diamond Growers, producer of Almond Breeze. Although Almond Breeze Original does contain several vitamins and nutrients, including calcium, it lacks in nutritional value when compared to 2 percent milk, the suit claims. The court filing goes on to state that Blue Diamond’s “entire marketing strategy portrays its almond beverages as nutritionally superior to dairy milk.” The class actions come almost immediately after Blue Diamond agreed to pay $9 million in a class action settlement arguing that Almond Breeze falsely claimed to be “All Natural.” The settlement did not include an admission of wrongdoing.

against almond milk companies “comes a little late” as the drink has existed for centuries and brands make no false claims about their own nutrition stats. “The variety of milks on the market today simply comes down to consumers having more choice,” Spence said. “Almond milk has been appealing because it has no saturated fat or cholesterol; it’s fortified with vitamins and minerals; unsweetened products can have 0 grams of sugar and as few as 30 calories a serving; it’s dairy-free/ plant-based/vegan; and the nutty taste and creamy texture is appealing.” It’s that appeal – and the erosion of sales of dairy milk as well – that may have led U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, to submit “The Dairy Pride Act,” a bill that

tioning the legitimacy of common dairy industry arguments that nut and soy alternative drinks infringe on dairy milk’s standards of identity. It also leaves legal ambiguity as to whether nu-spellings such as “Mylk” or the single-word “Almondmilk” are in violation of the rules. On Feb. 2, the Plant Based Food Association sent its own letter to the FDA arguing current plant-based milks are already accurate in their labeling, using their “common or usual name.” But standard of identity is no longer the only issue for dairy alternatives, and the lawsuits are likely to bring nutritional differences further into the public eye. For their part, the plant-based side is sometimes willing to acknowledge what their products lack.

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“We’ve seen that dairy spokespeople have noted almond milk doesn’t have naturally occurring protein, and that’s true,” Spence said. “So if you’re looking for protein, you’re better off with dairy milk or a handful of almonds.” According to Lindsay Moyer, senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, protein is one of the key differences between dairy and altdairy milks. An average cup of 1 percent milk contains about 8g of protein, while

On one hand I can agree with the gripe of the dairy industry that these alternative milks that don’t have nutrition are harvesting unfairly the health halo of milk. I can understand the frustration there, but on the other hand they’re trying to define it as a ‘lacteal secretion from a cow.’ And that’s ridiculous. I’d love to have some threshold of using that term ‘milk’ being defined by meeting a nutritional standard, I think that’s fine, but given how many people want a dairy-free alternative it shouldn’t be limited to ‘lacteal secretions.’ Adam Lowry, Ripple Co-Founder

almond milks only contain 1g on average. (Soy milk can often contain more protein, as do pea protein-based milks.) Often to match the nutrition of dairy milk, alt-milks must be fortified with added calcium and vitamins. Cow’s milk also naturally contains sugar, while the sugar of almond and soy milk is added, usually along with vanilla and chocolate flavoring, which Moyer said can sometimes be equivalent to a day’s worth of added sugar as recommended by the American Heart Association. But the big question for consumers is “does it matter?” The difference in nutrients between products may not actu-

ally be that important to consumers who prefer almond or soy milk, whether due to lactose intolerance, a vegan diet, or simple preference for taste. “It depends on if you’re relying for the milk for protein,” Moyer said. “If all you’re having for breakfast is cereal with nondairy milk then that might matter. But if you’re looking for a low calorie beverage, an unsweetened almond milk might only have about 30 calories per cup, so that’s a plus.” But for some consumers it does matter. Plant-based milk company Ripple chose its name to represent the shake-up it hoped to have throughout the dairy alternative category. Using pea protein, the company produces a non-dairy milk that has directly marketed itself as a highly nutritious drink. On the brand’s website, Ripple boasts 50 percent more calcium than cow’s milk, more vitamin D, half the sugar, a fraction of the saturated fat, and it matches the 8g of protein. “Milk is a wholesome kind of ‘mom and apple pie’ kind of beverage and we think alternatives to milk should be just as healthy,” Ripple co-founder Adam Lowry told BevNET. “On one hand I can agree with the gripe of the dairy industry that these alternative milks that don’t have nutrition are harvesting unfairly the health halo of milk,” Lowry said. “I can understand the frustration there, but on the other hand they’re trying to define it as a ‘lacteal secretion from a cow.’ And that’s ridiculous. I’d love to have some threshold of using that term ‘milk’ being defined by meeting a nutritional standard, I think that’s fine, but given how many people want a dairyfree alternative it shouldn’t be limited to ‘lacteal secretions.’” But Ripple’s strategy takes share from both alt-milks and dairy milks alike, and he didn’t hold back on the almond-based substitutes. Although many almond milk producers have varieties containing extra protein, Lowry said he doesn’t believe many almond milk drinkers are aware of the lack of protein. In some regard, the category, he said, let nutrition get away. And as more consumers begin drinking alt-milks, producers may need to live up to a standard.

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NOSHSCAPE

THE LATEST FOOD BRAND NEWS

Kickstarting For the Shoeless Runner: Health Warrior Superfood snack brand Health Warrior is moving into its next phase of growth with the launch of a new line. But with this expansion, the brand is not forgetting its core mission. Simultaneously, the company is doubling down on the values that were intrinsic to its formation with a new flavor of its current chia bar. The brand’s latest chia bar, Mexican Chocolate, actually will touch on the company’s roots, says founder and CEO Shane Emmett, who cites two books as part of company lore: Born to Run and The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The former chronicles some of the world’s great ultramarathoners, the Tarahumara people of Mexico. The book was also partially responsible for raising awareness around chia, as the Tarahumara are known for consuming them.(While the Tarahumara reside in one of the most beautiful areas of Mexico, the Copper Canyon, the region is currently plagued with a drought. As a result, it’s facing economic turmoil.) Emmett and his team recently became aware of the issues surrounding the region and wanted to help. “That’s what you have to do as a startup. It’s about making sure your roots are deep... the plants with the

deepest roots grow the fastest. So that’s what we did. We went back to our roots.” Six months ago Health Warrior put $15,000 towards one Tarahumara farm for soil restoration, land clearing, irrigation equipment, planting, harvesting and growing chia seeds. The family that grew the seeds also has a guarantee from Health Warrior to buy the end crop. The one farm a success, Emmett is now thinking larger. “Around Health Warrior we like to say ‘nail it before you scale it,’” he told NOSH. “On its face, what we’re doing is simply launching a new flavor, just with a really interesting supply chain.” To that extent, the brand is now launching a new Mexican Chocolate chia bar and “Operation Farm and Run.” As a way of launching the bar, Health Warrior created a Kickstarter campaign to generate awareness of the bar and cause. All of the proceeds from the Kickstarter will go towards the farms and backers can not only can essentially purchase bars, but also receive other benefits. Whole Foods Market has committed to placing the bar nationwide and 10 percent of store sales will also be donated to Operation

16 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Farm and Run. At the same time, in a look toward the future, Health Warrior is also launching a new line of pumpkin seed bars in Wegmans. It’s brand’s first exploration beyond chia as a main ingredient. “We were very focused, after launching the chia bar, on going narrow and deep, like everyone advises you to do,” Emmett told NOSH. “When we

looked at the truly awesome, historic, brands that have been able to become platform brands, like Kashi and KIND, they really go deep before they go wide. It’s been hard to control ourselves and not do more innovation over the course of the last four years. But now is really the perfect time to be making more radically convenient real food.” The newest addi-

tion to the Health Warrior lineup is made of roughly 70 percent pumpkin seeds, a teaspoon of organic wildflower honey, quinoa, coconut oil and spices for flavor. There are no natural or artificial flavors involved. Each bar will retail for roughly $1.79 on shelf in the natural channel and with about 170 calories and eight grams of protein, they fall in the middle of the brand’s other chia and protein bars. “The superfood protein bar is sort of a mini meal replacement,” Emmett said. “The chia bar is the perfect, quintessential snack and I like to think of this one as for the 3 p.m. slump.” Going forward, Emmett hopes to continue to focus on the snack, and in particular, bar category. No matter what direction the company takes, Emmett said it will always come back to creating clean, plant-based foods that are easy for consumers to have as part of their busy lives. “Our thesis is that fads will come and go,” he said. “Weight loss diets will come and go but there’s some foods that have been celebrated for thousands of years and making those easier for people to take them on the go is a pretty fun mission.”

For more stories, check out ProjectNOSH.com

Renaming Mamee: Going after Pringles Mamee, one of Australia’s most recognizable chip brands, is hoping their product will resonate more with U.S. consumers under its new moniker, The Good Crisp Company. South Australia-based ABC Sales & Marketing bought the rights to sell Malaysia’s largest snack brand, Mamee Snacks, in Australia over 30 years ago. This year, the company decided to expand its reach again beyond the “land down under” by bringing its version of a “healthier Pringle” to the U.S. The transition was not without its growing pains. Matthew Parry, COO of ABC North America LLC, told NOSH that feedback from the brand’s first nine months on shelves showed that U.S. consumers and retailers were not connecting with the brand’s original name, Mamee, or its packaging. “A lot of the comments that came in early on were ‘love the product, love the idea, love the taste, but it looks too healthy, it looks a bit boring, it looks a bit private label,’” Parry said. “Our brand wasn’t transferring well to the U.S. And now that we think about it, it makes sense. It doesn’t stand for anything; it doesn’t represent anything. I think we were a little bit in love with our own brand in that we thought we could take that brand and make it big in the U.S.” So Parry and his team went back to the drawing board and The Good

Crisp Company was born. Parry said the new name is intended to reflect not only the crisp’s good taste but also its “good ingredients.” Mamee packaging is currently still on shelves, but will be swapped over by the end of the month. The Good Crisp Co. previously sold its crisps in 5.6 oz cans for $3.49, but Parry said the brand is also launching a 1.6 oz can geared toward convenience stores and food service. Under its new name, the brand is hoping its extensive experience in the Australian market coupled with the energy behind its new venture can help it take on one of the biggest salty snack players in the U.S.: Pringles. “While we are a start up in the U.S. essentially, we’re a startup with 30 years of experience,” Parry said. “We’re able to use our experience to create healthier alternatives.” Pringles, meanwhile, may be trying to play to those notions of healthier with its newly announced LOUD line, debuting nationwide this month. The new chips are advertised as “vegetable-based,” with a base of corn or a “vegetable-grain” combination for the actual crisps. This may suggest a healthier alternative, but its caloric content is the same as its standard potato-based chips. The Good Crisp’s products, meanwhile, are gluten-free, GMO-free, and made with no artificial colors or flavors.

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NOSHSCAPE Whole Foods: No Junk Extends to Probiotics Whole Foods Market took aim at a class of products who position themselves as “healthier” options due to their use of added functional ingredients recently, announcing to suppliers that GanedenBC30 and LactoSpore (two popular strains of the probiotic bacillus coagulans that are often added to food) would no longer be permitted in certain categories of products. No other strains of bacillus coagulans are permitted in Whole Foods products. The store told suppliers that the new rules were being issued due to concerns about certain product categories. “By making health claims for a snack product,” the statement reads, “there is the underlying assumption that it should be eaten on a regular basis, which Whole Foods Market does not support from a philosophical standpoint.” Going forward, nutrition or protein powders, smoothie mixes, nutrition bars, dietary supplements, kombucha, tea, unsweetened (no added sugar) beverages, nut butters and soups that include bacillus coagulans are acceptable. On the unacceptable list is “junk food” including chips, beverages sweetened with added sugars, baked goods, trail mix, granola, granola bars, frozen yogurt, candy, chocolate and pizza enhanced with bacillus coagulans. Those products will be unacceptable unless, for the first six categories listed, they meet certain nutrition criteria. For some the new rules are a step in the right direction. “It’s very altruistic of them to come out and basically say ‘we will not be selling products that will intentionally mislead people into purchasing them because there’s some marketing gimmickry going on by using some functional ingredient,” Greg Fleishman, co-founder of baking mix brand Foodstirs and marketing agency Purely Righteous, told NOSH. However, there are still grey areas in the document released to suppliers. Certain categories, such as ice cream, frozen foods and dips were not mentioned at all. Whole Foods did not respond to requests for a comment.

18 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

One category notable in its absence was yogurt. The dairy category staple is one of the biggest groups of products to contain probiotics, Michael Bush, President of Ganeden, told NOSH. At the same time, he said, some yogurts contain more sugar or fat than granola bars or even frozen yogurts, which tend to be substitutes for ice cream. “If they have a yogurt sitting next to a granola bar and the nutrition profiles show more sugar in the yogurt then the granola bar,” Bush said to NOSH, “I’d certainly ask someone ‘why it is okay to eat this every day but not that?’” To some, the solution is a set of guidelines for each category with specific nutrition criteria that products using bacillus coagulans must meet. Fleishman believes that this process would help Whole Foods further cement itself as a “safe zone” for consumers. “To really validate and to legitimise this new standard, you have to really look at what categories are being excluded [from the guidelines],” Fleishman said. Bush also believes that consumers appreciate having a wide range of products to select from. Ganeden has found that consumers are more likely to comply with a probiotic regime when the ingredient is in foods versus supplements, he said.

One product that will be affected by the new rules is Farmhouse Culture’s Kraut Krisps, a line of probiotically enhanced chips made from fermented ingredients. The company created the product as part of a strategy to make probiotics accessible to consumers at many points during the day. “We added Kraut Krisps to our existing offerings of Krauts, Kimchi, Gut Shots and Fermented Vegetables because we believe it’s important to get probiotics in a variety of ways,” Farmhouse Culture Marketing Director Marc McCullagh told NOSH. “We’re excited to provide a probiotic-rich option that will satisfy the consumer desire for crunchy snacks, while adding the clinically studied benefits of GanedenBC30.” Probiotics have grown to be used across a variety of product types in recent years. Bush said approximately 700 food and beverage products using Ganeden BC30 can be found in over 100,000 retailers including club, mass, other natural stores and even convenience channels. This leaves the door open for consumers to purchase these products elsewhere. Brands that choose to not reformulate their “junk food” and keep bacillus coagulans in them now have far more options in terms of a path to retail success. Bush noted that Ganeden’s (now discontinued) line of supplements was never sold in Whole Foods but still did well in the 60,000 other retailers that did carry them. “If you look at Whole Foods, they are a fantastic retailer and they do a great job,” Bush noted. “But there’s still a very large market out there outside of Whole Foods.” Rather than give up their probiotic ingredient, he noted, companies may choose to double down on efforts with other retailers such as Kroger or Costco or Sprouts. One question that remains to be seen is if consumers will agree with Whole Foods’ choice or feel the retailer has overstepped in telling them what they should or should not eat. It’s important to remember, said Bush, that “one man’s junk is another man’s fortified functional food.”

Center Store: Simple Mills Set to Grow Grain-free baking and snack brand Simple Mills has expanded its gluten-free, cleaningredient line to include sprouted seed crackers and grain-free, lowsugar cookies. With the two new products, as well as the recent close of a $3 million cash raise, the brand is moving into 2017 after a year of strong growth, cementing its place as part of the next generation of brands shaking up center-store. Founder and CEO Katlin Smith told NOSH that in 2016 the brand grew from being in 1600 stores to 6500 doors and saw 3.6x growth in sales. Retailers including Target, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Safeway and Albertsons now carry the brand’s almond flour crackers, grain-free baking mixes and lowsugar icings. A former consultant, Smith said she was motivated to start the company, and now expand its offerings, in order to disrupt the sleepy staples at the center of the store. “Thinking about the grocery store as it stands today

there’s a good amount of information out there about how people have been migrating to the perimeter of the store, and the center store has been in decline, especially in a number of traditional categories,” Smith told NOSH. “What we’ve done as a brand is look at the root causes

and cookies. The new products further iterate on two areas Simple Mills has already seen success. The crackers take the brand’s nutrition value proposition a step further with sprouted grains to provide better nutrient bioavailability, Smith said. The cookies will

ity. As the company scales, Smith doesn’t plan to dramatically drop the price but rather reinvest in using higher quality or organic ingredients. Smith plans to launch more new products but hasn’t yet decided what they’ll be. “We haven’t committed to any particular direc-

and the dissatisfiers in those categories and in the center of the store to determine exactly what is causing people to opt out of those categories or decrease the frequency of which they purchase in those categories.” A main point of contention, says Smith, are the long lists of complicated ingredients with gums and stabilizers, as well as too much sugar, particularly in the categories the brand targets, like baking, crackers

offer cleaned-up ingredients that are similar to the baking mixes, but with none of the fuss. Both will ring in at an MSRP of $4.99 and launch in Whole Foods and Sprouts. Across all of its products, Simple Mills offers a price point that is towards the more premium end of the category. Smith said that she hasn’t encountered much resistance from consumers as she feels they understand they are paying for qual-

tion for the future,” Smith said, “but I will say that in general it will always be places where people are looking for simpler ingredient lists, less sugar, less carbs and more nutrient value.” But she said she’s bullish on 2017. “Momentum builds more momentum,” Smith said. “Each additional thing builds on itself and it attracts more partners, it attracts better employees, it attracts more attention, it attracts more retailers.”

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BREWSCAPE

THE LATEST CRAFT BEER BRAND NEWS

Rhinegeist on a Tear: Up 80 Percent Cincinnati’s Rhinegeist Brewery continued its impressive growth in 2016, increasing production more than 80 percent, to 56,500 barrels. In a recent year-in-review, shared with Brewbound, cofounder Bryant Goulding said his company released 96 different offerings last year, including 24 pale ales and 17 IPAs. More than half of the company’s volume came from its popular Truth IPA, while eight percent came from cider and another eight percent came from a rotating pale ale series that launched midway through last year. “We are strong believers in Pale Ale and the growth we’ve seen here has affirmed our faith,” Goulding wrote. Sixty percent of the company’s portfolio was self-distributed, Goulding said, even as the company filled out its Ohio footprint and added distribution throughout Massachusetts. “The connection with our accounts and our ability to deliver customer service is tested each year and we have a great team that goes the extra mile to deliver our beer with a smile,” he wrote. Those relationships, coupled with the addition of nearly

150 new employees – some of whom were hired to staff a new event space and rooftop bar – helped Rhinegeist stave off stiff competition from an influx of new brands in 2016. “We’ve spent a lot of time looking for talented and impassioned people to join our team as well as investing in growing our people from within,” Goulding wrote. “We’ve learned that growth can come at the expense of support and communication and we’re aiming to enrich the lives of our employees by staying grounded and finding that level of growth that provides opportunity but doesn’t threaten quality of life or sanity.” Looking ahead, Rhinegeist expects to produce 80,000 barrels in 2017 and will launch its first year-round imperial IPA, Knowledge, in 12 oz. canned 4-packs in early March. The company is also releasing its rose cider, Bubbles, under the Cidergeist label, in canned 6-packs in March. “We have a long-term view on what growth and success look like and aren’t interested in grabbing quick or easy sales at the expense of brand strength,” Goulding said. “Penetration, relationship building, and investment in our people and quality is what we expect in 2017.”

Boston Beer CEO Roper to Retire Boston Beer Company, the country’s second-largest craft brewery according to trade group the Brewers Association, recently announced that CEO Martin Roper would retire in 2018. Roper, who has led the company since 2001, said in a press release that he informed the company’s board of directors of his plans to step down “a year in advance” to give the Boston Beer ample time to name a successor and to “assure a very smooth transition.” “I remain fully engaged and committed to leading the business as CEO until a successor is found and a seamless transition is completed,” he said via the release. “I am incredibly proud of everything that the employees of Boston Beer have accomplished and believe our future is very bright.” The announcement arrived approximately 20 days before Boston Beer Company is

scheduled to report its fullyear 2016 financial results. During the third quarter of 2016, the company’s revenue declined 14 percent while shipments dipped 12 percent. Through October 8 of last year, Boston Beer had estimated a depletions decline of six percent from the comparable period in 2015. Nevertheless, founder and chairman Jim Koch praised Martin Roper’s performance since first joining the company as the vice president of operations in 1994. “Our performance under Martin’s stewardship has been incredible, and I am very grateful for his leadership, partnership and friendship over the last 22 years, during which the Company has grown eight fold,” Koch said via the release. “With the strong leadership team he has built, we are set up for success, and I am confident we will find a

20 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

very capable CEO to step into his big shoes and lead Boston Beer into the future.” Roper was the second notable Boston Beer executive to announce a departure in the last

two months. Alan Newman, who had been overseeing the company’s incubator, Alchemy & Science (now A&S Beer), retired at the end of 2016 after five years in that position.

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BREWSCAPE

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Switchback Sells Back to Employees Vermont’s Switchback Brewing Company, known throughout New England for its popular Switchback Ale, recently announced the establishment of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), transferring 100 percent of the company’s stock into a trust backed by GreatBanc Trust Company. The company did not disclose specific financial terms of the transaction, but co-founder Bill Cherry told Brewbound that he, along with partner Jeff Neiblum and other minority investors, was able to participate in an immediate liquidity event after the company financed part of the transaction with a loan from People’s United Bank. Cherry and Neiblum have simultaneously extended unsecured promissory notes to Switchback Brewing Company that will be paid back over a 15-year period, Cherry said. In turn, current employees will take over ownership of Switchback Brewing Company and receive shares of the company based on individual salaries. Brewery workers who remain employed will continue to accrue company stock over time, Cherry said, and future employees who work 1,000 hours in a calendar year will also be eligible to participate in the ESOP. “I haven’t even grasped it all yet, to be honest,” he said of the deal. “It’s definitely more than I would have ever dreamed of and, for the employees, it’s one hell of a retirement package.” Cherry will remain with the company as brewmaster and president, according to a press release. The decision to sell the company back to employees

began about four years ago, Cherry said, noting that he spent time learning about succession planning from other brewery founders, like New Belgium’s Kim Jordan and Boulevard’s John McDonald. “We have this wonderful business that has grown and I don’t have much money; I have buried it all back into the business,” he said. “This was a nice way of turning that value into cash while I am still young. Now we can spend the next 15 years preparing for when I am not around anymore.” About 90 percent of the company’s sales come from its flagship product, Switchback Ale, which Cherry described as a beer designed to “fool everyone into having a much more complex flavor profile than they were used to.” “The market has drifted around us in so many directions, and that 2002 flavor profile continues to be unique,” Cherry said. “As the newer breweries are pursuing extraordinarily hoppy styles, they have left mine alone.” Distributed throughout Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Western Massachusetts and parts of New York, Cherry said he expects the company to grow another 25 percent in 2017. Switchback joins Odell Brewing, Harpoon Brewery (which also has a Vermont location), Deschutes Brewery, New Belgium Brewing, Left Hand Brewing and Alaskan Brewing as notable beer companies that have also established ESOPs. In 2015, Oregon’s Full Sail Brewing exited its ESOP after selling to San Francisco-based private equity firm Encore Consumer Capital.

22 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Too Crafty for Walmart? A class-action lawsuit filed in Ohio claims Walmart used its private-label beer to deceive customers. The lawsuit, filed in Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas claims the four beers produced for Walmart – Cat’s Away IPA, After Party Pale Ale, Round Midnight Belgian White and Red Flag Amber, which are sold in 45 states – do not meet the Brewers Association’s definition of “craft beer.” The beers are being made at Rochester, New Yorkbased Genesee Brewing, owned by Costa Rica’s Florida Ice and Farm Company, but the labels lack any mention of Walmart or the private label brand developer “WX,” which is named in Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau filings. The lawsuit asserts that Genesse Brewing “produces well over the prescribed amount that would be considered ‘small.’” “Defendant’s Craft Beer has never been a ‘craft beer,’ nor has it been produced by a craft brewery,” the lawsuit states. “Rather, it is a wholesale fiction created by the Defendant that was designed to deceive consumers into purchasing the Craft Beer at higher, inflated price.” The suit also alleges that by placing the private-label brands among other craft beers, Walmart “is further perpetuating the myth that it’s a Craft Beer.” Walmart’s response: “We have not yet been served, but we take these claims seriously and will respond appropriately with the court.” A federal judge dismissed a similar lawsuit last year, brought by homebrewer Evan Parent against MillerCoors, that claimed its Blue Moon Belgian White offering did not fit the definition of “craft beer.” In that suit, Parent claimed that MillerCoors had falsely advertised Blue Moon as craft beer and required retailers to place the product on the shelf among other craft beers. However, the judge determined that Parent was unsuccessful in demonstrating that MillerCoors had misled consumers through its advertising and positioning of Blue Moon as a craft beer.

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NEW PRODUCTS THE NEWEST OPTIONS

Juice Minute Maid has launched three new juice blends: Lemonade with Mint, Spicy Watermelon Lemonade, and Peach with Ginger Juice Drink. The products are available now in the chilled juice sections of grocery stores across the U.S. The beverages are packaged in 59 oz. plastic bottles and retail for $2.99. For more information, please call The Coca-Cola Co. at (404) 676-2121. Beetology is a new line of organic, cold-pressed, beet-based juices. The drinks are USDA certified organic, non-GMO, fair trade and kosher. They contain no preservatives, additives, artificial colors, or flavors. The line is available in five varieties: Beet + Lemon + Ginger, Beet + Veggie, Beet + Tropical Fruit, Beet + Berry, and Beet + Cherry. The beverages are packaged in 8 oz. bottles and have a suggested retail price of $3.99. The juices are distributed in the natural, specialty and conventional retail channels. For more information, please call Kayco at (718) 369-4600.

CSD The Coca-Cola Co. has launched two cherryflavored varieties of Sprite. Sprite Cherry and Sprite Cherry Zero, a zero-sugar and zero-calorie offering, are available in 20 oz. PET bottles. Both are caffeine-free and made with 100 percent natural flavors. The products are sold at convenience stores and retailers nationwide. For more information, please call The Coca-Cola Co. at (404) 887-3498.

Tea Pure Leaf has introduced its Tea House Collection, a super-premium iced tea brewed with exquisite ingredients and expertly paired with premium tea leaves. Flavors include Organic Black Tea with Sicilian Lemon & Honeysuckle, Organic Black Tea with Wild Blackberry & Sage, Organic Green Tea with Fuji Apple & Ginger and the new Black Tea with Valencia Orange Peel. The teas are USDA organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified. Sweetened with organic cane sugar and containing 90 calories per 14 oz. bottle, these drinks have a suggested retail price of $2.49. Pure Leaf has also added new mint and pomegranate flavor varieties to its 24 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

flagship line of leaf-brewed iced tea sweetened with real sugar. The drinks are available in 18.5 oz. bottles and sold nationally for a suggested retail price of $1.49. For more information, please call PepsiCo at (914) 253-2000. Nestlé Waters North America has revamped Nestea and introduced two new product lines to the tea brand. Nestea’s new fruit-flavored teas contain no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors and are made with non-GMO ingredients. Sweetened with sugar and stevia extract, they are available in Lemon, Peach and Raspberry flavors and are packaged in 23 oz. PET bottles that have a suggested retail price of $1.49. They contain 70 calories per 12 oz. serving. The teas will also be available in 6-packs of 16.9 oz. PET bottles. Nestea’s new line of realbrewed teas are made with up to five ingredients (water, sugar, tea, rooibos and citric acid). The unique hot-fill brewing process ensures a realbrewed tea taste, according to the company. The drinks do not contain artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners and contain 45 calories per 8 oz. serving. The line includes: Unsweetened Black Tea, Slightly Sweet Black Tea, Slightly Sweet Black Tea & Rooibos, Slightly Sweet Organic Green Tea. Both lines are available nationally. For more information, please call Nestlé Waters North America at (508) 935-3500. Crystal Geyser Water Company relaunched Tejava tea in 16.9 oz. PET bottles. The unsweetened black tea is made entirely from handpicked tea leaves from Java, Indonesia. The product is now available in Northern California Costco locations. For more information, please call Crystal Geyser at (423) 338-4453. Starbucks has launched a new line of bottled teas under its Teavana brand. Teavana Craft Iced Teas come in four flavor varieties: Pineapple Berry Blue Herbal Tea, Peach Green Tea, Passion Tango Herbal Tea and Mango Black Tea. The drinks are brewed using premium tea leaves and botanicals and are made with no artificial flavors. The teas contain 100 calories or less and are sweetened with 21-22 g of sugar per 14.5 oz. bottle, depending on variety. They have a suggested retail price of $2.39. They are distributed in select grocery and convenience retailers in New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Missouri. For more information, please call Starbucks at (206) 447-1575.

Dairy Alternatives All Market Inc. has launched Vita Coco Coconutmilk, a beverage made with coconut water, coconut cream and filtered water. The new product comes in two flavors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Original and Vanilla â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and is kosher, Non-GMO certified, glutenand carageenan-free, and has no added sugar. Packaged in multi-serve 1.25 L PET bottles, the beverages have a suggested retail price of $4.99. They are distributed at Safeway, Lucky, Hannaford, Winn Dixie and other grocery chains and independent retailers. For more information, please call All Market at (212) 206-0763.

Water PepsiCo has launched a new premium bottled water brand called LIFEWTR. The water is pH balanced and infused with electrolytes. LIFEWTR will come in two sizes: a 700 mL sport cap bottle that will retail for $2 and a 1 L bottle that has a suggested price of $2.70. The labels feature artwork from emerging artists. The water is available nationally at convenience and gas, grocery, drug and mass retailers. For more information, please call PepsiCo at (914) 253-2000.

Protein Drinks CytoSport, Inc., the maker of Muscle Milk, has launched Evolve, a brand of plant-based and vegan protein shakes. The products are made with 20 grams of pea protein and 10 grams of fiber per 12 oz. bottle. They contain no dairy, soy, gluten and artificial flavors, and are made with all non-GMO ingredients. The beverages are shelf-stable and available in four flavors: Classic Chocolate, Ideal Vanilla, Mellow Mocha and Toasted Almond. They have a suggested retail price of $3.49-$4.99 and are available at regional grocery chains, including Sprouts and Hy-Vee. The drinks also come in 4-packs of 11 oz. Tetra Pak cartons, which have a suggested retail price of $7.99-$11.99. For more information, please call CytoSport at (707) 751-3942.

Energy Drinks BAWLS Guarana Ginger is the sixth flavor in the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s line of energy drinks. The new beverage 25

NEW PRODUCTS contains a blend of natural flavors and is made with real ginger. Packaged in an emerald green 10 oz. bumpy glass bottle, the product is available nationally. Prices vary by market. For more information, please call BAWLS Acquisition at (888) 731-9708.

Functional Beverages Recov Beverages, a new beverage company based in Cincinnati, has launched THIRTY, a recovery drink. The drinks are made with allnatural ingredients and essential vitamins and sweetened with stevia and monk fruit juice. They contain 30 calories per 12 oz. bottle and come in two flavors: Raspberry + Cherry and Tangerine + Orange. The drinks are distributed in Ohio and Kentucky and have a suggested retail price of $2.29. For more information, please call Recov Beverages at (513) 518-9794.

Bone Broth Bonafide Provisions, a maker of frozen, organic bone broth, has launched Drinkable Veggies, a line of ready-to-drink beverages made with organic vegetables and bone broth. The USDA Organic products contain one daily recommended serving of vegetables. Packaged in 12 oz. bottles, the drinks contain less than 100 calories. They are are high pressure processed and come in five varieties: Revitalize, Thrive, Revive, Renew, and Glow. They are sold in natural and conventional grocery stores nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, and have a suggested retail price of $5.99. For more information, please call Bonafide Provisions at (760) 683-9146.

Wine Guarachi Wine Partners has launched Black Ink Rosé. The new wine was designed to celebrate artistic expression and the tattoo culture, according to the company. Product labels include original artwork of a rose designed by famed tattoo artist Amy Nicoletto of the TV show, “LA Ink.” Available nationwide, the wine has a suggested retail price of $11.99. For more information, please call Guarachi Wine Partners at (818) 225-5100.

Whiskey Stolen Spirits has launched a new American whiskey. The company procured 11-year aged 26 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

whiskey and then re-barreled it with double smoked barrel staves. The staves were extracted from ex-whiskey barrels and toasted in a 360-degree rotation over an oak wood fire. To impart fire-roasted notes into the whiskey, the company employed a secondary, barrel-finishing process. On the nose is a roasted coffee bouquet that enhances dark fruits and lingers through a long finish, while the palate features natural flavors of toasted caramel, dark molasses and smoky chocolate mingle. The whiskey is available in liquor stores in select markets for the suggested retail price of $34.99 per 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call Stolen at (312) 520-4473. Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a new addition to its product lineup: Ezra Brooks Straight Rye. It is a straight rye whiskey and bottled at 90 proof. The whiskey offers slightly sweet and oaky tones with a warm, spicy finish, according to the distiller. It is available nationally in 750 mL and 50ml bottles. The suggested retail price is $18.99$21.99 for the 750 mL size. For more information, please call Luxco at (314) 772-2626. LiDestri Spirits has launched Cask & Crew straight and flavored whiskeys. The spirits are made with a blend of fine three-year-old Canadian rye and classic barrel aged American corn whiskey. The line includes a straight blend of rye and whiskey (40 percent ABV) and two flavored whiskeys, Walnut Toffee and Ginger Spice (35 percent ABV). Priced at $24-$26.99 for 750 mL bottles, the products are sold in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Connecticut, Maryland and Kentucky. For more information, please call LiDestri Spirits at (585) 270-2400. Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades is the second limited-edition bourbon in the the brand’s Master’s Keep series. Made from a blend of whiskies aged 10 to 20 years, the whiskey is bottled at 104 proof. It features a nose of oak and caramel and notes of butterscotch, dried fruit, chocolate, and smoke on the palate, according to the company. It is available nationally and has a suggested retail price of $150. For more information, please call Campari America at (646) 596-2193. Southwest Spirits & Wine, a joint venture between Southwest Distillery and Prairie Creek Beverages, has launched Knockmore Irish Whiskey. The spirit is created from a blend of two-year aged single malts and 8-10 year grain and malt whiskeys in first-filled, flame-charred

bourbon barrels. A non-chill filtered process contributes to the whiskey’s rich flavor profile that includes light vanilla and a lasting spice finish, according to the company. It has a suggested retail price of $29.99 for a 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call Southwest Spirits & Wine at (214) 459-3929.

Other Spirits Musicians Sammy Hagar and Adam Levine have launched Santo Mezquila, a premium blend of two distillates, 100 percent blue agave and Espadin agave. The spirit is crafted by third generation master distiller, Juan Eduardo Nunez, from the famed distillery El Viejito in Jalisco, Mexico. It is distributed in select markets, including Las Vegas, California, New York, Texas and Florida and has a suggested retail price of $59.99. For more information, please call Los Santos LLC at (415) 382-0274. Washington D.C.-based distillery Don Cicco & Figli has launched C3 Carciofo artichoke liqueur. Based on a traditional Italian recipe

from 1911, C3 is a bitter aperitivo crafted using an infusion of three types of California-grown artichokes, cardoons, grapefruit, and 18 selected botanicals. It is barrel-aged for 12 months, and is 23 percent ABV. It is distributed in select markets and has a suggested retail price of $35.99. For more information, please call Don Cicco & Figli at (202) 957-7792. Sugarlands Distilling Company has released Electric Orange Cream Liqueur. The 40 proof spirit combines a bright, fresh orange zest with the taste of vanilla cream, according to the company. It is available in Tennessee and has a suggested retail price of $24.99. For more information, please call Sugarlands Distilling at (865) 325-1355. Calamity Gin is a premium craft gin infused with wildflowers including handpicked Texas Bluebonnets and citrus. The taste profile is well balanced with mild juniper, floral notes and a fresh complex citrus finish, according to the distiller. It has a suggested retail price of $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call Southwest Spirits & Wine at (214) 459-3929.

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CHANNEL CHECK WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT

SPOTLIGHT CATEGORY: FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES FMBs give a great look at the way trends run up and down when you’re constantly pursuing something new. Redd’s and Small Town (i.e. Not Your Father’s) are losing ground already, while smaller, more craft-focused cider brands (not included here) and newer boozy soda brands Best Damn and Henry’s are still growing. Meanwhile, established brands are pretty much staying strong, with Bud Light Lime, Mike’s, Smirnoff Ice, twisted and Four Loko hanging tough. But there’s a lot of share still being traded.

FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs.YEAR EARLIER

Bud Light Lime PAB

$351,053,763

-11.2% -5.4%

Redds

$319,785,086

Mike’s Hard

$267,214,835

6.7%

Mike’s Harder

$238,292,947

15.9%

Smirnoff ICE

$231,335,217

5.5%

Twisted

$217,010,325

18.8%

Four Loko

$151,433,047

13.2%

Small Town

$101,263,611

-16.1%

Henry’s

$82,550,661

N/A

Best Damn

$64,127,582

648.1%

Smirnoff Premium Mixed Drinks

$38,451,371

-4.6%

Johny Bootlegger

$18,873,263

15.4%

Cayman Jack

$17,607,236

31.1%

Palm Breeze

$17,499,182

-12.4%

Kinky

10,900,731

2.9%

SPARKS

$9,642,507

-39.4

Bud Light Mixx Tail

$9,364,577

-83.2

Joose

$8,702,463

-28.0

Great American

$7,098,221

-22.4

Rockstar

$3,031,702

N/A

TOPLINE CATEGORY VOLUME $34,279,540,202

2.5%

Energy Drinks

$12,181,720,064

4.22%

Bottled Juices

$7,196,508,160

1.87%

Tea/Coffee

$5,453,538,304

6.02%

Bottled Water

$14,975,903,744

7.78%

Drink Mixes

$858,376,256

-2.54%

Beer

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 1/22/17

28 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

NEW 28oz BODYARMOR Sports Drink JAMES HARDEN

Superior Hydration is now available in a larger 28oz bottle in the following flavors: Blackout Berry, Strawberry Banana, Orange Mango and Fruit Punch.

NEW 16oz BODYARMOR LYTE Sports Drink

Introducing BODYARMOR LYTE, a Naturally Sweetened, Low-Calorie Sports Drink. Now Available in Cherry Berry and Peach Mango.

NEW 16oz Sports Drink

BODYARMOR Sports Drink has added two new flavors to the roster: Watermelon Strawberry and Lemonade.

CHANNEL CHECK

#KnowYourCaffeine

SPORTS DRINKS BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

Gatorade Perform

$3,278,762,752

-0.65%

Powerade ION4

$782,379,968

-1.61%

Gatorade Frost

$763,996,032

73.68%

Gatorade

$340,199,296

-16.37

Gatorade Fierce

$316,022,272

3.90%

Gatorade G2 Perform

$299,379,424

-2.32

Powerade

$234,140,960

-0.66%

Powerade Zero ION4

$211,908,464

4.37%

BODYARMOR

$102,270,904

125.57%

Gatorade G2

$51,263,608

-7.92%

BOTTLED FRUIT DRINKS BRAND

Highly Water Soluble

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

Hawaiian Punch

$228,528,416

-6.99%

Snapple

$209,139,280

10.67%

V8 Splash

$192,792,720

-4.72% 40.17%

Bai5

$131,466,912

Tampico

$118,279,664

-5.41%

Welch’s

$109,600,488

26.36%

Lipton Brisk

$102,106,888

3.43%

Bai

$82,688,880

780.34%

Private Label

$73,996,224

4.48%

Tum-E Yummies

$72,416,304

-10.21%

Neutral Taste Proﬁle Perfected for Beverages

NON GMO GMO

Email us for pricing & info

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TEA BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

AriZona

$659,249,920

-2.63%

Lipton Pure Leaf

$604,817,792

9.40%

Gold Peak

$337,668,384

36.17%

Lipton Brisk

$331,927,456

-2.44%

Lipton

$315,587,584

-0.84%

Snapple

$222,730,752

-0.43%

Lipton Diet

$195,602,880

3.05%

AriZona Arnold Palmer

$191,135,872

-5.10%

Diet Snapple

$172,341,536

-4.25%

Honest Tea

$57,942,472

14.89%

COFFEE BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

International Delight

$63,907,216

2.75%

Starbucks Iced Espresso Classics

$49,814,520

12.27%

Starbucks

$41,122,112

25.26%

Califia Farms

$25,919,016

167.21%

Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein

$18,349,804

-14.41%

Caribou Coffee

$10,781,304

362.77%

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

$4,675,438

72.51%

Private label

$4,184,796

-32.48%

Bolthouse Farms

$3,893,702

-30.40%

Prairie Farms

$2,443,247

32.50%

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 1/22/17

30 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

ENERGY DRINKS BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

Red Bull

$2,942,535,936

-0.76%

Monster Energy

$1,552,790,656

4.30%

Red Bull Sugar Free

$733,011,008

9.36%

Monster Energy Zero Ultra

$532,964,032

18.94%

Java Monster

$410,383,328

13.17%

NOS

$404,102,400

-1.55%

Soda · Tea · Functional · Mixers · Vodka

Monster Rehab

$313,230,560

-0.78%

Rum · Whiskey · Energy · Juice · Cider

Monster Energy Lo Carb

$309,570,944

-1.31%

Enhanced Water · Beer · Cocktail · Liqueurs

Red Bull The Summer Edition

$294,900,544

52.62%

Rockstar

$258,903,472

-1.41%

• Your Custom Beverage Formulator •

• Customized Flavors • Organic · All Natural · WONF

ENERGY SHOTS

TTB Approved · N&A · Kosher

BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

5 Hour Energy

$1,033,838,336

-2.28%

Tweaker

$15,899,515

19.82%

Stacker 2 Xtra

$15,355,193

-12.23%

Private Label

$11,881,053

-23.58%

Stacker 2

$10,981,838

12.55%

Stacker 2 Extreme

$8,537,721

50.09%

Rhino Rush

$7,999,559

20.89%

K Chill

$5,965,678

93.10%

$4,402,983

49.94%

Vital 4U Screamin Energy

$3,052,028

6.88%

Proprietary Citrus Extracts

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DOMESTIC BEER DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

Bud Light

BRAND

$5,967,719,056

-1.4%

Coors Light

$2,430,765,862

0.8%

Budweiser

$2,076,097,744

-2.4%

Miller Lite

$2,050,506,353

0.7%

Michelob Ultra Light

$1,356,245,944

24.6% -1.6%

Natural Light

$1,025,852,219

Busch Light

$858,254,190

0.3%

Busch

$612,290,353

-0.8%

Miller High Life

$442,666,015

-1.4%

Keystone Light

$415,086,846

-4.0%

IMPORTED BEER BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

Corona Extra

$1,716,623,177

9.5%

Modelo Especial

$1,235,888,962

25.3%

Heineken

$750,922,351

2.3%

Dos Equis XX Lager Especial

$349,269,049

6.8%

Stella Artois Lager

$327,193,356

16.0%

Corona Light

$281,689,264

7.8%

Tecate

$140,299,229

-5.9%

Pacifico

$94,718,461

21.8%

Modelo Especial Chelada

$89,874,285

33.8%

Tecate Light

$81,953,579

27.7%

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 1/22/17

GERRY’S INSIGHTS BY GERRY KHERMOUCH

Don’t Bounce on Store Checks

For nearly a century now, music lovers have been able to get their fill of jazz at a subterranean haunt in Greenwich Village called 55 Bar. The Christmas lights strung around the joint don’t do much to dispel the notion that it’s basically a dive, and its beer list is nothing to write home about, though they do pour a careful Guinness. There’s no food, and the cramped space requires you to squeeze past (and occasionally jostle) the musicians if you need to make a bathroom run. So 55 Bar is nobody’s idea of a romantic date spot. But the cover charges, if any, are usually nominal, and early sets often are all-ages, meaning I could drag my kids down there once in a while. Aside from a few “names” among the regular acts (like the guitarist’s guitarist Mike Stern), the performers generally carry low brand awareness. But they almost always bring a degree of passion and musicianship way beyond what their modest reputations and careers might suggest. It was one such combo, led by saxophonist Donny McCaslin, that David Bowie encountered when he stopped in a couple of years ago at the suggestion of a musician friend. Turns out Bowie had always wanted to cut a jazz record and, as he approached the close of his career, decided that this was the time to do it, and this wailing combo in front of him would be his band. Soon, these new collaborators were in a studio together cutting Black32 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

star, which debuted to ecstatic reviews, sent McCaslin and his doughty sidemen hurtling toward broader recognition, and recently collected several Grammys. Though I love 55 Bar, I’ll admit that it sometimes takes extra motivation to make the trip down, given the lack of creature comforts and sometimes stifling crowd. But I muster the energy after reminding myself of the great discoveries I’ve made there in the past. Which brings me to … store checks. It takes a similar degree of commitment to regularly walk into unprepossessing retail accounts like bodegas, Asian grocers, gyms or health food stores, but the reward is spotting an intriguing new beverage, ingredient or trend that can turn around your business. So count this column as a salute to that most mundane activity. Just as with Bowie descending into the darkness of 55 Bar, there is never any telling what insight you may leave with: a new brand worth carrying or investing in, a subtle repositioning of a competitor, the opening salvo of a looming price war. This might seem to be an observation that’s so self-evident as not to be worth wasting any words on. But let’s face it: we’re all busy people, over-scheduled and scrambling to knock off our daily agenda items before racing home to catch a few hours of family time. Store checks can always be put off for another day, or week, or month. But they shouldn’t be. They’re a crucial way of keeping one’s antennae

up, of encouraging the chance encounters with brands that can yield crucial insights. Indeed, we beverage people are lucky to operate in a business where there is so much valuable information for us to glean right in the neighborhood, for free. It seems foolish not to often avail ourselves of that opportunity. Yet particularly in larger companies, it’s easy to get disconnected from that basic activity. I can recall a Wall Street Journal front-page feature around a decade ago where Coca-Cola CEO Neville Isdell, feeling the winds of change blowing into the soft drink business, noted that he’d taken to popping into Whole Foods every couple of months to observe the beverage selection there. I remember thinking it was an admirable habit to cultivate, but also wondering why it had taken him a year or two into his tenure to adopt it. Easy for me to say: my wife will attest that I’m the kind of guy who will run out to buy a loaf of bread around the corner and not return home for an hour. But for an executive like Isdell encumbered with so much responsibility, maybe it was not so obvious. Certainly, quite a few of my business heroes spend quality time in stores. AriZona cofounder Don Vultaggio has readily acknowledged over the years that he’s gotten some of his best packaging ideas cruising grocery aisles – and not just the beverage sections. Early in the company’s history, when AriZona found itself squeezed out of

its distinctive big cans by an iced tea rival, he found the inspiration to add a long-neck glass bottle from the salad dressing aisle. Or take Sam Adams creator Jim Koch. I can remember once meeting up with him on a weekday morning to hit a bunch of Manhattan retailers: on our very first stop, a grocery store, we were unceremoniously thrown out by an angry store manager who caught us pasting up decals in the beer cooler. As we dusted ourselves off, I couldn’t help asking Koch: Why would a man of his stature and wealth willingly risk humiliations like this several days a month? His answer was pragmatic and convincing: it’s the only way to know what’s truly going on in the market, and to understand what your sales force is up against (while also inoculating yourself as CEO against the excuses and misinformation they might send your way when things aren’t going according to plan).

cisive” would be the short answer. As a Massachusetts distributor who was struggling to keep his non-alcoholic beverage division afloat in the late 1980s or early 1990s, it was inspections of Store 24 convenience outlets that inspired the pickup of Snapple, which quickly righted the ship. In San Francisco some years later, visits to local stores put a new energy brand called Red Bull on his radar; it proved a massive addition to his house’s portfolio. Another time, returning from a board meeting of Vitaminwater marketer Glaceau, Sadowsky and a colleague from Verlinvest stopped into a New York store that turned out to be an early seller of Vita Coco. Sadowsky already was aware of the brand, but this was a chance to press one into his colleague’s hands and urge him to vet it as a potential investment. Of course, it’s proved a very successful bet.

“THIS MIGHT SEEM TO BE AN OBSERVATION THAT’S SO SELF-EVIDENT AS NOT TO BE WORTH WASTING ANY WORDS ON. BUT LET’S FACE IT: WE’RE ALL BUSY PEOPLE, OVER-SCHEDULED AND SCRAMBLING TO KNOCK OFF OUR DAILY AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE RACING HOME TO CATCH A FEW HOURS OF FAMILY TIME. STORE CHECKS CAN ALWAYS BE PUT OFF FOR ANOTHER DAY, OR WEEK, OR MONTH. BUT THEY SHOULDN’T BE. THEY’RE A CRUCIAL WAY OF KEEPING ONE’S ANTENNAE UP, OF ENCOURAGING THE CHANCE ENCOUNTERS WITH

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In my own beverage circle, the king of store checks is Ken Sadowsky, who’s enjoyed a distinguished career as a distributor, investor, board member and brand scout for investment firm Verlinvest, involved with brands like Red Bull, Vitaminwater, Vita Coco and Bai. Ken is ruthless in his discipline about popping into stores to see what’s going on, no matter the time, location or degree of prior alcohol consumption. I’m still embarrassed to recall my wavering commitment one time, as the hour got late, that we passed a dingy grocery store while working our way through the enticements of San Francisco’s Haight Street. “Store check!” Sadowsky declared. “Kenny, please, do we have to?” I pleaded. “Of course!” I recently asked Ken what role store checks have played in his career. “De-

FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS

As for Bowie and 55 Bar, there’s a bittersweet ending that you’ve probably heard. Though he kept it a secret not just from the public but even from his band collaborators, Bowie knew at the time he cut Blackstar that he was dying. The record debuted to ecstatic reviews and he passed away two days later, leaving tracks like “Lazarus” as his haunting final testament. And though 55 Bar is not the kind of place that would make much of the history that was recently made there, it serves as a reminder of the wonders to be found in some of the most unremarkable-seeming places for those willing to venture in. Longtime beverage-watcher Gerry Khermouch is executive editor of Beverage Business Insights, a twice-weekly e-newsletter covering the nonalcoholic beverage sector.

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MORR_18922 Beverage Ad BEVNET PREP.indd 1

8/11/16 5:09 PM

BY MARTIN CABALLERO

Even if it only represents 6 percent of the total global packaged water market, premium water has enjoyed strong growth in recent years as consumer preferences shift towards healthier options that often also include some kind of functional benefit. As the category becomes more competitive and retailers and distributors have a broader range of choices from which to build their premium water portfolios, the question is not whether the category will continue growing, but how? Brands are taking different approaches towards defining “premium,” but merchandising, marketing and positioning at retail may ultimately have as much or more influence on individual labels’ success or failure as what’s actually in the bottle.

SMARTWATER SETS PACE In the U.S., the premium market is worth about $2.8 billion, according to statistics from Portland, Ore.-based market analytics firm Allied Market Research. The category pacesetter remains Glaceau’s Smartwater, which was acquired as part of The CocaCola Company’s $4.1 billion purchase of the brand in 2007. While sales of Vitaminwater have slowed in recent years, Smartwater has been gaining ground, representing 7.6 percent of the bottled water market share. The brand hit over $1 billion in sales for the first time in 2015. According to data from market research firm IRI, Smartwater brought in around $864 million in multi-outlet and c-store sales 34 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

alone in a 52-week period ending on October 2, 2016, a increase of almost 13 percent from the same period in the prior year. During the company’s 2016 Q4 earnings call, Coca-Cola noted that premium water has seen double-digit unit case volume growth during the year in North America, and was the primary driver behind a 3 percent increase in full year still beverage volume for the company.

DISTRIBUTORS AND RETAIL Brands see the market for premium water that Smartwater has energized, and they’re eager to get after it, and from a variety of approaches. But creating an appealing product offering is no guarantee of success on its own. Distributors and retailers, particularly in the convenience store channel, which accounts for around 60 percent of revenue for premium water brands, play key roles in building the category through merchandising and positioning. And they’ve been adding brands for the past few years, even to the point where they will take several brands at once. Overall, brands are welcoming of the increased competition in premium water. “I’m a firm believer that it’s in the industry’s and category’s best interest to have multiple competitors and give these distributors that we use a shot and a chance,” said Hal Kravitz, CEO of electrolyte-enhanced alkaline water brand AQUAHydrate and a former executive at The Coca-Cola Company. Kravitz, who

thirst impressions count #3 premium bottled water in U.S. Convenience* 240% growth vs last year *US Convenience $ Sales, Nielsen 52 weeks ending 10/8/16

worked on the Smartwater line, notes that the decline in carbonated soft drink (CSD) sales is helping motivate retailers to make more shelf space for premium water. “The more they can carry, as long as they can maintain focus across multiple brands, I think the better off we all are.” And that means that brands will have stablemates. “We are seeing an increasing trend towards distributors looking at premium water as a portfolio of offerings,” said Neil Kimberley, VP of strategy and brand innovation for Essentia, which markets ionized alkaline water with a pH of 9.5 or higher – and is frequently put on trucks alongside other brands as they grow. “In most distribution houses, we participate alongside multiple other premium waters and we think it overall benefits the distributor and the retailer to make sure that they have that portfolio in place.” As the CEO of Big Geyser, the largest independent beverage distributor in the New York City metro area, Jerry Reda has seen the growth of the premium water category up close. In 2015, Big Geyser stopped carrying Glaceau products, including Smartwater, and added Essentia and CORE Natural to its portfolio. In an interview with BevNET, Reda said the explosive triple-digit growth of those brands, which he called “super premium,” within the Big Geyser portfolio has begun to create separation in both sales and customer base from the historicallly established premium brands like Evian, Volvic and Fiji. One thing that may be helping – they’re marketed as being more functional than gourmet. “It’s almost like comparing a flip phone to a smart phone,” Reda said. While noting that “there’s plenty of runway available” for the amount of brands pushing into the premium category, Reda predicted that the category would eventually slim down to around four to six players that will drive growth. He said that premium waters with better-for-you call-outs, like high pH or electrolytes, were not only drawing customers away from commodity and premium sourced waters but also from carbonated soft drinks and sugar-sweetened iced teas. Part of shifting consumer preferences, he suggested, was simply a desire for something new. “Look at something like the iPhone and Apple,” Reda said. “They are changing their packaging, they are changing the technology. If you look at what CORE has done, they have created probably the most beautiful vessel that anyone has ever created. People are picking it up first because of the bottle, and then afterwards they understand the point of difference.”

SCIENCE AND PERFORMANCE Some premium water brands are offering consumers a straightforward message about why they should choose their brand: it simply works better. AQUAHydrate is one example of that approach. Although the company boasts a high profile investor and endorser team including actor Mark Wahlberg, artist/mogul Sean “Puffy” Combs and fitness guru Jillian Michaels, Kravitz told BevNET that the company’s eventual success is rooted in the belief that consumers are willing to pay more for a higher quality, better tasting bottle of water. “If you don’t bring good taste, I’m not sure the rest of it is really going to matter,” Kravitz said.

36 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Ericka Pittman, who recently joined AQUAHydrate as the company’s first-ever chief marketing officer, explained that the next step for the brand would be to transcend from a performance-oriented product to become a part of consumers’ everyday lifestyle. “Sports drinks in years prior perhaps focused specifically on performance enthusiasts or athletes, but sort of evolved over the decade to be go-to solutions for consumers that are looking to fortify their bodies or create recovery or everyday hydration solutions,” said Pittman. “We want to target our audience in a way that speaks to their premium preferences in water, but also their key lifestyle moments.” Essentia offers a similar message about its health benefits and functionality, but with an important distinction – peer-reviewed scientific validation. The brand recently released the results of a new study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition that showed that Essentia was almost twice as effective as regular bottled water at rehydrating adults who consumed it after a period of exercise-induced dehydration. While the brand hasn’t heavily promoted the results in their marketing materials as of yet, Kimberley explained that the study allowed the company to establish a strong link between the science of hydration and the positive physiological reaction consumers may have when drinking Essentia. “Our understanding of consumers is that they want to have visibility into what makes products different and better,” Kimberley said. “Something we wanted to do was come up with the real reason why you felt different when you drank Essentia.” Having the study allows Essentia to back up its functional and health claims, but Kimberley noted that science was only one part of the company’s strategy towards building a broad “lifestyle brand” that encompasses both its benefits as an athletic performance drink and an all-occasion water. “We like to have a broad palette to choose colors from,” Kimberley said. “Some of which is about being a mainstream consumer brand where we are able to leverage the imagery of being a lifestyle brand into our product. On the other hand, we want to make sure there is meaningful product differentiation there as well. So we kind of blend the two as to where we think the sweet spot is in the marketplace.”

THE SPACE IN BETWEEN Kona Deep offers an example of a brand operating in the space between sourced and functional premium waters, an area which has both its advantages as well as challenges. Seeking to expand a category that has an existing presence in Asia, Kona Deep is the first deep ocean water available in North America. The company’s unique source – melted glacial waters found over 3,000 ft. below the surface in ocean currents near the Big Island of Hawaii – is naturally rich in electrolytes and can hydrate faster than regular bottled water, according to a study by the University of Arizona published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. CEO Pat Turpin, who previously founded snack company Popchips (a company that, ironically, grew behind a sales and marketing team sourced largely from Glaceau alums), got involved with the brand when he partnered with local Hawaiian businessmen who had discovered the source and built a desalination facility on-site, with business mainly focused on exporting to markets in Asia. Sensing an opportunity to break into the U.S. market, the brand launched last year and is available in 500 mL and 1L bottles at Sprouts Farmers Market locations nationwide, as well as select retailers in Hawaii, California and the Southwest. “The marketing approach for deep ocean water is that the consumer doesn’t have to choose between purity and performance,” said Turpin. “There’s a trend in food and beverage that’s

been going on for a long time of people wanting their good stuff naturally. This ties into that, which is why we found the water source so unique.” Turpin explained that the dual appeal of a unique natural source and some functional value allows the brand to compete favorably within the premium water set, but also with coconut waters and sports drinks. “What we’re kind of watching is how much will Kona Deep pull from other water brands versus pulling from other kinds of electrolyte beverages like a coconut water or something like a Gatorade, where it has electrolytes but it has a bunch of other artificial things in it too,” Turpin said. In the case of those types of electrolyte-rich drinks, Turpin argued, “A lot of consumers aren’t drinking that beverage because it tastes good. Most coconut water drinkers don’t love the taste – they tolerate the taste.” Yet while Turpin said retailers are open to new categories, such as deep ocean water, to broaden their premium water offerings, Kona Deep still has fit somewhere within existing retail sets for the time being. “The starting point in retail is in the premium water set,” he said. “Some of the retailers that get the differentiation will often put us in cold box location closer to other healthy beverages, not just waters. In that case, premium water that is retailing at $2.49 doesn’t look so premium next to price point of kombucha.”

OUTSIDE THE BOTTLE After watching Coke-owned Smartwater soak up market share in the category, PepsiCo is belatedly entering the premium water stakes this year with the introduction of LIFEWTR, a line of purified, pH balanced water with electrolytes added for taste. Available in 700 mL sport cap and 1 L bottle sizes, LIFEWTR launched at retailers nationwide in February, marking its arrival with a television advertisement that ran during the Super Bowl LI broadcast featuring a version of John Legend’s hit song “Love Me Now” with new lyrics. In marketing materials, however, the brand does not feature some of the product call-outs, such as references to purity or health benefits, seen on many other waters. Instead, LIFEWTR had positioned itself as a lifestyle drink for young urban consumers by focusing on what’s outside the bottle – the label – rather than in it.

CONVENIENCE / PET STILL WATER BRAND

Private Label

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

$2,453,258,240

7.91%

Deer Park

$438,306,720

4.21%

$1,106,141,056

3.91%

Fiji

$388,355,904

24.21%

$1,087,640,064

6.37%

Ozarka

$344,663,552

-4.60%

Nestle Pure Life

$921,939,968

3.66%

Ice Mountain

$280,689,440

13.76%

Glaceau Smart Water

$873,929,216

9.35%

Zephyrhills

$251,608,736

5.45%

Dasani Aquafina

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 1/22/17

38 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Released in a series of three that changes several times per year, each label design is commissioned from a different young artist; the first series, for example, features work from Jason Woodside, MOMO and Craig & Karl. Each is intended to “serve as a spark of creativity and dose of inspiration and creative uplift.” “We believe the biggest equity of this brand is the label,” said Seth Kaufman, CMO of PepsiCo North America, in a press release. “LIFEWTR has a beautiful piece of art on it. We think it’ll connect with consumers in a more inspirational way.” The Super Bowl ad, which featured drops of LIFE WTR brightening a bland cityscape with bold colors, fits into Kaufman’s stated desire to build an authentic connection with the art, fashion and design worlds. Pairing with an artist like Legend is part of that overall marketing strategy; in an interview with AOL.com, the singer explained that he was working with LIFE WTR because “they celebrate artists and creativity.” Brands are also looking to connect with consumers in ways that have little to do with the product itself. As Millennials gravitate towards companies with mission-driven values and a sense of corporate responsibility, donating revenue from sales to charities and engaging in community outreach programs, particularly in health and environmental causes, has become an important part of premium water brands’ marketing strategy. With that parade of cause-oriented waters in the game, too, it could be a long time before Reda’s prediction is ultimately fulfilled - and the ultimate outcome is anything but clear.

BRAND

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

Arrowhead

$221,746,144

-5.68%

Propel Zero

$207,038,816

11.43%

Glaceau Vitamin Water Zero

$182,088,544

-3.77%

Crystal Geyser

$150,105,552

13.50%

Niagara

$143,867,728

0.63%

NATURALLY

FLAVORED UNSWEETENED SPARKLING WATER

BRAND NEWS BOTTLED WATER

NYSW Beverage Brands. In addition to a packaging update for all of its bottled water products, New York Spring Water (NYSW) has announced that VBlast, its line of waters that include liquid vitamins in the cap that activate when opening, will be relaunched under its new name VitaminBlast. CORE Hydration, a purified alkaline water enhanced with electrolytes and minerals, will be launching in two new SKUs – a 1.3 L and a 6-pack of 16.9 oz. bottles – and will also be debuting two new flavors, Strawberry Banana and and Blueberry, in its fruit infused line CORE Organic. Watt-Ahh. Electron-infused water brand Watt-Ahh was recently recognized as one of the top ten products made on the Florida Gulf Coast by SRQ Magazine and will be unveiling its new 1 liter bottles, designed with a slimmer and sleeker look, later this year. GIVN Water, a premium spring water that provides one day of clean water to people in need with every bottle sold, announced it has become the official bottled water partner of the fast casual restaurant chain b. good. FIJI Water announced in January the rollout of a new slimmer, sleeker bottle design beginning with its 500 mL size and continuing for its 330mL, 700mL and 1L SKUs throughout the first quarter of 2017. Sanavi, which markets a line of organic fruit flavored sparkling spring waters and a natural electrolyte spring water, announced it has expanded distribution to over 3,500 retail locations in more than 25 states nationwide. LIFEWTR. Representing PepsiCo’s move into the premium water category, LIFEWTR, a purified, pH balanced water with electrolytes added for taste, will be available nationwide in February. The bottle design features a rotating series of label motifs created by emerging artists and is meant to serve as a platform for developing artists to be discovered.

40 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Kona Deep. Sourced from the ocean waters of Hawaii, Kona Deep has expanded its distribution to over 20 states, including retailers in the Pacific Northwest, with plans to launch in the Midwest and Northeast markets in the coming months. Aspen Pure, a naturally pH balanced water from the Rocky Mountains, has undergone a complete rebrand, which includes the launch of a product line extension infused with 12 different strains of shelf-stable probiotics called Aspen Pure Probiotic water. Green Sheep Water has added an unflavored sparkling water to its lineup which uses the same 100% recyclable aluminum bottles as its flagship still water. Neo. In addition to launching a 1.5 L 12-pack, NEO Water, a 9.5pH alkaline water infused with electrolytes, announced its 2017 Free Pallet Program to all new distributors. GEM. Sourced from the Blue Mountains in Jamaica, GEM is a natural alkaline water that contains naturally occurring minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and electrolytes and is currently distributed in 600 retail locations in Florida. Leisure Time Spring Water, produced by Boreal Water Collection and sourced from a natural spring in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, is now available in a new 500 mL bottle. Tickle Water, a sparkling water brand designed for children, has introduced a new label and added a grape flavor to its lineup, as well as partnering with UNFI for distribution in the Northeast. Real Water is a premium alkaline water infused with negative ions, is now available at Whole Foods, Sprouts and Costco. Art2o, a natural spring water that showcases work from contemporary artists on the bottle, will be launching a new series of labels featuring art from Pablo Contrisciani, Lois Eby and Havi Schanz in New York later this year.

GET MORE FROM YOUR WATER

POWDER KEG Health Boom Brings Protein to the Front BY RAY LATIF Long embraced by athletes and bodybuilders, high-protein powders are gaining favor from a growing number of active consumers. The shift is changing the way some brands are innovating and bringing new players, often armed with healthier and better-for-you formulations, into the fold. The segment of high-protein powders continued to dominate the powdered sports nutrition category in 2016, accounting for a 72 percent share of total sales, according to Eleanor Dwyer, a research analyst at market research firm Euromonitor International. The products also recorded the strongest current value growth of 13 percent last year with sales of $5.3 billion. While core users represent the largest consumer segment for protein powders, Dwyer noted that so-called “weekend warriors” are increasingly turning the products to supplement active lifestyles. Moreover, many female consumers are crossing over from weight management and adopting high-protein diets, often 42 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

infusing protein powders into workout shakes and morning smoothies. “Manufacturers are capitalizing on this expanding market by launching new products with less complex formulations and more convenient formats, alongside wider distribution via more frequently visited grocery channels,” Dwyer said. Meanwhile, more Americans are turning to new protein sources, including powder formats, as a way to cut back on consumption of meat, according to new research from Mintel. The market research firm found that not only are many embracing non-animal based proteins, they are seeking more information about ingredients in the products. That mindset has changed the way some companies are formulating protein powders. “They’re looking to clean up their labels,” said Brian Zapp, Director of Marketing at Applied Food Sciences, Inc., a manufacturer of functional botanical ingredients that works with a number of powder

beverage makers. “Their point of differentiation is really a better quality of ingredients, something that is not synthetic.” While pioneering brands in the space like Vega and Orgain have consistently emphasized clean labels and natural functionality, often in the form of plant-based formulations, the trend is quickly emerging throughout the powder category. Almond Pro is a maker of almond-based protein powders and targets health-conscious and fitness consumers seeking vegan sources of protein. The company, which markets its products as “made from real almonds, not just almond ‘flavoring,’” uses an innovative pressurization method that removes over half the fat while increasing the protein volume from certified organic and non-GMO almonds. The powders contain 19g of protein per serving, and have no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. They come in three flavors – chocolate, vanilla and chocolate peanut butter – and are free from lactose, dairy or soy.

America’s #1 Selling Protein Water

NOT YOUR ORDINARY WATER

POWDER KEG Almond Pro president and CEO Caulen Foster views the products as differentiated from other plant-based protein powders because they are less processed and contain essential vitamins and minerals naturally occuring in almonds. “We’ve specifically formulated Almond Pro so that the only protein you’re getting comes from 100 percent finely ground almonds,” he said. Like Almond Pro, Vital Proteins is attempting to carve out a niche with a single-ingredient focus: collagen, an animal-based protein that is the main component of connective tissue and bone. Commonly associated with health and beauty care products - as well as bone broths – collagen is often promoted as an essential nutrient for skin, hair, nails, bones and joints. Vital Proteins, which asserts that collagen has been stripped from consumer diets through modern food processing, produces a variety of collagenbased supplements, including unflavored powders. The company promotes fitness recovery as well as anti-aging and general health benefits from consumption of collagen, which it sources from pastureraised cows in Brazil and New Zealand and wild-caught fish in Hawaii. Kurt Seidensticker, the founder and CEO of Vital Proteins, said that although most consumers recognize collagen as a functional ingredient, many think it’s synthesized in a lab. It’s a big reason why the company stresses sourcing transparency and a clean ingredient label. “What we really wanted people to know is that it’s an animal-sourced protein, where it comes from, and how it’s made,” Seidensticker said. “And part of that education process is creating a clean label. When you look at our products, you won’t see xanthan gum or guar gum. You won’t see any artificial sweeteners [or] added sugars. The thought is that you should acclimate your body to true food and whole nutrition.” The approach is in line with global trends for clean labels, according to Innova Market Insights, a global provider of market research for the food and beverage industries. In a recent report, Innova noted that demand for total transparency “now incorporates the entire supply chain, as a clean label positioning becomes more holistic.”

44 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Vital Proteins is carried in approximately 2,000 retail locations and recently picked up national distribution at Whole Foods and Vitamin Shoppe. Vital Proteins also tapped natural foods broker Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence to support its in-store expansion plans within the natural, conventional and speciality channels. Seidensticker believes that collagen’s profile as a component in many beauty care products will benefit its development as a food ingredient. On the other hand, moringa, a nutrient-rich botanical, is mostly unknown among American consumers. Nevertheless, a handful of brands are placing big bets on the future of moringa, including protein-rich powders derived from the plant. In November Zija International, a Utah-based manufacturer of vitamin and food supplements, introduced Core Moringa Plant Protein. The company touts the product as a “complete protein extracted entirely” from moringa. Zija claims that moringa contains twice the amount of protein per gram as yogurt as well as several essential nutrients, including potassium, calcium and vitamins A and C. Blended with pea and rice protein, Zija’s protein powder contains 20 grams of protein and is vegan, soy-free and glutenfree. Dr. Joshua Plant, the vice president research and development at Zija International and creator of the protein powders, cited a desire to create a highly nutritious protein powder that that was vegan and free from common allergic ingredients.

THE SEGMENT OF HIGH-PROTEIN POWDERS CONTINUED TO DOMINATE THE POWDERED SPORTS NUTRITION CATEGORY IN 2016, ACCOUNTING FOR A 72% SHARE OF TOTAL SALES. THE PRODUCTS ALSO RECORDED THE STRONGEST CURRENT VALUE GROWTH OF 13% LAST YEAR WITH SALES OF $5.3 BILLION. ELEANOR DWYER / RESEARCH ANALYST / EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL

“It was also important that it qualify as a complete protein, containing all of those essential amino acids in sizable amounts,” he said. The notion of a complete nutrition protein powder is increasingly gaining favor among consumers, and manufacturers would be wise to take note, said Euromonitor’s Dwyer. “[Nutrition] gaps can be substantial as the U.S. diet relies heavily on highly processed, pre-packaged or fast food options which are low in vitamins, minerals and fiber,” she said. “Moreover, with increasing consumer interest in health and wellness, Americans have started to look for nutritious products which address these diet deficiencies.”

BRAND NEWS POWDERED BEVERAGES

Almond Pro has added a peanut butter chocolate flavor to its line of almondbased protein powders. The new product contains 19g of protein, 6g of fiber, and 14 essential vitamins and minerals per serving. All Almond Pro powders are now available for wholesale distribution. CLICK Coffee has launched CLICK Active. The product is made with a 70/30 blend of whey isolate and micellar casein and a double-shot of high-grade espresso coffee. It contains 150 mg of caffeine and has no added sugar or artificial colors or flavors. Cricket Complex is a new protein powder made with five sources of protein: cricket, beef protein isolate, egg white protein, whey protein isolate, and casein. It includes a full amino acid profile, is easily digestible, and is all-natural and non-GMO. CytoSport, maker of Muscle Milk, has released a new non-GMO pea protein powder as part of its new Evolve brand. The vegan-friendly products contain no dairy, soy, or gluten. Gold’s Gym is breaking into the whey protein powder market with the new Muscle Supreme line. The 32 oz. containers come with 25 servings containing 24g of protein each. Flavors include chocolate and vanilla. INVIA, formerly Nawgan, has completed a rebranding following its acquisition by Memory Sciences, a new health and wellness venture based in Wisconsin. The new look mental performance supplement launched in October. Ito En North America has extended its Matcha LOVE brand with a new Sweetened Matcha Green Tea Powder Mix. The product is made with a blend of 100 percent of matcha sourced from whole-leaf Japanese green tea leaves and sugar. It’s designed to create barista-style beverages and mixes with hot or cold water, milk, and dairy alternatives.

46 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

LonoLife, maker of bone broth in K-cups, has released a bone broth stick pack. Each stick contains 10g of pure collagen protein. The line comes in Beef, Chicken, and Thai Curry flavors. Love Beets, a maker of beet-based food and beverages, has launched a pure beet powder. The new product is made from 100 percent beets, contains no additives or preservatives, has 0g added sugar, and is non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. It can be blended with water, or added to smoothies, yogurt, sauces, oatmeal and baked goods. The powder is currently available at Wegmans stores. New Zealand Delight Morning Energy Shakes were developed to provide multiple benefits of reduced sugar cravings and daily calorie intake. The product line includes Banana, Blackcurrant, Chocolate, Kiwi, and Mango flavors. Trusource introduced its new Anytime Energy line in both powder and readyto-drink formats last fall. Each serving of the orange-flavored powder mix contains 100mg of caffeine for energy and amino acids to promote muscle recovery, according to the manufacturer. The line debuted as Trusource announced a retail expansion into Target, Walgreens, Giant Eagle, and H-E-B. Vital Proteins has partnered with natural food broker Presence Marketing to support the brand’s placement and positioning in stores. The partnership comes on the heels of a nationwide launch for Vital Proteins’ collagen protein powders in Whole Foods. Currently in more than 1,500 individual retailers, the company also launched two new products: Vanilla Collagen Peptides and Collagen Veggie Blend. Zoganic launched its fruitZip natural energy supplement last fall. The product debuted in more than 2,000 stores in the Eastern U.S. The sugar-free line includes Pineapple, Orange, Coconut, and multi-vitamin varieties.

1L on-the-go 500ml single 200ml kids

CAFFEINE MAY BE THE WORLD’S MOST WIDELY USED DRUG, BUT UNLESS YOU’RE A BLACK COFFEE FANATIC THE BEVERAGES WITH THE MOST KICK TO THEM TYPICALLY AREN’T THE HEALTHIEST OPTIONS ON THE SHELF. SUGAR, ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, OBSCURE CHEMICALS – NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU CUT IT, MANY OF THE MOST ENERGIZING SHOTS AND READY-TO-DRINKS ON THE MARKET CONTAIN DEALBREAKERS FOR THE HEALTH-MINDED CONSUMER. As the functional energy shot category has grown throughout the years it has at times struggled to adapt to these demands. But now, a new wave of entrepreneurs has rolled out several shots and mixing formats throughout the last year that strip away the guarana, taurine, and chemicals to bring energy back to its base elements. Although many are still young, it’s worth asking if these brands could represent the evolution of energization to a place where athletes, students, and general caffeine heads can sleep a little easier at night knowing their morning wake-meup and afternoon kicker are within their control and working for them.

ENERGIZE ANYTHING Stirring stick brand PureLYFT and cocktail mixer Hackamore each have unique approaches to the same idea: safely caffeinating any beverage of your choosing. PureLYFT, produced by the New Jerseybased Pure Mix LLC, offers a line of “clean caffeine” plastic stirring sticks. Consumers either pop a cap or peel off a sticker 48 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

covering on the disposable sticks to reveal a powdered caffeine made from green coffee beans along with stevia and vitamins A and B. A single stick has 125mg of caffeine. “We tried to strip out everything in the traditional beverages that is synthetic and linked to the negativity of energy drinks,” said PureLYFT co-founder and CEO Erik Elfstrum. “We know that consumers are looking for healthier options and they want the functionality of energy.” According to Elfstrum, a former district business manager for Pfizer, college students were the go-to demographic to target at launch. The company signed a deal to distribute in Barnes & Noble bookstores as a way to get the caffeine sticks onto college campuses. Since then PureLYFT has moved into the convenience channel and expanded its college campus presence by partnering with Aramark. Currently the brand is in more than 1,000 stores in the U.S. Most recently, PureLYFT launched flavored varieties with Lemon Lime, Mixed Berry, and Orange varieties in addition to its original.

“When we were pitching the college campuses, a lot of them have removed the traditional energy drinks,” Elfstrum said. “Whether it’s parents who are worried their kids are over-consuming them, or just wanting to provide healthier options for students. We feel like the timing is perfect.” While PureLYFT may have worked it’s way onto campuses, Hackamore “Premium Energy” is coming out of one. 22-year-old entrepreneur Olivia Robinson, an advertising and marketing student, came up with the idea for Hackamore two years ago and finally launched in New York in Q4 of 2016. According to Robinson, Hackamore is not a traditional mixer. Instead, the brand is being marketed as the first energy drink that comes in a liter bottle, similar in look to premium vodkas. Featuring a lime flavor, Hackamore can stand on its own, although it’s served as a shot with 80mg of caffeine per 2 oz. However, the drink is at its most versatile as a cocktail mixer, and getting the brand into New York City bars is currently Robinson’s focus, suggesting bar managers charge patrons about $3 to add “a shot of energy” to their drinks. “It’s the first energy drink that really caters to the mixology world,” Robinson said. “The fact that it’s served as a shot means mixologists can add this to any cocktail or mocktail without diluting the drink. It can mix well with any kind of liquor, there’s really no limit.” Hackamore retails at $26.99 per bottle, or $60 for a case of six bottles wholesale. It is currently selling online but not yet in retail stores.

Currently Neu retails at $3.99 per 2 oz. shot. Neu self-distributes to about 50 retail stores in the San Francisco bay area and also sells online through Amazon and Wal-Mart. TruEnergy currently retails for $2.99 per 1.69 oz. shot.

RETURN OF THE FAT

SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS As a hockey player, Jack McNamara spent a lot of time in locker rooms checking out the energy “supplements” his teammates would use to pump up before a big game. SoBe, Red Bull, 5-hour Energy, they all had their heydays as pro athletes favorite pre-gamer. But McNamara was never completely sold on their efficacy. “When I took a look at a lot of these products it astonished me how an athlete would train six or seven days a week, then be on a vegan diet, paleo diet, plant based diet,” McNamara said. “Then when they actually go to the rink to perform they were putting all this artificial crap in their body.” Now retired from sports, McNamara is the founder of TruEnergy, a new energy shot that holds back on excessive amounts of vitamins and instead provides 100mg of caffeine sourced from green tea and green coffee beans. Rather than give the consumer a large dose of B vitamins like many other sports shots, TruEnergy contains no more than 100 percent the daily dosage of any of its ingredients. Currently only sold in Citrus Mango flavor, with a pomegranate variety on the way, McNamara said he hopes the shot will become the go-to healthy alternative to 5-hour Energy and has already brought on unpaid endorsements from pro NHL and NFL athletes. Launched last summer, TruEnergy is tak-

50 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

ing aim at sports retail markets where 5-hour Energy isn’t dominant, including gyms, supplement stores and specialty stores. “I literally looked at every single thing 5-hour Energy did and tried to do it different,” McNamara said. “Our bottle design is transparent. It is extremely unique, even our displays are unique.” While TruEnergy is looking to become the energy shot of athletes, Neu Nootropic Boost is promising brain power with its new shot. Similarly founded by a newcomer to the beverage industry, CEO Salim Sweiss developed the formula and product plan during a lengthy recovery from a motorcycle accident. According to Sweiss, nootropics, sometimes called “smart drugs,” trigger an alert feeling without the overdrive brought on by caffeine. Neu itself contains high amounts of B vitamins and vitamin D along with 125mg of caffeine. The buzz is cool, calm, and sustained throughout the day, but won’t disrupt sleep schedules, Sweiss said. “It’s a different feel from coffee, you have more control, more focus,” Sweiss said. “The energy drink market is purely driven on caffeine and caffeine alone and high amounts of it. Caffeine is great, but it does one thing well – it releases adrenaline in your system. Adrenaline is the same hormone when you’re in a fight or flight information and it’s just pure raw energy, it’s not controllable.”

While brands are still working to educate the public its health benefits, saturated fat has ceased to be the health boogeyman it once was. Food and beverage producers are finding ways to rebrand the term as one exemplifying health and energy. Take Bulletproof FATwater for instance, which has taken great strides to turn “fat” into gym vocabulary, instead of couch potato terminology. Los Angeles-based Coffee Blocks is continuing down that path of combining fat with energy. Since launching over a year ago, the instant “butter coffee” mixer has marked its territory as an alternative to the sugar and cream routine of most coffee drinkers, one particularly suited for fat positive practitioners of the paleo and ketogenic diets. Formerly a frozen product, the brand recently relaunched as a shelf-stable gel mixer so consumers could take the product on the go, only needing to add hot water. “A lot of time people are adding sugars to their coffee, or they’re having doughnuts, or bagels, or cereals for breakfast and those are all high carbs,” said co-founder Tom Meredith. “This is really geared toward people who are trying to remove carbs from their diet, so that is why we use grass-fed butter and organic coconut oil.” An individual 1.1 oz. packet of Coffee Blocks retails for $2.99, with 8-packs selling for $23.95. According to Meredith, the company also plans to launch a “Fat Tea” with the aid of funding from Kickstarter and, eventually, new roasts of coffee. While Meredith admits he may be biased, fat and energy has potential to expand into the mainstream as more consumers abandon sugar in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m in this little fat echo chamber, but it seems like it’s growing quite a bit,” Meredith said. “I see eventually it becoming more mainstream. It’s just a lot of different people pushing in different areas toward that.”

BRAND NEWS

SHOTS & MIXING FORMATS

Beet It sport shots has announced a U.S. rollout in 1,500 retail outlets, following success with online sales. The 2.4 oz. shots are made with beet juice concentrate. Ero 10-6 is a new 6 oz. shot containing 10g of branched chain amino acids. The product promotes weight loss and helps improve muscle growth while reducing soreness, according to the manufacturer. The performance shot is available in a Mango Citrus flavor. Hackamore, a premium energy drink designed to be mixed with cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages, is now distributed at bars in New York City. Sold in a 1 L bottle, it contains 80 mg of caffeine per 2 oz. shot and contains no calories or sweeteners. Life Line 3 IN 1 wellness shots are now available in over 600 Kroger banner convenience stores, including Tom

Thumb, Turkey Hill, Kwik Shop, Quik Stop and Loaf N’ Jug. Liquid I.V. has added distribution in 240 Harris Teeter stores, marking the brand’s entry into Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C. The product hydrates the body 2-3 times faster than plain water, according to the manufacturer. NEU Nootropic Boost is a new 2 oz. shot formulated with “brain vitamins.” The brand is now available online and also sold in approximately 50 stores around the San Francisco Bay area. nuun will release Performance in April, a new endurance drink mix designed for longer and higher intensity activities. It is made with a blend of electrolytes plus carbohydrates to maximize hydration and athletic performance. It will be sold in a 32-serving pouch and single-serve sachet. The company also released a line of nuun Vitamins in January. PureLYFT has added three new SKUs to its line of all-natural caffeine sticks: Lemon Lime, Mixed Berry, and Orange. The new flavors come as the brand expands its distribution into convenience stores.

RSVP Skinnies is a new zero-calorie, all-natural cocktail mixer. The new brand comes in NY Cosmo, Baja Margarita, Maui MaiTai, and London Gimlet varieties. Stur, a natural liquid water enhancer, has introduced two new SKUs: Lovely Lemonade and Iced Grape Acai. The zerocalorie drinks are sweetened with stevia and are high in vitamin C. Tuff Chuck energy shots successfully completed a fundraising round on IndieGoGo. The 2 oz. shots contain no calories or sugar and are expected to launch in 2017.

52 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

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The barrels are still rolling U.S. whiskey remains the big spirits story. By Jeff Cioletti American whiskey continued to be a major growth driver across all major spirits categories in 2016 and, as far as the Distilled Spirits Council is concerned, that’s likely to be a recurring theme through the rest of 2017 and beyond. The council, which represents spirits producers and marketers, reported at its annual media and analyst briefing in early February that American-made whiskey volume, which includes bourbon, rye, Tennessee and white/unaged products, grew 6.8 percent in calendar year 2016 to about 21.8 million 9-liter cases – representing more than 35 percent of total U.S. whiskey volume and nearly 10 percent of the market’s total spirits

54 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

volume. Revenue-wise, Americanproduced whiskey surged 7.7 percent, to about $3.1 billion in total supplier dollars – roughly 36 percent of all whiskey revenue and 12.4 percent of all spirits dollars in the U.S. “Today’s consumer has a demand for products that they deem authentic,” noted Distilled Spirits Council chief economist David Ozgo. “The whiskey category really provides that kind of authenticity, when you think of the production process. You really can’t fake barrel aging.” That applies especially to super-premium whiskey, the most upscale of the four price tiers that the Distilled Spirits Council measures. The other tiers include value

(the budget brands), premium and high-end. Super-premium American whiskey volume grew nearly 12 percent in 2016. Within American whiskeys, bourbon and Tennessee whiskey volume, which the council measures as a single segment, grew 6.9 percent to a total of 18.7 million cases, while white/unaged whiskey rose 3.9 percent to 2.3 million cases. That’s an improvement over 2015, when the segment actually saw a modest decrease, mainly due to the fact that distillers, who had been focusing on unaged products to get their spirits to the market as quickly as possible, shifted to mature whiskeys when enough of their stocks came of age.

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But the biggest growth story within American whiskeys has been rye, which jumped 17 percent – albeit off of a much smaller base – to 785,000 cases. Rye has been on a tear for most of the past decade, enjoying low to mid-double-digit growth each year. Total whiskey volume, including U.Sproduced and import products, increased 4.1 percent to 61.8 million cases. That’s a slightly slower growth rate than 2015’s tally, when overall whiskey volume increased 4.9 percent. Revenue growth was a bit more modest as well, at 6.4 percent versus 8.0 percent in 2015. It’s still significant, considering the size of the whiskey category. Volumetrically, it’s the secondlargest spirit category, whose 61.8 million cases is closing the gap with vodka’s 69.8 million cases. But when you take revenue

around story, repeating the low-singledigit volume it enjoyed in 2015. The 2.4 percent increase may not sound like a lot, but when you look at the 17.1 million cases sold in the U.S. last year – nearly 28 percent of all whisk(e)y in the country – it becomes much more significant. Dollar sales jumped nearly 6 percent, thanks to the strong performance of the higherpriced super-premium tier. Scotch whisky volume didn’t fare as well last year. Blended Scotch, which makes up the lion’s share of the Scotch segment – about a 12 percent share of overall whiskey – fell about half a percentage point to 7.4 million cases, though its revenue ticked up a bit; supplier dollars rose 1.7 percent to $1.4 billion. Volume for single malt Scotch, a considerably smaller segment, rose a

2008 at the height of the recession, but resumed its climb shortly thereafter. With volume just under 60 million cases at the moment, there’s quite a gulf between current figures and the 1970 high – a number that seems much more reachable when you factor in the population of legaldrinking-age (LDA) adults today versus 1970. In 1970 there were only 122 million LDA consumers in the U.S.; today there are 233 million. “So,” Ozgo concluded, “there’s a long way to go.” While whiskey has attracted most of the attention in recent years, it’s important to point out another, relatively smaller, category whose growth continues to accelerate. Tequila volume – which also includes mezcal cases – jumped more than 7 percent to 15.9 million cases, as consumers have been

Since 2010, we've added nearly 12 million cases in the North American whiskey market. We've added $2 billion to the market since 2010.... How much longer can this trend go on? David Ozgo, Chief Economist, Distilled Spirits Council into account, the two categories flip, with whiskey bringing in $8.7 billion and vodka accounting for $6.0 billion in sales. American-born brands didn’t corner the market on positive news for 2016, as there were a couple of import segments that did their fair share of the heavy lifting. Irish whiskey continued to impress, maintaining its double-digit year-on-year surge with an 18.7 percent bump in case volume and a 19.8 percent revenue boost. In past years, the caveat had been “Keep in mind, Irish is growing off of a very small base,” but eventually, that analysis will be irrelevant. Irish imports totaled 3.8 million cases or about 6 percent of all whiskey volume in the U.S.; revenue reached $795 million or about 9.2 percent of total U.S. whiskey dollars. Canadian whisky – whose producers prefer the Scottish spelling, sans the letter ‘e’ – has become quite the turn56 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

modest 0.4 percent to 2.1 million cases. Single malt Scotch revenue, aided by high retail prices for super-premium expressions, rose a more robust 4.3 percent to $763 million in U.S. supplier sales. The real question for the entire whiskey category, include American-made brands and imports – is whether the recent boom will continue into the foreseeable future. “Since 2010, we’ve added nearly 12 million cases in the North American whiskey market,” Ozgo noted. “We’ve added $2 billion to the market since 2010…. How much longer can this trend go on?” For the answer, Ozgo suggested looking at the U.S. volume trend for North American whiskey (including Canadian) stretching back as far as the 1970s. Volume peaked at just under 80 million cases in 1970 and declined steadily until the early 2000s. Volume flattened again around

discovering more premium offerings within a category once dismissed as a beverage for inebriated spring breakers. The high-end price tier experienced particularly noteworthy gains, surging 16 percent. Outside the U.S., consumers have developed an intense thirst for American spirits, especially whiskey, and export volume continued to grow last year, jumping 6.8 percent for all spirits and 10.2 percent for whiskey. Despite that, exports struggled financially – down 9.3 percent for all spirits and 8.7 percent for whiskey. “Exports are facing headwinds on a stronger dollar,” explained Christine LoCascio, senior vice president of international trade at the Distilled Spirits Council. “[International consumers] still want our products, they just may be trading down to less expensive products. There is this global fascination with American products.”

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OVER THE HILL? Legacy craft brewers weather the industry’s slowdown By Justin Kendall

The warhorses of the craft beer industry are getting tired. Although craft is still charging forward, its surge has slowed due to declines by some of the biggest beer makers. “Craft is growing this year, it’s just not making up the losses that keep the craft growth rate at which it was before,” Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson told BevNET. Last year, craft’s decade of double-digit growth finally ended. Chicago-based market research firm IRI Worldwide reported that craft beer sales in U.S. supermarkets and convenience stores grew 6.9 percent to more than $2.28 billion. Still, that was well below the increases that the category had experienced since 2005. End of the year numbers from the Beer Institute also showed that craft beer volumes increased by about 7 percent, which the industry trade organization called a “significant deceleration in that segment’s growth compared to recent years.” The losses came from the top: 2016 was a year in which many trusted brands struggled. A Nielsen CGA on-premise measurement report recently showed that sales for “mature” breweries had declined 1.9 percent since January 2015. However, maturing and “newbie” breweries had grown sales 6.8 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, showing the emergence of a mid-tier chase pack and smaller, hyper-local brands. “It’s getting crowded out there,” Watson said. “We’ve hit a point where brands are coming in faster than the drinkers. There are a set number of brands that can grow. You put more brands in the marketplace and you get more brands that are shrinking. There are only so many shelf placements.” 60 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Mike Mazzoni, a beer industry veteran who has studied the lifecycle of brands, said legacy craft breweries are struggling for several reasons, among them, an inability to reach choice-craving millennial consumers whose drinking tastes are more promiscuous than previous generations. And the ubiquitous nature of brands such as Boston Beer Co. and Sierra Nevada won’t make it easy. “The fact that they’re national brands gives them cache that’s offensive to the millennial,” Mazzoni said. “They want something that’s local. That’s one of the reasons that they’ve fallen off.” This is the new reality in an increasingly crowded and cramped industry. There are more than 5,000 U.S. breweries fighting for shelf space and tap handles, not only amongst themselves for “share of stomach” but also with wine and spirits. “You have 10,000 brands competing for the same share of stomach that 800 brands were competing for,” Mazzoni said. “And the styles that they produce are not conducive to big volume gains.” Possibly no craft brewery is under more scrutiny than the venerable category creator, Boston Beer Company. The publicly traded makers of Samuel Adams, and the second-largest craft beer maker (behind D.G. Yuengling & Sons Inc.), according to the Brewers Association, had a rough 2016. Last year, sales of Boston Beer declined 2.2 percent in grocery and convenience stores, according to IRI Worldwide. The company finished the year with $774.5 million in sales in those outlets, but several of its brands suffered: Samuel Adams’ seasonal beers dropped 15.6 percent;

flagship beer, Boston Lager, declined 11.3 percent; the company’s variety pack was down 5.5 percent. The troubles weren’t limited to beer; Angry Orchard hard cider sales declined 7.3 percent. Boston Beer founder Jim Koch declined an opportunity to discuss his company’s strategy for turning around sales. However, the company has already tipped its hand: the answers for Boston Beer heading into 2017 appear to be a cosmetic facelift for its packaging as well as reformulated recipe for one of its struggling brands, Samuel Adams Rebel IPA, which saw sales decline 15.5 percent and volume sales drop 16.6 percent last year, according to IRI. The new recipe for Rebel IPA will feature Mosaic hops and two proprietary hops (HBC 566 and HBC 682) and a new grain bill without caramel malt. In a previous email to BevNET’s sister publication, Brewbound, Koch said reworking Rebel IPA was about getting the taste right. It remains to be seen whether those changes will do more to appease Boston Beer’s shareholders or find the connection it’s lacked in recent years with craft drinkers. Boston Beer wasn’t the only craft pioneer struggling to reach consumers. Sierra Nevada, the No. 3 craft beer producer, saw its sales drop 3 percent. Earlier in the year, Sierra Nevada’s Brian Grossman told a group of distributors to expect a sales decline of more than 4 percent. The declines were pronounced in supermarkets and convenience stores for Sierra Nevada’s flagship Pale Ale. Sales of that No. 2 craft brand (behind Blue Moon Belgian White), were down 3.4 percent to

OVER THE HILL? $124.4 million, according to IRI. The company’s other top brand, the once red-hot Torpedo Extra IPA, saw a 2.5 percent decrease in sales to $53.9 million. To breathe new life into those labels, Sierra Nevada announced a pair of line extensions – Sidecar Orange Pale Ale and Tropical Torpedo IPA – a strategy of doubling down on its core products with a twist of innovation. However, the company has already started the year behind the eight ball. In January, the company announced a 36-state voluntary recall of several of its year-round and seasonal beers bottled at the company’s Mills River, North Carolina, production brewery. The company has yet to say the total cost of the recall or how much beer was affected. The news wasn’t all sour for craft beer’s pioneers. New Belgium sales increased 1.7 percent in MULC, and the Fort Collins, Colorado-headquartered brewery finished the year up 4.8 percent on the year, shipping 958,000 barrels of beer. New Belgium co-founder Kim Jordan credited a strategy of innovating with beers such as Citradelic Tangerine IPA, which she said was the No. 1 craft launch of last year, and the opening of new cities and states for distribution with lifting the company last year after it suffered its first decline in 2015. Some of those issues have been attributed to maxing out the capacity of the company’s Colorado production facility while attempting to get its 500,000-barrel Asheville, North Carolina, brewery online. “We’re pretty psyched that we were up almost 5 percent because the law of large numbers makes that more difficult,” Jordan said. “The intense competition increased in the last couple of years also makes that more difficult. We feel like that’s a big win to be up that far.” Continuing the innovation theme, New Belgium has introduced new beers under the Voodoo Ranger banner after sales of its Ranger IPA declined 17 percent in 2016. So the company moved its focus to several new products, launching a fullscale campaign around Voodoo Ranger IPA and Voodoo Ranger Double IPA. Those beers, featuring the popular Mosaic hop variety, will get a big marketing push with a video series featuring a 6-pack toting, cartoon skeleton mascot. New Belgium is also pushing Dayblazer blonde ale in convenience stores 62 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

such as 7-Eleven. And New Belgium will aim to protect its flagship beer, Fat Tire, which grew 1.5 percent in grocery and convenience stores. “We don’t think it makes sense to take your eye off the main thing, so that’s always on our list,” Jordan said. Meanwhile, 2017 is shaping up to be a milestone year for New Belgium, which is poised to break the 1 million barrel mark while completing its U.S. distribution map. “We’re pretty psyched,” Jordan said. “That’s a big number.” Nevertheless, as the craft beer industry grows, it will become increasingly difficult for the top players and the entire category to show the massive share gains of the BRAND

past. Part of the reasons is that several mid-tier players are reaping the rewards that come from increased money and distribution access. Constellation Brands’ sales increased 11.6 percent in convenience and grocery stores thanks to a surge in popularity of Mexican imports and Ballast Point; Founders’ All Day IPA saw a 76.7 percent sales spike; Lagunitas’ sales of IPA increased 20.5 percent and Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale sales rose 45.2 percent; Firestone Walker was driven by a 74.4 percent increase in sales of 805 Blonde Ale; Bell’s Brewery sales of Two Hearted Ale were up 38.8 percent while its seasonal beers grew 18.1 percent; and Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned Goose Island

DOLLAR SALES

CHANGE vs. YEAR EARLIER

Blue Moon

$336,740,443

-3.5%

Samuel Adams

$326,873,505

-8.0%

Sierra Nevada

$255,378,549

-4.2%

New Belgium

$196,849,963

1.8%

Leinenkugel Specialty

$170,326,623

-5.7%

Lagunitas

$165,822,173

21.0%

Shiner

$136,183,170

-3.2%

Shock Top

$134,599,269

-13.0%

Deschutes

$78,653,753

10.2%

Goose Island

$73,320,911

24.3%

Stone

$64,698,314

12.8%

Bells

$63,885,753

31.2%

Ballast Point

$61,851,734

69.0%

Kona

$56,348,663

16.2%

Sweetwater

$55,754,064

11.4%

Founders

$54,944,411

51.8%

Firestone

$51,575,466

44.0%

New Glarus

$37,802,581

11.9%

Dogfish Head

$36,343,190

4.7%

Redhook

$34,206,101

-15.7%

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 1/22/17

saw sales of its IPA grow by 81.7 percent. All of those brands, with the exception of Bell’s Brewery’s Two Hearted Ale, have private equity or strategic partners or ownership, blowing wind into their distribution sales. Even smaller brands carving niches in their home markets with hyper-local focuses in on-premise outlets are posing issues for craft’s pioneers. “We’re trying to wrap our head around how we can still play in that business,” Jordan said.

Still, companies at the top of the craft beer sphere have the advantages of bigger war chests and better distribution reach. Jordan recognizes that her company is playing on a different ballfield. “In the off-premise, all of the things that we can control serve to benefit us as the category gets more crowded and more confusing,” she said. NBWA chief economist Lester Jones agreed with Jordan’s off-premise assessment, saying the path to growing volumes

in 2017 is having a “trusted brand” with “great marketplace execution, and strong relationships with their distributors and retailer partners. “These are some of characteristics for new craft brewers that will translate into consumers coming back for more,” Jones said. “The shopping around phase is coming to a plateau, the settling down with core favorite beers is going to be more pronounced in 2017.” How does a mature brewery compete in a crowded and competitive marketplace? The formula will be different for each brewery attempting to stay relevant and grow their business, Jones said. “You’re going to see creativity in freemarket capitalism really blossom in this industry as people struggle to stay relevant in what I would say is a relatively flat industry where per capita consumption is going to go down,” Jones said. “Don’t take that as a bad thing. It’s the idea of how creative are these companies going to be and how effectively are they going to develop marketing and sales.”

SHOW PREVIEW BY CHRIS FURNARI

2017 Craft Brewers Conference Preview: Don’t Miss These 4 Education Seminars The 2017 Craft Brewers Conference is just around the corner and, to help you navigate what is sure to be a jam-packed week of learning, networking and imbibing, BevNET Magazine has compiled a list can’t miss list presentations and educational seminars. Approximately 14,000 brewing industry professionals are expected to attend the 34th edition of the CBC, which takes place in Washington D.C. between April 10 - 13. The multi-day event will also feature 800 exhibitors at the annual BrewExpo America trade show, happening on Tuesday, April 11 and Wednesday, April 12. Hosted by industry trade group the Brewers Association (BA), the event will include at least 70 educational seminars across 11 tracks: brewery operations, brewpubs, export development, government affairs, packaging breweries, quality, safety, selling craft beer, startups, sustainability and technical brewing. With so many options to choose from, maximizing your time at the CBC is critically important. That’s why, if you’re serious about growing your business and soaking in the most important information you can during CBC week, you’ll be sure to check out these four seminars:

Using Industry, Demographic, and Economic Data to Grow Your Brewery's Business April 11, 1:20 PM – 2:20 PM Speakers: Lester Jones, Chief Economist, NBWA; Bart Watson, Chief Economist, BA The Bart and Lester show rolls on in 2017! These two economists hit the conference circuit pretty hard last year, co-presenting at numerous industry events, including BevNET’s own Brewbound Session last December. Take it from us, Watson and Jones have great rapport and they know how to work a room. But beyond the duo’s onstage chemistry, their presentations are always chock full of the most current industry data, and filled with insights into category-wide trends. At the 2017 CBC, they’ll be helping intermediate and advanced breweries understand how to access and utilize readily available industry, state and federal statistics to inform their business planning. Expanding Your Footprint: Do it Right the First Time April 11, 2:40 PM – 3:40 PM Speakers: Kimberly Clements & Daniel Lust, Partners, PINTS LLC With more than 5,000 craft breweries now operating throughout the U.S., it’s never been more important to consider your expansion strategies and what a new market entry could and should look like. Kimberly Clements, the former owner and CEO of Arizona-based Golden Eagle Distributors, together with Daniel Lust, her former vice president of sales and marketing, launched the PINTS LLC

64 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

consultancy in 2016 after the beer wholesaler was sold to Hensley Beverage. The PINTS venture, short for “partners invested in transformational solutions,” aids craft brewers with all aspects of distributor management, including contract negotiations, new market due diligence, goto market strategies, portfolio development, sales training and logistics. During their CBC session, Clements and Lust will help new and emerging breweries understand their market expansion options and provide strategies that will enable companies to avoid costly mistakes when selecting new distributor partners. The Price is Right: Elevating Your Price and Promotion Strategy Game April 12, 1:20 PM – 2:20 PM Speakers: Danny Brager, senior vice president, beverage alcohol practice, Nielsen; Morgan Seybert, vice president sales effectiveness, Nielsen As the craft category continues to get more crowded, and as more emerging brewery entrepreneurs look to scale their businesses with volume-driven product offerings, overall pricing strategy will become an increasingly more important page in every craft beer company’s playbook. So, to help brewery owners better understand the current beer pricing environment, Nielsen’s Danny Brager and Morgan Seybert will look to explain why price is a key component of every consumer’s purchasing decision. Throughout their presentation, the pair will “provide a

glimpse into the current beer pricing environment,” and help brewery professionals “create a framework for thinking about pricing strategy.” MegaBrew: The Merger, its Aftermath and What it Means for Small Brewers April 13, 3:20 PM – 4:20 PM Speakers: Jon Dubrow, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP; Bob Pease, President & CEO, Brewers Association; Paul Pisano, Sr. VP Industry Affairs and General Counsel, National Beer Wholesalers Association Last year’s $100 billion “MegaBrew” merger between Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller was the most significant story in the beer industry, not just because it was the largest ever combination of two beer companies, but also because of its implications for other U.S. breweries. In order to proceed with the transaction, A-B InBev agreed to a number of conditions, laid out by the U.S. Department of Justice, including the divestiture of MillerCoors, as well as other requirements that could impact the way small and independent brewers and beer wholesalers operate. In April, McDermott Will & Emery’s Jon Dubrow, along with Brewers Association CEO Bob Pease and Paul Pisano, the NBWA’s general counsel, will discuss those conditions and review the “specific elements composing the final consent order.” Attendees can expect to learn about the strengths and weakness of the consent order, the challenges of enforcing the order and what impact the merger could have on the marketplace.

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BluePrint® Organic

Buddha Teas

BluePrint is proud to introduce their new Energy Teas, available in 14-fluid ounce glass bottles. This exciting new line addition combines caffeine from high performance tea ingredients, like guayusa, matcha, and yerba mate, with superfood ingredients like turmeric, moringa and Lion’s Mane mushroom. Each bottle is sweetened with organic maple syrup and contains only 45 – 50 calories. An energy meter is included on all three varieties to help you choose between a gentle buzz and a true caffeinated kick depending on your needs for the day ahead!

Matcha NOW™ offers you fresh, pure ceremonial grade matcha whenever you want it. Our premium organic matcha is stored dry in the cap. With a twist of the cap, the matcha powder drops into water for a fresh matcha drink - anytime.

Flavors include: Mo-Jo Matcha, Mindful Ma-Tay and Guaya-Fiyah. All Energy Teas are Certified USDA Organic, Gluten Free and Kosher.

We use only premium ceremonial grade matcha in every bottle, the highest grade matcha powder, to give you the best taste and the strongest benefits. We also source our matcha straight from organic farms in Kagoshima, Japan, home of some of the world’s best matcha.

BluePrint® is a pioneer of cold-pressed juices and juice drinks that provide functional nutrition. Under each signature blue cap is a delicious blend of pure, organic ingredients that serve as a great way to support energy on-the-go and provide a natural recharge. BluePrint is continuously innovating and is committed to helping consumers lead healthier, more energy-filled lives. Visit www.blueprint.com for more information. Your BluePrint for a vibrant life.

Available in two options: “100% Pure” is pure matcha green tea with nothing added. “Lightly Sweet” is fresh matcha perfectly accented with 1.6 grams of organic sugar. Matcha offers all the health benefits of green tea with ten times the strength. When you drink Matcha NOW™, you’ll enjoy: More Energy Better Focus Calm, Relaxed Feelings Rich Antioxidants Natural Detox

BrainGear® Brain Performance Formula

FATWATER: Mental Refreshment

BrainGear

BULLETPROOF 360

BrainGear is the brain performance formula developed by top neurologists that provides immediate focus, clarity and concentration while optimizing brain health and performance over time. BrainGear’s 4.5 oz. liquid formula was developed for optimal absorption and maximum efficacy and is backed by neurologists from Stanford, UT Austin & Boston University. BrainGear is not caffeinebased. What you feel is the benefits of all the ingredients working together to keep your brain healthy and working on all cylinders. • 13 powerful, scientifically researched brain-boosting ingredients • All GRAS and natural ingredients • Only 10 calories • Great tasting and fast-acting • Low sugar – only 3 grams • Low caffeine content = ½ cup of green tea • First to market in a NEW category • High level of repeat purchases • High shelf density and versatility • Shelf-stable • All-natural, non-GMO, soy-and-gluten-free • All ingredients and their quantities are detailed on our label for full transparency #AccessMore information @BrainGear on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and www.braingear.me

Drink Chobani

COCO5: Making coconut water taste GREAT. Chobani

COCO5

A smooth drinkable yogurt full of real fruit flavor and packed with 14g of protein to keep you rejuvenated on the go. Available in 8 popular flavors including Mixed Berry, Strawberry Banana, Peach, Mango, Pina Colada, Vanilla, Apple Veg & Lemon Lime

COCO5, the coconut water beverage that offers coconut water benefits, without the coconut water taste. Available in 6 delicious flavors, Cherry, Coconut, Limon, Orange, Pineapple, and Passion Fruit, COCO5 can satisfy any palate.

Kombucha that is great tasting with all health benefits intact!

CORE Organic CORE

BEAVER BUZZ ENERGY DRINK - 12 YEARS OF PROVEN LONGEVITY!

Ciara's Kombucha

DD Beverage Co.

We offer 9 skus and our flavoring method does NOT introduce contaminates which would undoubtedly harm the healthy living nutrients of Kombucha. In fact, all living properties thrive in every bottle and our shelf life is a comfortable 6 to 10 months.

12 years of longevity! Beaver Buzz is sweetened with Cane Sugar, comes in 6 great tasting flavors. (Original, Citrus, Saskatoon Berry, Green Tea, Root Beer Energy, 0 calorie Fruit Punch) Beaver Buzz is adding US Distributors. Feel free to inquire.

Coffee Blenders – Functional Cold Brew Offers Healthful Benefits

CORE Hydration

Coffee Blenders

CORE

Coffee Blenders® offers the first line of high quality, functional cold brew coffee. Each sip stimulates your senses while delivering a range of health-giving benefits to improve mind and body. By cultivating the world’s choicest 100% Arabica beans and working with experienced sommeliers – experts with a deep understanding of coffee origins, flavors and compositions – we’re able to handcraft unique blends that appeal to casual coffee drinkers as well as more discerning palettes. Our cold brew line features our USDA certified organic “NUDE CUP’, a dark roast coffee with no additives alongside four unique functional blends. Our ‘LEAN CUP’ has green coffee bean extract that is used to promote weight loss. Our ‘THINK CUP’ with American ginseng improves cognitive performance including increased concentration and productivity. Our ‘RELAX CUP’ with L-Theanine provides calming effects and reduces stress and anxiety. Lastly, our ‘ACTIVE CUP’ with Alpha-GPC offers a natural workout boost by improving muscle power and sharpening agility. Located in north San Diego, Coffee Blenders® remains committed to using only natural, clinically supported ingredients. Our hope is that with every sip, you’ll taste the meticulous care and attention that goes into every bottle. IT’S COFFEE REIMAGINED.™

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Let’s be Honest to kids...

Dark Dog Organic Energy Drink – USDA Organic and Non-GMO

Ionization Makes It Better

Dark Dog Organic

Essentia

DARK DOG ORGANIC Energy Drink is a line of organic energy drinks that is both USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Verified. Carefully selected ingredients guarantee an organic energy drink with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. DARK DOG is no rookie in the energy drink industry. Since 1995 this company is renowned for the high standard of quality of its products. With the strongest markets in Latin America and Europe, the company is now conquering the US with an absolute product innovation in the energy drink sector. Unlike traditional energy drinks, all DARK DOG ORGANIC derive its powerful energy boost from certified organic and wholesome ingredients, such as yerba mate, green tea, natural caffeine, and guarana. We have created every flavor to satisfy everyone´s taste, including those who currently love the flavor of classic energy drinks. DARK DOG ORGANIC current flavors: Original, Blood Orange, 50 Calories and Coconut Water detoxwater - A Premium Line of Bioactive Aloe Water

Thrive With The Hive!

The next generation multipack: evian® 4-pack of 1.25 L/42 oz. bottles evian®

detoxwater

EnerBee

Made with vitamins, electrolytes, and the highest quality Aloe Vera — ACTIValoe. 15 calories per serving. Certified USDA Organic. OU Kosher. Vegan. Gluten Free. Non-GMO. Experience healing hydration! For more information, visit our website.

Made with Organic Green Tea, Yerba Mate, and Honey.

Diabolo Loco Acai Berry Guava Naturally Healthier Energizing

evian® Sport Cap 750mL

DIABOLO BEVERAGE CO., LLC Nature's perfect energy fruit is in DIABOLO LOCO's delicious healthier energy drink which combines the exotic Brazilian Açaí Berry and luscious Guava Fruit. The result is an exotic and delicious energizing drink sourced naturally and low in calories.

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evian® New evian 750 mL bottle with its easy to open sport cap for hydration throughout the day.

evian prides itself on its innovations: 1st plastic bottle, 1st crushable bottle, 1st facial spray, among others. In 2017, evian will introduce the next generation multipack. After months of research and development, evian will launch in the US the shrink-free pack. The plastic film is replaced by adhesive dots that glue the bottles together to form a 4-pack, making it easy to handle, carry, and open. evian developed this 4-pack in an effort to further reduce waste and be more convenient. Available across the US spring 2017. evian bottles are 100% recyclable. evian is naturally pure and sourced from the French Alps.

EVIVA Collagen Protein Water in three flavors

New Evolution Fresh Watermelon Juice Naturally Hydrates and Refreshes

EVIVA

Evolution Fresh

We take water which you need to drink every day and add collagen protein with a hint of flavor to make a delicious and refreshing drink with benefits. Collagen protein is essential to healthy skin, hair, bones and joints.

Evolution Fresh Watermelon Juice combines fresh watermelons and lemons into a naturally hydrating, coldpressed, HPP juice that replenishes with 330mg of potassium per eight-ounce serving and no added sugars, artificial colors or flavors.

Try the cooler side of cold – Evolution Fresh Blueberry Mint Cooler Evolution Fresh Treasured blueberry mixes with thirst-quenching watermelon and coldbrewed green tea plus an added touch of mint for a lively finish.

FAST Single Dose Liquid Relief: Real Medicine. Real Relief. Real Fast. FAST (First Aid Shot Therapy) FAST - a portfolio of single-dose, fastacting, OTC medicines to address everyday healthcare needs like hangover, headache, heartburn, cold & allergy symptoms & sleeplessness. FDA compliant & developed by doctors. Life is too short to miss a minute.

Farmhouse Culture GUT PUNCH™ Organic Sparkling Probiotic Veggie Drink Farmhouse Culture

Farmhouse Culture is recognized as being a leader in probiotic-rich foods and beverages. GUT PUNCH™ is a Punch of Health to your Gut! Starting with fermented beets (yes, both red and golden varieties), our kvass-style drink comes packed with a diverse group of nutrients and hardworking active cultures. It’s a perfect daily addition to support gut health and nurture the microbiome. We balance it with simple fruits and flavors, then add a touch of carbonation, so it’s delightfully refreshing! To ensure its functionality, we add a plant-based probiotic strain that has been shown to safely support digestive health, immune health and protein utilization*. At Farmhouse Culture, we believe in the power of simple, hardworking foods and beverages and we want to share our passion and our knowledge to transform lives for the better. We are Farmhouse Culture and we’re here to ferment a food revolution! The line is made up of 6 flavors including Ginger Lemon, Cola, Mango Guava, Strawberry Hibiscus, Orange Cream and Cherry Cacao. 12 oz. GLASS BOTTLE - ORGANIC - 4 BILLION CFUs OF PROBIOTIC CULTURES PER BOTTLE GUT PUNCH is available through UNFI, KeHE and other fine distributors across the U.S. *As part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle

Feel Good tastes great!

FORTO Coffee Energy Shots Introduces Organic Milk Flavors

Feel Good

FORTO

Feel Good is a zero calorie RTD Iced Tea in 6 exotic flavors. New and improved with Natural Flavors and redesigned packaging. Feel Good was good before, now it’s great!

Introducing 2 new SKUs made with real organic milk - Vanilla and Mocha. Both 2oz. SKUs are shelf-stable (12 months) and will retail at checkout in racks or on-shelf, line-priced with other energy shots. They are creamy, delicious, and effective.

FitPro Go ! Has best-in-class taste. Why? No fake sweeteners here !

Sparkling Bitters-Sparkling water lightlyflavored with tonic bitters

FitPro 2 sips and you'll understand why FitPro Go! is perhaps the most highly embraced Real Milk protein shake ever made. If another gutbomb schlepping brand says "amazing taste" and is laced with controversial compounds, run. FitPro Go! is here to stay!

FreshForward Beverages Available in five unique flavors, Sparkling Bitters is all-natural and contains zero sugar/ sweeteners/calories. With well-documented benefits for digestive health, Sparkling Bitters is a functional water that you actually feel working.

FIJI Water: Natural Artesian Water Bottled at the Source in Fiji FIJI Water

FIJI® Water, natural artesian water bottled at the source in Viti Levu (Fiji islands), is the No. 1 premium imported bottled water in the United States, known for its iconic square shape, smooth, soft taste and unique mineral profile. FIJI Water has a new slim, sleek bottle design. With this new design, FIJI Water’s 330mL, 500mL and 700mL SKUs now fit effortlessly everywhere. This includes the primary consumption occasion for bottled water, in the car, as well as fitness equipment, gym bags and beyond. The 1L FIJI Water bottle, found in-store or in fine dining establishments, also received the new fresh look. All updated FIJI Water bottles retain the iconic square shape, soft, smooth taste and naturally occurring electrolytes that consumers have come to know and love. The convenient shape of the 500mL and 700mL specifically makes it the perfect choice for a vigorous spinning class, personal training session, daily commute or travel. FIJI Water is bottled at the source in Fiji at an ancient artesian aquifer deep within the earth, where it is protected from external impurities. As tropical rain slowly filters through volcanic rock, it gathers the electrolytes and minerals that give FIJI Water its signature soft, smooth taste. It’s untouched by man - until you unscrew the cap.

Naturally alkaline spring water in an eco-friendly box Flow water

Craft Beer flavors worth tapping into. In the pursuit of hoppiness, we have brewed up the next flavor trends for craft beer. Whether it’s an Amber Ale or Hefeweizen flavor, they are sure to be pitcher perfect. Contact us today www.bellff.com/contact-us to request your free sample of the Craft Beer flavor collection.

Get in touch with taste.® Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. | www.bellff.com spark@bellff.com | 800-323-4387

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ALOE LOVE: Aloe Vera Iced Tea and Fruit Drinks- 8 Delicious Flavors!!!

New - It's Go Time Performance Energy

Healthy Hydration by H2r0se H2r0se, LLC

G2K Imports LLC Texas/U.S.A

Go Time Energy, LLC Finally, a great tasting energy shot with Natural Flavors & Zero Calories! Go Time’s formula efficacy and brand essence connect to adventure seekers and hard-charging Millennials. Go Time is about pushing boundaries and delivering results!

Natural Aloe Juice & Pulp. Aloin Free, No Preservatives, Powder or Artificial Flavor. Winner SUPERIOR TASTE AWARD 2016. ICED TEA: Dragon Fruit/Passion Fruit/ Pomegranate. ALOE: Apple/Lime/Melon/ Strawberry/Watermelon. Distributorship Opportunities!!! Organic Ginger Shots – All Natural Cold Pressed Wellness Shots Ginger Shots, Inc.

THE SECRET TO A HEALTHIER LIFE We believe in healthy living through eating and drinking all natural products and staying active to help shake off the effect of the daily grind. This is why we created Ginger Shots: the simplest and tastiest way to get organic ginger into your body.

H2rOse is an RTD beverage made of rose water, saffron and other natural ingredients. Rose water was initially consumed exclusively by royalty. As time passed, rose water became a healthy beverage used by an increasing number of people around the world. The scent of rose water is beautiful and offers a number of scientifically proven therapeutic benefits. It has also been used for centuries in cuisine and in skin care as the ultimate fountain of youth. Just as rose water is commonly used to cleanse the skin as a topical skin toner that tightens pores, drinking rose water also purifies the body thanks to the flavonoids & tannins. Rose water helps to enhance your mood; it aids with the relief of occasional nervous tensions and soothes the mind. Thanks to its de-stressing qualities, rose water is also known to help with a better quality sleep.

Ginger Shots are cold pressed and cold processed using high-pressure (HPP) to ensure the freshest taste possible. Ginger Shots go down smooth and quickly absorb into your body giving you an organic blast of WOW and revitalizing your senses. They are produced in Huntington Beach, California and certified Organic and Kosher.

Saffron, which also dates back to ancient times, is another natural remedy that supports many functions. Saffron eases digestion, soothes irritated stomachs, enhances your mood, reduces occasional anxiety and compulsive desires to eat. The combination of both of these distinct ingredients and the refreshing taste of H2rOse provides you with a beautiful beverage that will allow you to reap the benefits of beauty and health from within. NEW Harmless Coconut® Probiotics! Harmless Harvest®

A happy life is a simple life. So go ahead, give nature a shot...

GO FAST: Your Ultimate Energy Partner The Healthier Alternative. GO FAST GO FAST only uses premium ingredients to provide you with a sustainable energy boost without the crash. As always, GO FAST Energy Supplements contain zero preservatives, zero high fructose corn syrup, and zero aspartame. You may order on our website.

Harvest Soul Organic Probiotic Juice – High Fiber Blended Juices Harvest Soul Organic Juice Deliciously blended organic whole fruits & veggies enhanced with proven probiotic, GanadenBC30®. Unlike cold-pressed juices, ours are high in fiber which helps your body absorb sugar in a much healthier way. No concentrates, added flavors/sugar.

Harmless Harvest—the world’s first Fair For Life certified organic coconut water producer—announces the launch of its newest product, a line of organic probiotic cultured coconut beverages called Harmless Coconut® Probiotics. This exciting innovation in Harmless Harvest products continues its commitment to product, people and planet and is now one step closer to its goal of achieving a zero-waste ingredient model, adding to its industry-leading efforts to run an eco-system based business. The new line of refreshing, plant-based probiotic cultured beverages joins the family of organic, Fair for Life certified Harmless® Coconut Water. Harmless Coconut Probiotics combine the company’s critically acclaimed organic coconut water, coconut meat from young coconuts, active probiotic cultures, and organic fruits. The line will be available in Original, Strawberries, Blueberries & Acai, Mangos & Acerolas, with no added thickeners, stabilizers, or artificial flavors. Harmless Coconut Probiotics provides 12.5 billion CFUs, a good source of fiber and over 5 grams of MCT’s (natural coconut fat) for a replenishing snack anytime of the day. 77

Health-Ade Kombucha: A Bubbly Probiotic Tea

ALKALINE pH10 ZERO calories, carbs, or sugars. Naturally Fruit Infused Water.

Health-Ade Kombucha

IMPACT Alkaline Water, Inc.

Since its inception in 2012, Health-Ade has been committed to producing the best tasting and highest quality kombucha you can buy. They stop at nothing to make REAL kombucha, like fermenting in glass to prevent plastic and metal leaching, brewing in super-small 2.5 gallon batches for premium quality, and flavoring with only the highest quality ingredients possible, like raw, cold-pressed juice from organic produce. Health-Ade is always free of preservatives, artificial flavors and fake fermenting agents, and is never engineered or force-carbonated. Available at grocery stores and health food markets nationwide, Health-Ade offers eight cold-pressed flavors including Original, Ginger-Lemon, Pink Lady Apple, Pomegranate, Beet, Cayenne Cleanse, California Grape and Blood Orange-Carrot-Ginger. Their line of Super-Teas – kombucha infused with botanical superfoods–boasts flavors like Maca-Berry (blackcurrant, aronia, maca root), Sweet Thorn (hawthorn berry, mangosteen, pink rose), Power Greens (wheatgrass, spirulina, camu camu) and seasonal Holiday Cheers (ginger, cacao, allspice). This spring, Health-Ade debuts its newest flavor, Reishi-Chocolate, an immunity-boosting blend of reishi mushrooms and chocolate.

Humm hits the Target! Humm Kombucha

Big news out of little Bend, Oregon: Humm Kombucha is partnering with retailing giant Target to sell its delicious functional beverages across America! To celebrate this sea-to-shining-sea development, Humm is debuting an exclusive Target-branded flavor: Apple Berry! With a slice of apple, a pinch of pear and a blast of berries, the flavor will be a hit with Target guests who wish to wet their whistles with a taste that’s new. Target will also carry six additional popular Humm flavors. Humm was created in 2009 when two women shared a dream to brew kombucha that would expand the beverage’s appeal – extending the refreshing and functional benefits of the beverage – to a broader population. With a core message of health, love and joy, the entrepreneurs set out to improve the world one bottle of kombucha at a time. Today their dream has become a reality, and Humm is now available in over 1,500 stores from the nation’s most beloved retailer. Target has long been lauded for all it gives back to communities (more than $4 million each week!), and the company encourages healthy neighborhoods through various initiatives promoting well-being and physical and emotional health. With its focus on natural, organic and sustainable foods and beverages, Target is the perfect partner for Humm. 78 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

High Brew Coffee Creamy Cappuccino + Protein

HFACTOR Hydrogen Rich Water - The New Way To Water

High Brew Coffee

Hyedge, Inc

Our elevated cold-brew coffee combined with the power of protein! • 12g protein • 3g fiber • 2X Caffeine • Low Sugar • Low Acidity • Bold Flavor

Poised to start a hydrogen-hydration movement utilizing a chemical-free & magnesium-free process to infuse hydrogen - the super element with multiple anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidant benefits - into pure water for refreshing, functional hydration.

TRÜE SUGAR FREE GREEN TEA: Natural, Gluten Free & Diabetic Friendly Hydro One Premium Beverages With 0 calories, sugar, sodium, & carbs, TRÜE SUGAR FREE GREEN TEA contains plant sterols & cognitive enhancer agents to help individuals lower cholesterol, maintain a healthier heart (FDA Claim), boost and optimize brain function and manage weight.

ITS MORE THAN JUST WATER IDRINK BEVERAGES iDrink Multivitamin Water is the next stage in the evolution of water. It is hydration plus nutrition. iDrink is more than just water, it’s a Ph9.0+ water, with a delivery system that helps hydrate and replace nutrients at a faster pace.

COLD BREW.

PROTEIN. HOLD THE FOAM.

12 1 2 g PROTEIN 3 g FIBER

OUR NEWEST ADDITION TO THE FAMILY WWW.HIGHBREWCOFFEE.COM | 844.COLD.BRU | INFO@HIGHBREWCOFFEE.COM

INVO Coco-Collisions: Putting the CocoNUT in Nutrition

TEAS’ TEA Organic

INVO Coconut Water

ITO EN (North America) INC.

INVO’s line of Coco-Collisions brings two popular beverages together: premium coconut water and premium juice. We combine our coconut water with HPP juices from the best ingredients to create a set of purposeful, tasty drinks. Each Coco-Collision has a hydrating coconut water base that pairs perfectly with a variety of fruits & veggies, making it easy to drink a rainbow of nutrition on the go!

TEAS’ TEA Organic is a line of refreshingly delicious teas, brewed with simple, organic ingredients and bottled to yield a distinct clarity that draws out the natural taste of the tea leaf. Clean and vibrant, TEAS’ TEA Organic strives to create only the purest tea with a pristine, crisp finish. A light and invigorating alternative to sugary juices and soft drinks. TEAS’’ TEA Organic embodies the tradition of ancient tea making and meticulous brewing methods to craft its organic unsweetened and slightly sweet teas that enlighten the body and soul. Vegan, gluten-free, and free from artificial preservatives.

This new lineup captures the lively spirit of coconut water and vibrant flavors of each ingredient, creating a collision of flavors that brings two premium categories together. How do we do it? By protecting authentic taste and purity with Cold Pressure…we call that Cold Crafting. INVO Coco-Collisions has six different blends that are available in 10oz and 16oz BPA-free bottles: Coco Greens: Sip & Revitalize Coco Watermelon Mint Probiotics: Sip & Balance Coco Roots: Sip & Uplift Coco Reset: Sip & Renew Coco Grapefruit & Greens: Sip & Invigorate Coco C-Boost: Sip & Fortify Matcha LOVE®

Java Kick – Join the Coffee (R)evolution

ITO EN (North America) INC.

Java Kick LLC

Taking a modern take on an ancient ritual, Matcha LOVE® celebrates the authentic taste and restorative powers of Japan’s famed green tea powder-matcha. Brewed with premium green tea, Matcha LOVE® offers the vitality of consuming the entire tea leaf with a natural energy boost and fresh umami taste. Authentically brewed with 100% pure matcha and whole leaf green tea, Matcha LOVE ® is available in Organic Non-GMO unsweetened flavors with 350 mg of Catechin Tea Antioxidants and Vitamin C. With Traditional, Ginger and Vanilla flavors in BPA Free recyclable bottles and convenient no fuss cans, the innovative Matcha LOVE® leads the trend in all things Matcha. The award-winning line is not only healthy and delicious, but offers a pure Matcha experience without the traditional preparation of this revered green tea powder. Ceremonial and culinary matcha powder is also available for wholesale food service.

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Push for better with Karma!

Kona Deep – Natural Electrolyte Water Sourced from the Deep Ocean

Karma Culture

Kona Deep

Karma Wellness Water delivers 110% of essential vitamins, while Karma Probiotics provides a shelf-stable probiotic (no refrigeration necessary), which survives 10x more effectively than yogurt. PUSH for better nutrition with the patented KarmaCap!

Kona Deep is an all-natural electrolyte water sourced from the deep ocean waters of Kona, Hawaii. Our water comes from 3000 feet beneath the ocean surface where cold, pressure and darkness combine to create an exceptionally pure and hydrating water.

KeVita Master Brew Kombucha Energizing to the Core

Lean Body Ready to Drink Protein Shake Labrada Nutrition

Time to get real about your sports drink, Get KRa

KeVita Master Brew Kombucha

KRa Drinks for Athletes, Inc.

Live Probiotics 2,000mg of Organic Acids - Verified Non-Alcoholic

KRa is real, good hydration. KRa hydrates with USDA certified organic ingredients & electrolytes to help you Keep Rising Above in any game. 16 oz KRa is available in 4 real fruit flavors: Fruit Punch, Berry, Lemon & Orange. Organic, Kosher, GF.

Innovative proprietary blend of nutraceuticals to support brain health Kolé Life Foods LLC

Clean and refreshing nutritional products for your LIFE LIFEAID Beverage Company, LLC Every LIFEAID product is formulated with a proprietary blend of supplements designed to nourish your active body & mind. Each is low in calories & never includes any artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. SUPPLEMENT YOUR LIFESTYLE™

Long Island Iced Tea Don't worry, the cashier won't ask for your I.D - this isn't that kind of drink. A blend of authentic tea leaves & natural flavors, lightly sweetened with Raw Cane Sugar. It's a good thing there is no such thing as 'one too many'! 10 flavors, Non-GMO Eternal Energy - Premium Energy Shot

ALO JUICE LONG ISLAND BRAND BEVERAGES

Kolé proprietary blends contain a complex mixture of multiple nutraceuticals delivered at the right relative concentration and amount to enter the brain and enhance certain desired functional states

The Original Long Island Iced Tea® 100% Cane Sugar & Non-GMO

Functional aloe Vera drink packed with vitamins, enzymes, minerals, amino acids and 100% cane sugar. Comes from the best harvests & uses the whole leaf Aloe process, a unique process that maintains many of the beneficial nutrients.

LXR Biotech, LLC Wake Up, Feel Great, Live Healthy. The ingredients in Eternal Energy shots are proven to provide you with balanced energy, increased focus and athletic endurance. Available flavors: Berry, Grape, Tropical Punch, Pomegranate and Lime.

10 Energy - The shot that works as long as you do.

Mixwell - Premium sodas made for mixing - crafted in Los Angeles.

LXR Biotech, LLC

Mixwell Beverage LLC

10 Energy is a revolutionary shot that utilizes controlled-release technology to pair caffeine with the calming benefits of green tea extract for up to 10 hours of jitter-free energy and focus.

Mixwell is a line of premium sodas, made by master mixologist Billy Ray. The line features Mojave Grapefruit Soda, Young Ginger Ale and Dandelion Tonic Water. All inspired and crafted in Los Angeles, to be the best wingman to artesian spirits.

NatureWise Whole Body Vitality Drinks NatureWise

MATI Energy. Healthy, Craft Brewed Energy Drink – Now in 6 Flavors MATI Energy

National Recognition: MATI Energy has been recognized by national media as a disruptive player in the energy category. From Forbes to Inc and ABC World News Tonight, our “college dorm to national retail” story has captivated the beverage industry. Craft Brewed: The secret is in our brewery. MATI is the first craft, small batch energy drink. We brew it in our own facility using only simple, healthy ingredients. Just brewed guayusa and fruit juice. No sugar added, no synthetic caffeine, and no artificial flavors.

neuro Drinks: True Function. Truly Incremental neuro Brands

Healthy Energy: It starts by using the best ingredients and a mission to provide high-functioning, no-crash energy. MATI’s energy is powered by naturally occurring caffeine, antioxidants, and theobromine from the guayusa plant. The proprietary brewing process provides more caffeine than a cup of coffee, more antioxidants than green tea, and a clean, refreshing taste. Expand Your Customer Base: Your customers are seeking a great tasting healthy alternative to mainstream energy drinks and your stores need incremental sales. MATI Energy is bringing in new customers and expanding consumption of energy drinks. For info, please email sales@matienergy.com

Hiblisscus Blends - Loaded with Wholesome Goodness - #DrinkBlissfully

Mother Beverage Drinking Vinegar Organic, Raw, Probiotic

Menax Brands LLC

Mother Beverage

Refreshing HERBAL drink of ancient health remedy & general well being. Packed with Antioxidants, Vitamins, Enzymes, Minerals & Nutrients. Help promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels - 2g sugar & 10cal per serving. Enjoy Hot or Cold.

Mother beverage is an apple cider vinegar beverage infused with organic fruits, spices,and herbs that is 5-10 cal and 0 grams of sugar per bottle. It’s rich in probiotics and organic acids that help maintain a balanced digestive and immune system.

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neuro Drinks are the revolutionary line of functional beverages with a purpose-to help with sleep, relaxation, energy, overall health and digestive health. Each neuro is backed by science, is Vegan, Gluten Free and Kosher, and offers the best ingredients to help the body and mind get what they need, at only 35 calories per bottle.

XingTea - 1st in Taste Among 250 RTD Teas at N.A. Tea Championship

New Nuun Vitamins: an electrolyte + vitamin drink for daily health

New Age Beverage Corporation

nuun & company

O2living rebrands as Living Juice and launches new Pineapple Punch

New Age Beverage Corporation

All Natural WORKOUTtea: Clinically Proven to Reduce Muscle Soreness

Protein2o - The CLEAR Choice in Liquid Protein Protein2o Inc. Protein2o is the original protein water with distribution in 15,000+ retail locations throughout North America. Each bottle contains 15g of premium whey protein isolate (30% RDA) and ZERO sugar. Grow your category with the CLEAR choice in protein!

PowerBar Clean Whey Protein Drink

Rau - Organic Superfood Drinking Chocolate

Premier Nutrition Corp.

Rau Chocolate

O2living, makers of the 100% coldpressed juice without added water or added sugar, is rebranding as Living Juice and launching a new juice this spring. Pineapple Punch is a blend of organic kale, pineapple and apple in 12 and 16 oz bottle sizes.

New Age Beverage Corporation

This clear protein beverage is a light, refreshing alternative to a traditional dairy-based protein shake. 15g Protein, 50 Calories, 0g Sugar, 2 Delicious Flavors!

Organic, Dairy-free Superfood Drinking Chocolate delivering the ultimate in functional indulgence with 6 decadent flavors: Semi-Sweet, Cold Brew Mocha, Coconut, Mint, Bold Original and NEW Salted Caramel. Nutrient-rich cacao, ready to drink!

Red Bull’s Expanded Editions Line Includes Two New Sugarfree Editions Red Bull North America

One11 Innovation WORKOUTtea helps you feel better and perform your best through a patented ingredient clinically proven to reduce muscle soreness and improve performance. With only 70 calories per bottle, WORKOUTtea is the industry's first true performance tea.

Combining bold Jamaican coffee, with the most decadent dessert flavors, One Drop treats you to moments of indulgence. Featuring our new flavors, Chocolate Strawberry, Peanut Butter Cup, Banana Split, & Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl. A Naturally Refreshing Way to Relax Introducing Mellow Mood

PATRIA is an all natural energy drink, it delivers high and sustained energy for a longer time, without jitters or crash. With over 1,500 hours of research our patent pending formula is unique to the functional energy beverages market.

O2living

Certified Organic and high in probiotics with its industry leading 9 months shelf life, Búcha Live Kombucha mainstream taste profile is preferred by more than 43% over competitors. Búcha is now expanding distribution internationally. Indulge In Timeless Flavors - One Drop Coffee

Power Supplements, LLC

Nuun Vitamins is a delicious new effervescent drink tablet that contains electrolytes & the vitamins most of us don't get enough of. 6 flavors, 2 with caffeine. SRP $6.99 for 12 tablets. Also try our original drink for exercise: nuun electrolytes.

XingTea is a natural line of ready to drink teas rated number one in taste at the North American Tea Championship. Sweetened with pure cane sugar and honey, XingTea offers 12 flavors of NON-GMO green tea. XingTea sells in all segments. Búcha Live Kombucha - Industry Leading 9 Month Shelf Life

All Natural Energy Drink, High Energy, No Jitters, No Crash

Pervida Immune Health Water - Do You Pervida?

New Age Beverage Corporation A natural and refreshing way to relax, Mellow Mood, created by the Marley Beverage Co., helps give you the inner calm and clarity of mind to be fully present in the moment. Created with our signature herbal relaxation blend.

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Pervida Pervida Immune Health Water Pomegranate seed oil, with patented properties for immune health insure Pervida as the go-to hydration beverage. High in antioxidants, zero calories, all natural, vitamin infused and lightly carbonated. Do you Pervida?

Red Bull expanded the successful Red Bull Editions line with Red Bull Purple Edition Sugarfree, Red Bull Lime Edition Sugarfree and Red Bull Green Edition offering the wings of Red Bull with the tastes of Açaí Berry, Limeade and Kiwi Apple, respectively. Winning over new and existing consumers since 2013, the Red Bull Editions stand for taste and choice. The line offers a delicious taste option for every palate whether new to the energy drink category, or currently enjoying Red Bull while working, studying, traveling, working out or juggling the daily demands of life. The introduction of the Red Bull Purple Edition Sugarfree and Red Bull Lime Edition Sugarfree now provide consumers with the additional choice of sugar content, especially for those looking for variety and sugar-free offerings. A resounding success last summer as the top selling new beverage item launched in 2016, the limited edition Red Bull Summer Edition Kiwi Twist returned this year as a permanent SKU - the Red Bull Green Edition. The Red Bull Green Edition offers the functionality of Red Bull with the taste of Kiwi Apple. Red Bull is available in 169 countries worldwide and 6 billion cans were consumed last year, two billion of those in the U.S. alone. An 8.4 fl. oz. Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine.

Red Jacket Stomps: Naturally Functional. Naturally Delicious.

All Natural Hydration Focusing on Muscle Recovery

Red Jacket Orchards

Reliant Hydration Inc.

For nearly 60 years, we’ve been setting the standard in cold pressed juice. With continued focus on responsible farming and sustainability, Red Jacket operates a LEED Certified facility powered by 100% GREEN energy. Red Jacket Stomps are small batch, cold pressed nectars made with estate grown and native summer fruits of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Each of the 3 varieties contains unfiltered juice from fruits with natural functionality. Blackcurrants are loaded with Vitamin C, Apricots provide Beta Carotene, and Tart Cherries are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. These “cloudy” (unfiltered) juices maintain antioxidant levels superior to clarified juice, and contain 100% fruit juice – the brand’s promise is to never add water, sugar or preservatives of any kind.

Beyond Alkalinity- Taste and Feel This Difference!

ReThink Water… Join the Unbottled Revolution

Real Water

ReThink Water

Beyond Alkalinity... • Move your body to an alkalized state by Removing acidic toxins. • An abundance of antioxidant electrons to neutralize free radicals. • Experience cellular hydration with our proprietary Electron Energized E2 Technology.

ReThink Water is a mission driven company focused against reducing the plastic waste growing in our landfills, oceans, and natural playgrounds. Fresh water is essential to our insides, we just think you can get there without destroying our outsides.

REBBL introduces 3 new Coconut-Milk Elixirs!

ROAR Organic Electolyte Infusions

REBBL

ROAR Beverages

REBBL's 3 new SKUs, Reishi Cold-Brew, Turmeric Lemon Tart, and Cold-Brew Protein, celebrate the most powerful super herbs the Plant Queendom has to offer, in delicious, creamy coconut-milk, made lovingly with ethically sourced, organic ingredients.

CLEAN HYDRATION. ORGANIC. LOW CALORIE. The new USDA organic approved electrolyte infusions line blends organic coconut water, electrolytes & b-vitamins available in Watermelon Cucumber, Mango Clementine, Strawberry Coconut and Pineapple Mint.

Revive Kombucha – New 12 oz. and 60 oz. Bottles Revive Kombucha

Revive Kombucha is a culture-driven, employee-owned craft brewery based in Sonoma County, California. They make their mind-blowing kombucha, using the highest quality, certified organic, non-gmo, fair-trade and kosher ingredients. Revive’s innovative craft brewing techniques and unique naturally-fermented live cultures result in nine delicious, healthy brews, packed with probiotics and found in 12 oz. and 60 oz. amber glass bottles at select retailers nationwide. Since its origin, Revive has ‘walked the talk’ as a sustainable business leader. From their award-winning Bottle Exchange program, to their recyclable paper labels, to the water reclamation and conservation built into their brew process, Revive works as hard to take care of the people and world around them as they do in brewing their kombucha.

Simple, Clean, Great Tasting Energy

Shotz Natural Energy introduces Berry and Strawberry-Lemonade!

Scheckter's Organic Beverages

Shotz Natural Energy, LLC

Simple, understandable & pronounceable ingredients/80mg Clean energy - no synthetic caffeine or taurine/ GREAT TASTE - Award winning Pomegranate flavor. 8/10 people prefer Scheckter's to typical energy drinks (Gemsatwork, 840 respondents)

Shotz adds 2 new flavors to the popular lineup of Mango, Acai & Pomegranate. Derived from natural fruit juices & consisting of B-Vitamins, Vitamin C & Natural Caffeine from Tea, we provide health-conscious consumers an energy beverage alternative.

Fire Cider – Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey Tonic

28 BLACK, the better energy drink Spa Springs Mineral Water Company Ltd.

New - Shotz Energia Latino Inspired Flavors

Shire City Herbals Fire Cider is a USDACertified Organic spicy, sweet, & tangy apple cider vinegar and honey tonic. To the base of raw apple cider vinegar, we've added whole oranges, lemons, onions, ginger, horseradish, habañero pepper, garlic, turmeric, and honey.

Shotz Natural Energy, LLC Shotz Energia is a functional energy shot developed for the "on the go" Latino lifestyle. Authentic flavors & bright bilingual packaging differentiates this product & creates a cultural connection with the increasingly growing Latino consumer.

When life gives you lemons: Solti’s Organic SuperAdes

ALO Drink – Making Your Body Sing, One Sip at a Time

Solti

SPI West Port, Inc

Refreshment has never been so healthy! More than just a juice company, Solti coldproduces beverages that defy conventional categories, such as our Organic SuperAdes. Each drink combines traditional lemonade with beneficial superfoods such as detoxifying activated charcoal, cleansing cayenne pepper, blood sugar regulating chlorophyll, anti-microbial grapefruit, and hydrating aloe. To make each Organic Superade, we use cold-pressed organic lemon juice, reverse osmosis water, and just 3-4 grams of grade A, unfiltered maple syrup; the ingredients combine to produce our delicious SuperAdes that nourish and alkaline your body.

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ALO Drink is the #1 brand of Ready-to-Drink aloe vera beverages in the U.S. Natural and Conventional channel. All ALO Drink varieties are made with real aloe vera – straight from the leaf, never from power. ALO Drink is Non-GMO project Verified, gluten-free, fat-free and contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. ALO has an array of various lines. The ALO Original line has ten unique flavors in 16.9 fl oz bottles, with ALO Spring being the most recent addition to the family. Select varieties from this line can also be purchased in 50.7 fl oz bottles. The ALO Pulp Free Line contains the four fan-favorite flavors of the ALO Original line with the pulp blended down for a smoother sip, all in 16.9 fl oz bottles. The ALO Light line contains three unique flavors with half the sugar and half the calories of the original line, all in 16.9 fl oz bottles. The ALO Essentials line has two unique flavors, all in 11.8 fl oz bottles. For more information, please look us up on the web at www.alodrink.com or email us at info@alodrink.com

Sneakz Organic, Yummie Veggie Nutrition!

Suja Drinking Vinegar- Strawberry Balsamic

Sneakz Orgnaic

Suja Juice

Sneakz Organic is taking vegetables from YUCK to YUM with a delicious line of milkshakes for kids that sneaks in a halfserving of vegetables into a lunchbox drink. Our drinks are free from the bad stuff. No GMOs, antibiotics or synthetic hormones!

We’ve combined Apple Cider Vinegar with vegan probiotics and sweet strawberries, tangy balsamic plus a squeeze of fresh lime to deliver the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Be good to your guts with our tasty Drinking Vinegars!

Great Tasting, Organic, & Fair Trade Certified Cactus Water from Steaz

Sunshine: A Pick-Me-Up of Good Energy

Steaz Steaz Cactus Water, the only organic blend of prickly pear fruit and green tea, is a hydrating beverage. It contains antioxidants, helps reduce inflammation, and is available in 3 delicious flavors: original, cucumber, and starfruit.

B4 - What To Drink B4 You Drink Sunshine Supplements LLC Introducing B4 – a non-caffeinated, lightly carbonated beverage that helps shield your body against the aftereffects of drinking. A can of B4 before your first drink can keep you from mourning your morning. Cheers! Sparkling Ice - Be Fun. Be Fresh. Be Flavorful.

Sunshine Beverages, LLC

Talking Rain Beverage Company

Sunshine is a pick-meup drink of good energy with good ingredients like electrolytes, vitamins, natural flavors & organic caffeine; no extra sugar or high fructose corn syrup. It comes in 3 flavors: Ginger Berry, Clementine Twist, Blueberry Lemonade

Sparkling Ice beverages combine sparkling water, natural flavors, fruit juice and vitamins to offer great tasting, lightly carbonated beverages. Sparkling Ice offers a bold-flavored, lightlycarbonated beverage that appeals to all age groups.

Drink Tartly - A delicious ready-to-drink sparkling fruit shrub! Tart Beverages, Inc. Tartly brings all natural, ready-todrink sparkling fruit shrubs to market! Deliciously refreshing with a sophisticated sweet & tart flavor, Tartly truly combines taste with function adding a splash of apple cider vinegar in each bottle.

Just Chill: Zero Ginger The Chill Group Inc. " I had Just Chill Zero and went into a mass of Monday morning conference calls. For once I felt relaxed, not stressed. Just Chill works." - Entrepreneur Magazine. Featured at Nike, Google, Facebook and other trend setting corporate campuses.

Temple Turmeric NEW Raw Vinegar Drinks and Pure Prana Shots

Isopure® Zero Carb 100% Whey Protein Isolate drink. So pure it’s clear!

Temple Turmeric, Inc.

The Isopure® Company

Temple Turmeric, a leader in ready-to-drink turmeric beverages, is excited to share the expansion of our Pure Prana Shot and Raw Vinegar varietals! Inspired by our classic Pure Prana Shot, our convenient 3oz bottles are portable, functional and easy to incorporate in an active lifestyle. In addition to the Turmeric Shot, choose from the light and refreshing Red Ginger Shot or the first-to market raw vinegar Fire Shot, averaging just 4g of sugar. Designed to support inflammation management, sports recovery, injury management & muscle recovery, each shot provides unique blends for optimal wellness. Temple Turmeric is expanding our first-to-market Raw Vinegar Drinks. Available in 10oz bottles, each drink is crafted to leverage the natural power of raw vinegar to alkalize, detoxify and support digestion. Flavors include: Pure Fire Tonic, White Turmeric Detox, and Green Alkalizer. Our refreshing, everyday Raw Vinegar Drinks contain 5,500-10,000 mg of whole root turmeric and average 6g of sugar. Keeping true to our roots, all Temple Turmeric drinks contain single source, origin verified Hawaiian Oana Turmeric–4x the curcumin level of Indian yellow turmeric to support a positive response to inflammation in the body. All flavors are certified USDA Organic and verified Non GMO.

Maple Guild Organic Beverages: Maple like you’ve never had it before!

Brew Dr. Kombucha Growing Production, Expanding Distribution

The Maple Guild

Townshend’s Tea Company

The Maple Guild brings a new way to experience maple with 9 flavors of Maple-Sweetened Iced Tea and 7 flavors of Enhanced Maple Waters. Our Maple-Sweetened Iced Teas are lightly sweetened with a touch of the highest Maple Guild quality maple syrup- delivering a refreshing drink with only 45 calories per serving. We use only Organic and Fair Trade Real Brewed Tea. Our Enhanced Maple Water is concentrated organic maple sap with added antioxidents, electrolytes, b-vitamins and green tea flavonoids. Natural, organic hydration straight from our own maple trees in Island Pond, VT – but with a little something extra. All Maple Guild products are USDA certified Organic. Our goal is to make the highest quality, best tasting maple-based products, and to introduce to the world the true flavor of maple.

Meet Main Squeeze – The Next Generation of Antioxidant Beverages The Masters of Beverages, LLC

Brew Dr., the fast-growing kombucha arm of Townshend’s Tea Company, spent 2016 bringing a new 50,000 square foot brewery online. The company invested $8 million of cash and debt in the project, which began producing in May. Currently churning out 300,000 bottles every week, the facility can be further optimized to move past a million bottles in weekly output. Recently the company announced a $2 million project aimed at doing just that. All that kombucha is bound mostly for the 14 western states, where Brew Dr. is fast acquiring deeper distribution and retail activation. But there is a national play here as well. The company will continue to grow through the natural channel across the US and Canada, while seeking the right conventional and convenience relationships for the brand. In December Brew Dr. announced the addition of Marty Wall, formerly of Stumptown Coffee and the Craft Brewers’ Alliance, as Executive VP of Business Development to oversee all this growth. Brew Dr. Kombucha is committed to staying true to its roots as a tea company, using only top-quality tea and botanicals in all of its kombucha products. Fans of the brand praise its careful crafting of delicious and unique flavors like Citrus Hops, Ginger Turmeric and the recent winter seasonal, Vanilla Oak.

Life Line 3 IN 1: Stress Relief, Focus & Energy Tri-Balance Health Solutions LIFE LINE 3 IN 1™ is a 2oz. multifunctional beverage that promotes stress relief, energy and focus. LIFE LINE 3 IN 1™, with a refreshing Triple Berry Flavor, contains no caffeine, artificial colors, sweeteners or flavors.

trimino protein infused water- Not Your Ordinary Water! trimino Brands Company, LLC trimino protein infused water is simply delicious and Beats Water, Everyday! Each bottle features 7g of whey protein, only 28 calories, 0 sugars, 0 carbs and B vitamins. 4 great flavors: Coconut Pineapple, Mixed Berry, Peach & Strawberry Lemonade

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Uncle Matt's Organic Orange Turmeric with Probiotics Uncle Matt's Organic With 500 mg. of turmeric and 1 billion CFUs of probiotics per serving, you can now drink to your health! Besides giving our OJ a deep orange glow, turmeric has been used in Asia for thousands of years for its health benefits.

Amy & Brian Coconut Water - Great Taste, Everyday Price USA Nanfang Family owned and operated. Pioneers since 2001. NonGMO, never from concentrate, healthy, refreshing, shelf stable. Quality you can trust. Available in Original, with Pulp, Lime, Grape, Cinnamon. Bringing you the best taste at an affordable price.

The Original American Heritage Beverage – Revolutionizing Functionality Up Mountain Switchel

Sparkling cold-pressed juice & herbal drink. Hydration with benefits! Wellness Group, LLC

XL Energy Drink Corp

Wellness WTR is a natural on-the-go beverage that blends cold-pressed juices, sparkling coconut water, and adaptogenic herbs/vitamins. Each flavor is designed to aid the body in a specific way with the goal of promoting a homeostasis experience.

XL Energy Drink is an energizing functional beverage, lightly carbonated and without any aftertaste for times when extra energy is needed!

Shelf Stable Sparkling Prebiotic Fermented Tea Wonder Drink Kombucha Healthful organic acids and prebiotic dietary fiber for additional gut benefits. We have pasteurized our products since 1999 to ensure they are alcohol free & safe for consumption, without compromising the functional health benefits. Verday : Awarded BevIndustry "2016 Beverage Innovation of the Year"

Exotics: Bright, Crisp and Lively!

Zenify All-Natural Stress Relief Drink now Non-GMO Project Verified Zenify Zenify is an All-Natural Stress Relief Drink infused with vitamins and antioxidants proven to reduce stress without drowsiness. It is Non-GMO Verified and caffeine free. Supports healthy serotonin & dopamine levels w/ 350mg of L-theanine and GABA.

Wonder Fuel: Game Changing Energy from Coconut Oil MCTs Superdrink Wonder Fuel

Verday Chlorophyll Water

Vim Vitae Certified Organic. 12 oz PET bottle. Low Calorie, Low Sugar. Jicama High Five: jicama is high in B6 which is known to increase brain function and cognitive abilities. 4 Exotic blends available: Chia Sangria, Spicy Rita and T2 Tonic.

Verday Chlorophyll Water: Available in 5 refreshing flavors & provides the antioxidant & detox benefits of green juice. 0 Cal, 0 Diet Sweeteners, 0 Preservatives. Our secret: Chlorophyll. Each bottle is packed 100mg; more than 2 shots of wheatgrass Limeades: Organic, hydrating, refreshing available in 5 tasty blends

XL Energy Drink: energizing + uplifting

WANU: Nutrient Infused Water

Vim Vitae

WANU Water, Inc.

12 oz PET bottle. Low Calorie, Low Sugar. Cardamom Limeade - the warm spice cardamom adds and unexpected zing and is known to aid in digestive and circulatory health. Other limeade blends include: ginger, hibiscus flower, basil agave and acai berry

WANU is a unique nutrient infused water, with no sugar or artificial ingredients. Low calorie and packed with 12 nutrients, WANU offers 5 delicious flavors: Watermelon Raspberry, Kiwi Cucumber, Dark Cherry, Peach Passion, and Strawberry Serrano Lime.

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For centuries, Eastern cultures and Ayurvedic medicine have prized coconut oil as an elixir of life, known to maintain long-lasting energy. Inspired by ancient wisdom, Wonder Fuel brings you 7 grams of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) in every bottle from the purest Organic Coconut Oil that offers game-changing energy as due to their medium chain, MCTs by-pass the digestive system so rather than being stored as fat they are converted by the liver into Ketones. Ketones are unique because they mimic glucose in such way that they are used as energy by our Neurons and Cells (mind and body) but with a game-changing difference: our cells and neurons don’t need insulin to use Ketones as energy where they do with glucose, therefore creating sustainable and long lasting energy on a cellular level. Wonder Fuel offers 3 delicious flavors: ORIGINAL: caffeine free with 7 grams of MCTs + a touch of vanilla and cardamom spice, COFFEE: with 7 grams of MCTs + 90 mg of caffeine from fair trade coffee and an added touch of cinnamon and MOCHA with 7 grams of MCTs + 90 mg of caffeine from fair trade coffee with rich dark chocolate added into the mix. Wonder Fuel is Organic, NON-GMO, Vegan and has ZERO added sugars!

Tea, Coffee & Specialty items

Agropur–Contract Manufacturing

Functional Beverages, Organic

Contract Manufacturing

A. Holliday & Company Inc.

Agropur Ingredients

Allen Flavors, Inc.

AZPack

For over 41 years, we've traveled the world to connect people with the finest products. At A. Holliday & Company, we source, test, and ship every product we carry. We supply bulk tea varieties (extracts & leaf), coffees (extracts), antioxidants, herbal & superfruit extracts, natural caffeine, polyphenols, EGCG, Rooibos, coconut water powder, and our newest product, oil soluble tea polyphenols.

Agropur Ingredients is a global leader supplying the food, beverage & nutritional industries with superior quality contract manufacturing services and innovative functional ingredients. Whether your objective is to streamline production processes, improve texture, increase shelf-life, enhance nutrition, boost output, balance cost, or achieve better sensory perception - we have a solution for you.

Allen Flavors provides innovative product development services and exemplary customer services ensuring your ingredients arrive safely and on time, every time. Our R&D team never stops developing new functional concepts for sports, tea, dairy, meal replacements and health and wellness beverages. Ask about our custom flavor creation team and our organic, non-GMO flavors and extracts.

AZPack is one of the fastest growing co-packers in the country. We offer tolling and turnkey solutions in cans, bottles & powders. Our team of dedicated & professional staff are focused on delivering the highest quality products to our customers. Capable of producing cold fill, hot fill & tunnel pasteurized products with onsite lab services. Visit our website to find out what we can do for you.

Flavor Manufacturer

Scientific & Regulatory

High Pressure Processing

BOTTLES, CAPS & PACKAGING

Abelei Flavors

AIBMR Life Sciences, Inc.

Avure Technologies

Berlin Packaging

As a flavor manufacturer abelei creates delicious, application-specific flavors assisting our clients in getting to market faster with flavorings that fit their product requirements. abelei specializes in creating great-tasting sweet brown, citrus fruit, soft fruit and other top-note flavors perfect for beverages, dairy, confectionery, bakery, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceutical applications.

AIBMR is a scientific & regulatory consulting firm founded in 1978. AIBMR offers consulting to the natural products industries, such as: toxicology studies; GRAS Self-determinations; FDA GRAS Notifications (for foods); FDA NDI Notifications (for dietary supplements); label reviews; claims substantiation; FDA and FTC compliance, manuscript preparation and publication, and more.

AVURE Technologies is the global leader in HPP with more than 60 years of experience and expertise in HPP science, packaging and manufacturing. AVURE specializes in HPP systems for beverage processing with the fastest and most reliable systems on the market. AVURE helps producers implement HPP from recipe development and process validations to installation, regulatory affairs, and post-install.

Berlin Packaging supplies glass, plastic, and metal containers and closures. We offer a wide array of packaging for beverage companies along with design, financing, consulting, and warehousing services. From simple plastic caps to high-end glass bottles and more – we deliver excellent value and promote real results for companies of all sizes. We exist to help companies be Greater, Faster.

Organic Functional Ingredients

Plant protein manufacturing

Applied Food Sciences, Inc.

Axiom Foods

“Solutions for creating the healthiest organic beverages imaginable.” Applied Food Sciences specializes in functional organic ingredients designed to work in beverages. By designing botanical ingredients that are highly water soluble and with a neutral flavor profile, AFS supports beverage companies to easily incorporate functional benefits with a clean formulation. Sustainability and ethical sourcing are CORE to AFS’ values and all ingredients are NON-GMO, and Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS - an FDA requirement for U.S. beverages). Our Portfolio: – “Healthy energy” – Organic caffeine and other novel extracts standardized for caffeine + antioxidants. – “Flavors without limitation” – Organic extracts that are highly water soluble and clear in solution. – “Relaxation you can feel” – Extracts from only noble kava cultivars are used to support healthy sleep and stress relief. – “Cellular Detoxification” – Help remove harmful toxins and other pollutants from the body. This complete liver health ingredient also enhances the functional benefits of other ingredients. 92 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Innovating plant protein manufacturing since 2005 & recently receiving The New Economy’s Clean Tech Food & Beverage Award, Axiom is the world’s first & largest manufacturer/distributor, starting with its signature Oryzatein® brown rice protein. Perfecting its patent-pending hexane-free processes, Axiom expanded into pea protein, including the largest authentically organic supply, sacha inchi & now hemp. With more plant proteins, milks and factories in the pipeline, this California-based company has been known for the largest commercial supplies — doubling almost year over year, the only GRAS certification, an extensive Quality & Heavy Metals Management Program, & the only third-party research showing Oryzatein rice protein is as good as whey at building muscles & aiding exercise recovery.

Deliciously Different Juice Concentrates ●

Fresh, natural taste and clean labels ●

No added sugar, color or preservatives ●

Cucumber Watermelon Pumpkin

Perfect for healthy beverage bases or extenders ● ●

Economical for sports and rehydration drinks, smoothies and functional water ﬂavors

Milne’s deliciously different juice concentrates create healthier, fresher tasting beverages for today’s naturally curious consumers.

Prosser, WA 99350 USA sales@milnefruit.com • 509.786.2611

milnefruit.com

Quality certiﬁed juice concentrates

Do more than outsource.

Plant-Based beverages

Custom Bottled Water Co-Packer

Blue Pacific Flavors, Inc.

Creekside Springs, LLC

Blue Pacific Flavors' line of plant-based whole food ingredients help simplify statements of clean label beverages that deliver nutritional benefits to natural products consumers. Our SimplyGrains™ include rice powders & whole grain oat pastes with nutritional fiber & beta glucan. Plant-based natural flavor modifiers improve perceived taste defects like acidity & bitterness in fortified beverages.

Full-line supplier of bottled water products for a variety of brands. Bottle purified, spring, flavored & enhanced products in 12 oz. to 1 Liter unit sizes in ribbed and cylinder bottles. PA & OH facilities certified SQF Level 3. Permitted in all states. Primary focus is on product quality and packaging for established and emerging brands, serving as eastern and mid-western production source.

Ideal Functional Ingredient

Flavors & Ingredients

Chemi Nutra

Doehler

Chemi Nutra makes the functional ingredient AlphaSize® Alpha-GPC. AlphaSize® A-GPC boosts both mental and physical energy while remaining tasteless and completely water soluble in any beverage. The FDA has acknowledged AlphaSize® A-GPC as GRAS.

Doehler is a global producer, marketer & provider of natural ingredients, ingredient systems & integrated solutions for the food & beverage industry. Our global sourcing network, comprehensive application expertise & vast processing capabilities deliver endless solutions. We bring ideas to life.

Real. Smart. Logistics.

Label & Packaging Specialists

Coyote Logistics

DWS PRINTING

Headquartered in Chicago, Coyote Logistics LLC, a UPS company, is a leading third-party logistics service provider in North America. Coyote provides truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, air, and ocean brokerage services, and transportation management services to more than 14,000 shippers of various sizes and industries. We believe in a "No Excuses" commitment to shippers and carriers.

Established in 1865, DWS is a 4th generation, family-owned & operated label printing and packaging design company. We are the last step in the visions of a lot of passionate people. We take an anonymous container and provide its story. Let us help tell your story through Cut & Stack, Pressure Sensitive, Shrink Sleeve, Roll Fed and Digital labels.

Specialty Hydrocolloids

Tea and Coffee Extracts

CP Kelco

Finlay Extracts & Ingredients

The CP Kelco portfolio of hydrocolloid stabilizers and texturizers is full of tools to develop tasty, indulgent, lower-, low- or no-sugar foods and beverages. Formulators around the globe look to CP Kelco to suspend botanicals in new-age energy drinks, stabilize protein in fruit smoothies, create creamy liqueurs and recover body in reduced calorie beverages, to name just a few examples.

Finlay Extracts & Ingredients USA offers customer focused market solutions using the highest quality tea and coffee ingredients to flavor products for the food, beverage, and dairy industries. Finlays is a leading supplier of coffee extracts, and also operates in all parts of the tea supply chain and brings ‘bush to cup’ tea knowledge, leaf tea procurement, product development and innovation.

BevSource

BevSource is an integrated provider of beverage development, production, sourcing, and logistics solutions to new and established beverage visionaries. Our goal is to make your beverage vision a reality more efficiently, effectively, and successfully than you ever dreamed possible. Bringing your beverage idea to life requires hundreds of interconnected data points and decisions. The right formula with the right manufacturer in the right package with the right paperwork. BevSource helps you see the big picture – from your initial vision to the finished product, and every single operational step in between. Then while we manage the daily details of developing, producing, delivering, and managing your beverage operations, you’ll have more time to build your brand, business, & customer base. We’re not just advisors that point you in the right direction and hope for the best. We are beverage industry navigators who collaborate with clients to build a custom operational strategy for your beverage, identify a unique mix of services and vendors to support it, then execute on the plan. We make it happen. Visit www.bevsource.com today to find out more!

Healthier Ingredients Bioenergy Life Science, Inc.

Creating innovative ingredients for healthier living is the mission of Bioenergy Life Science (BLS). We are developing new scientifically-based, all-natural, and pure ingredients that help people feel, perform, and look better. Our core technology lies in the development of the multi-functional molecule D-Ribose, making us best known for the only patented and FDA GRAS-certified Ribose on the market, Bioenergy Ribose®. We use that core technology and expertise to develop other clinically-proven ingredients that support digestive health, weight management, anti-aging, heart health and many other health-enhancing benefits. We sell in bulk to businesses who manufacture or formulate functional foods and beverages, dietary supplements and sports nutrition products.

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New News from

Introducing Java House Authentic Cold Brew Coffee from Heartland Food Products Group. When it comes to cold brew coffee, we are setting the small batch standard on a big scale. We pride ourselves in locally sourcing our coffee beans from a single roaster, so we know where every single bean comes from. Our authentic cold brew coffee is made in a traditional time-honored technique using only two basic ingredients: air-roasted ground coffee beans and water. We hand-brew the grounds in cold water for no less than 18 hours in small batches and keep it 100% authentic by avoiding coffee additives and derivatives. Give your customers an experience that stays true to the authentic cold brew process at a scale to match your needs. A coffee with smooth feel and rich taste, without the bitterness and acidity of hot brewed coffee. Java House Authentic Cold Brew Coffee Small batch quality on a big scale.

Available in Ready to Drink & Concentrate. For more information, please contact Chris Brown, Marketing Director - Chris.Brown@Heartlandfpg.com

Beverage Development Company

Coconut Products

Global Essence Inc. Global Essence Inc.

Flavorman

Franklin Baker, Inc.

We develop beverages. Energy drinks, teas, liqueurs, sodas, vodkas... if you can drink it, we can make it. Flavorman has the expertise and technology to make superior drinks and the outstanding service to support you every step of the way from start through finish. With over 25 years of experience we have made over 40,000 formulations and have helped hundreds of brands make it to market.

Franklin Baker, Inc. is the premier supplier of coconut ingredients to the global food & beverage market for over 120 years. We offer an extensive coconut portfolio of products including Coconut Water Single Strenght/Concentrate, Coconut Milk/ Cream, Creamed Coconut, & other products. We are USDA Organic, Fair Trade, RSB, Kosher, Non-GMO Project Verified. Bulk, Foodservice & Retail packaging.

Flavor Designers Foodarom

Ensure your products’ success with the innovative touch of Global Essence A leading supplier of premium-quality ingredients to the flavor, fragrance, consumer products, food, beverage, nutraceutical, health & wellness, functional beverage and allied industries. Convenient staff and warehouse facilities located in the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Singapore. The Global Essence team represents over 150 years of solid experience in the global Flavor and Fragrance industry. We specialize in essential oils, aroma chemicals, citrus products, absolutes, natural custom blends, NOP Organics, and other flavor and fragrance compounds. We, at Global Essence, are devoted to the cultivation and continuous care of a superior customer/supplier partnership. While forging a long-term partnership, we offer a trusted source of supply, integrity and ethical business practices, which gives you, the customer, a competitive advantage in the marketplace now and into the increasingly competitive future. Global Essence is proud to be a Certified Woman Owned Business with a AA BRC food handler rating.

We personalize flavors to meet your needs and create flavor profiles that help your products to stand out above the rest.

Flavors and Colors, Beverage

Management Consultant

Gold Coast Ingredients

Great Lakes Consulting Assoc.

Gold Coast Ingredients is a privately held and operated, wholesale flavor and color manufacturer located in Commerce, California. With us you will find Organic, Natural, Non-GMO, Allergen-Free and other flavors available as liquids, powders, powder encapsulations, emulsions and advanced extractions. Our flavors are compatible with any product requirements.

We provide beverage Industry expertise and general management support as needed for startup ventures or existing operations for beer, wine and NA beverage companies by linking what you want with how you will get there. No problem to small nor operation too big. ( please visit website).

Our experienced team knows the functional beverage market well and understands the impact your active ingredients have on taste. Our flavor development capabilities will help you stay ahead of the competition. We understand the complex issues manufacturers are facing and we offer support and coaching in formulation development. In short, we put the wow in your product!

Decorative Label Solutions

Driving Probiotic Innovation

Merchandising-Sales-Events

Decorative Label Solutions

Fort Dearborn Company

Ganeden Inc.

GOTHAM BRAND MANAGERS

Hammer Packaging

Decorative label solutions…we’ve got you covered. Fort Dearborn Company offers shrink sleeve, stretch sleeve, pressure sensitive, roll-fed and cut & stack labels in a variety of substrates, inks and finishing options to support your beverage brand building objectives. We service brands large and small. Contact us today to discuss your application.

Ganeden is at the forefront of probiotic research and product development with an extensive library of published studies and more than 120 patents for probiotic technologies in food, beverage and sports nutrition. Ganeden is best known for GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086), its patented, FDA GRAS, non-GMO, highly stable probiotic ingredient that can be added to any beverage.

Offering independent Sales, Merchandising, Refrigerated DSD, Event and In-Store Sampling for food and beverage brands in and around NYC. The ability to build brands, especially in today’s competitive environment, takes experience, contacts and hard work. Gotham succeeds by offering affordable options for our customers, leveraging our dedicated people and working hard everyday for our brands.

Hammer Packaging, established in 1912, headquartered in Rochester, NY, is a privatelyheld multi-color packaging printer with expertise in sheet-fed offset, web offset and flexography. Hammer uses leading-edge technology and ISO 9001:2008 practices to produce high-quality printed labels and package decoration for the global beverage, food, household, health & beauty, and horticulture markets.

96 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Sustainability Matters Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about making simple BETTER choices.

Expo West #8915

Advanced Beverage Formulas

Technical Beverage Development

Natural Sweetener Solutions

Natural flavor solutions

Hidell International

International Beverage Mgmt.

Layn Corp

MANE, Inc.

The company creates innovative nutritional formulations for the bottled water industry. These formulations are water neutral in that they have no color, taste or odor. They are pleasing to the palette and yet offer highly efficacious micro-nutrients for human consumption. The effort is to provide healthy hydration to bottled water consumers.

Our team supplies innovative technical beverage development and ingredients for exciting new products. We are experienced with energy drinks, teas, functional beverages, shots, flavored waters, cocktail mixers, powdered drinks - or pretty much anything you can dream up!

Layn Corp is a global leader in the vertically integrated production of premium quality natural sweeteners. Our portfolio of monk fruit and stevia extracts offers a superior taste profile and compelling value. Layn’s unique sweetener solutions are suited to a variety of beverage formats and come with full formulation support to ensure that our natural sweetener systems meet your specific needs.

MANE’s Pure Capture platform delivers natural flavor solutions for high performance, affordable natural flavors. MANE’s broad palette of natural proprietary compounds are driven by global expertise in natural vanilla and true-to-nature extractions to design the preferred market beverages.

We Power Great Packaging

Culinary Bulk Matcha

Tea, Botanicals and Extracts

ITO EN (North America) INC.

Inland

Martin Bauer Inc.

Inland works collaboratively with brand owners and industry partners to advance innovative, best-in-class solutions for beverage packaging. Products offerings include Cut & Stack, In-Mold, Pressure Sensitive, Shrink and Blow Mold Labels – along with Flexible Packaging options.

The Martin Bauer Group is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of tea & botanical extracts and raw materials for the food & beverage and nutritional supplements industries. Supplying off-the-shelf ingredients and tailor-made products for your requirements. Safe, high quality products you can trust.

Powder Product Development

Ingredients

MATCHA, the finely milled green tea powder revered for its antioxidants & natural energy boost, is a trend forward ingredient for healthy beverages, baking and cooking products. 100% Authentic Matcha from Japan. Bulk available for food service. Innovative Food Processors

Maypro Industries

Development & manufacturing of powder products that provide benefits beyond basic nutrition. Special emphasis on functional bevs, sports/ nutrition supplements & medical foods containing high value ingredients. Achieve functionality & powder uniformity, instantize, improve product dispersion or flow, arrive at precise dosing, or reduce product dusting through our agglomeration services.

Maypro Industries is one of the largest global suppliers of nutraceutical ingredients, featuring a wide portfolio of Proprietary Branded Ingredients with beverage applications including the NutrAward winning ingredient Oligonol®, a low-molecular-weight polyphenol.

Inspired Strategy & Design

Kombucha Base & Fermentation

Private Label Functional Shots

Branding & Packaging Design

Interact Boulder

Kefiplant

LXR Biotech, LLC

McLean Design

Interact Boulder specializes in branding and packaging design for passionate food and beverage companies. We help shape our progressive, innovative and forward-thinking partners with inspired, strategy-driven design. We believe in breaking bread with founders, movers and shakers to better understand their challenges so we can be a part of a beautiful solution. Follow us on Instagram!

Expert manufacturer of certified organic fermented herbs & Kombucha base intended for beverage manufacturers. Fermentation provides a synergy of phytocompounds, organic acids, probiotics & enzymes.

LXR Biotech's team has more experience with liquid supplements than any other team in the U.S. Drive margins higher with quality, innovative, low-cost, turn key solutions. Stock and proprietary formulations available. Stock and custom bottles, closures and displays available. SQF Certified

McLean Design has been creating winning beverage packaging and brand strategies for over twenty-five years. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, we specialize in brand strategy, naming, packaging design, and structure design.

98 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

MetaBrand Consulting Firm

Functional & Nutritional

NOT YOUR TYPICAL LABEL COMPANY Overnight Labels, Inc.

METABRAND

Morre-Tec Industries, Inc.

MetaBrand is a world class team of experts to help you create, launch, or grow your food, beverage, or supplement. We do strategic planning, market analysis, branding and design, product formulation and development, outsourced operations, and sales and marketing execution.

MORRE-TEC Ind. has initiated its Business Unit focusing on the Functional & Nutritional Ingredient Group(FUNU). This Business Unit recently acquired Vitacyclix, an innovative supplier of Water Soluble Liquid and Powdered Vitamins. We can now offer minerals, water soluble vitamins and vitamins, fruit and citrus pectin, fibers-proteins, Phytosterols, nutritive oils and fortification blends.

Unique Labeling Options

Package/Bottling/ Canning

Monvera Glass Décor

Palmer Canning Systems

Your label has a powerful influence on buying behavior. Monvera provides unique bottle decoration options. We specialize in screen printed labels on glass, with both ceramic and uv ink options available. Whether you want to refresh a current brand or launch a new one, screen printed labels will make your bottle stand out. It's your alternative to paper labels.

Palmer Canning provides 50-300 CPM rotary counter pressure filling systems that provide accurate fill volumes, low oxygen, greater operating latitude, and low spoilage. Our 12- to 36-head filling valve systems provide good fill accuracy volume with low spillage and controlled foaming.

Since 1987, we’ve had to grow up – servicing more industries and markets than ever before! We are a full service flexible packaging printing company, not just a label printer. We now provide a multi-tiered approach to your packaging needs – from prototypes and pre-production samples, to digital printing for smaller volumes, to full production runs. And not just labels! Shrink sleeves, flexible films for bags, pouches, stick packs and sample packets, IRC coupons, peel-back labels, and more. Our technologies have grown to include embossing, rotary silkscreen, seamless cylinders, tactile, and other specialty varnishes, cold foil application, and digital printing. Servicing so many markets has taught us to be quick on our feet. We understand both the demands of your particular market along with the importance of time-sensitive opportunities. We are familiar with virtually all phases of production and product co-packing. Overnight Labels is proud to be a BLUE LEVEL Graphic Measures International (GMI) / Walgreens certified printer, a Disney certified printer, as well as a certified Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) printer. We provide every customer with the highest quality standards in flexographic printing.

LEADING WEST COAST CO-PACKER

Ingredient & CPG Manufacturing

NOR-CAL BEVERAGE COMPANY, INC.

PHARMACHEM LABS

Nor-Cal Beverage Company, Inc. is a full-service Contract Manufacturer with two strategically located production facilities in the state of California. Both of our locations offer a variety of production capabilities as well as possess GFSI, GMP, Kosher, & Organic certifications. We also offer finished good warehouse and distribution service centers that are positioned to supply your West Coast fulfillment needs. Nor-Cal Beverage has been family owned and operated since 1937 and proud to be a Certified Women’s Owned Business.

PHARMACHEM facilities in NJ & UT provide unparalleled specialty ingredient, flavor, sweetener & CPG manufacturing.

Anaheim Facility Offers the Following: Krones 100 valve volumetric filler can line (12oz – 24oz) Tunnel Pasteurized Still and Carbonated • Cold Fill Carbonated Hot Fill Still (HTST) • 8.4oz Filling Capabilities TBA! Two Hot Fill Single Serve PET Bottle Lines (12oz – 32oz) Hot Fill Multi-Serve PET Bottle Line (64oz -128oz) • Chilled Gable Top Line (59oz-64oz) 2 ESL 59/64oz Fillers • Chilled HDPE & PET Bottle Line (59oz-128oz) Transportation/Shuttling Svcs w/ Drop-Trailer Capabilities Certified DOT Public Truck Scales • Warehouse Storage West Sacramento Facility Offers the Following: Cold Fill Carbonated Can Line (12oz – 16oz) • Hot Fill Can Line (12oz – 16oz) Hot Fill Can Line (24oz) Dedicated • Hot Fill Single Serve PET & Glass Bottle Line (12oz - 32oz) TetraPak Aseptic Lines • Warehouse Storage Offline Repack Services • Transportation/Shuttling Svcs 100 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

PHARMACHEM specializes in helping challenging ingredients work in RTD beverages, drink mixes, tea bags, K-Cups and other specialty applications. PHARMACHEM can convert most RTD beverages into powder drink mixes & copack into a variety of single-serve & multi-serve formats. PHARMACHEM is a family of companies providing ingredient, product & process solutions with expertise in powder delivery since 1978. Certified Organic since 2002. NSF since 2004. NSF for Sport® since 2016. We make ingredients work™. GREGORY DREW, 201-719-7405, gdrew@pharmachemlabs.com

Creative Packaging Solutions

Our drinks on every table

Clean-label sweeteners

Innovative Packaging Solutions

ProAmpac

Refresco US Inc.

Steviva Ingredients

TricorBraun

ProAmpac has a strategic geographic footprint and enhanced product offerings unparalleled in the industry. ProAmpac is a global flexible packaging company whose capabilities include adhesive and extrusion lamination, pouching, bag converting and a broad range of flexographic, rotogravure and offset writing solutions for the food, pet food, medical, security, industrial and retail markets.

As one of the world's largest private label and contract bottlers, the drinks we produce for our customers do not carry our name, but we take pride in the bottling and packaging solutions we provide and take full responsibility for the quality of what we deliver. This vision encompasses our existing soft drinks and fruit juices proposition in North American and Europe and someday, beyond.

Steviva Ingredients, Inc. is a global ingredient supplier with a focus on all-natural highintensity sweeteners and custom sweetening solutions for manufacturers. Steviva Ingredients sweeteners and bulk ingredients are all-natural, GMO-free, soy-free and allergen-free.

TricorBraun, one of largest suppliers of glass and plastic containers, closures from over 40 locations in NA, Europe & Asia. With award-winning packages in all areas of the beverage industry, TricorBraun can assist from the smallest microbrewery to the largest distilleries. The Design & Engineering center provides forward-thinking service based on consumer insight and creative solutions.

Beverage & Food Development

Co-Packer

Fruit & Vegetable Ingredients

Used Beverage Equipment

PTM Food Consulting

Southeast Bottling & Beverage

Stiebs

United Food and Beverage, LLC

PTM Food Consulting is your premier product development & manufacturing support firm. Our wide range of expertise, development and creativity achieves an exciting point of difference between your product and competitors. We work hard to uncover key industry insights, developing products that have a competitive edge. Whether your project is simple or a complex one, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re your team!

Southeast Bottling and Beverage is a tolling/ turnkey manufacturer of ready to drink beverages and dietary supplements. Our 3 lines handle 2oz to 1 liter hot fill or flash pasteurization ambient fill process. Our 76,000sf facility is cGMP certified. Additional certifications include SQF level III, Kosher, Organic & Halal. Trial programs available. Call us for more information.

Stiebs, formed in 2005, is devoted to sourcing, processing & delivering the world's finest plantbased products. We offer a full line of fruit & vegetable based ingredients as single strength juice, juice concentrate, purees, extracts & powders. From the beginning stages of product development to delivering an on-going supply of premium natural products, our team is here to help you succeed.

With over 18 years of specific focus on Food and Beverage manufacturing plants, we offer quality late model used equipment for your projects. Our specialty is bottling, packaging and processing equipment, tanks, conveyors. Our 80,000 square foot warehouse is located in Hickory, North Carolina to serve your needs. We encourage you to bookmark and browse our website.

Organic Sugar Reduction

Synergy - Inspiring Taste

Pyure Brands LLC

Synergy Flavors Synergy Flavors is a leading manufacturer and supplier of flavorings, extracts, and essences. We have extensive experience across the food, beverage and nutrition industries, developing high quality taste solutions which inspire innovation and can help you stay one step ahead of the competition.

Non GMO Ingredient Solutions

Top Health Ingredients Vegan, Non GMO, Gluten Free Ingredients including soluble plant based proteins, soluble fibers, and natural, low calorie sweeteners. Organic Pea, Rice, Fava and Soy proteins, and our signature soluble fiber, AdvantaFiber 90 IMO- great in beverages to add fiber, while lowering sugars and calories. No animal products, all ingredients certified at source as non GMO. Many NGPV certified.

102 BEVNET MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MARCH/APRIL 2017

• Where Food Brands Grow & Innovate • Meet Industry Experts, Investors & Consultants

LEARN MORE projectnosh.com/events

COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION COMPANY 4 Purpose Energy

CONTACT NAME

CITY

STATE

PHONE NUMBER

WEB SITE

Sam Ronkin

Canton

(617) 538-4004

4PurposeEnergy.com

A. Holliday & Company Inc.

Christine Renken

Toronto

(416) 225-2217

teacoff.com

Abelei Flavors

Shelley Henderson

North Aurora

(630) 859-1410

abelei.com

Agropur Ingredients

Carla Fabian

La Crosse

(800) 359-2345

agropuringredients.com

AIBMR Life Sciences, Inc.

John R Endres

Seattle

(253) 286-2888

aibmr.com

Allen Flavors, Inc. Aloe Gloe Applied Food Sciences, Inc.

John Wilson

Edison

(908) 561-5995

allenflavors.com

–

Los Angeles

(888) 968-2563

aloegloe.com

Jackson Zapp

Austin

(512) 732-8300

appliedfoods.com

AQUAhydrate

Evan Cunningham

Los Angeles

(718) 412-9458

aquahydrate.com

ARYA Curcumin+

micah bingeman

Irvine

(951) 768-7687

aryaforlife.com

Avitae USA, LLC

Joe Gisondi

Cleveland

(888) 228-4823

goavitae.com

Tom Woodward

Erlanger

–

Axiom Foods

David Janow

Los Angeles

(800) 711-3587

axiomfoods.com

Ayurvedix Inc

Dev Chakrabarty

Hemet

(951) 491-9586

drinkturveda.com

Avure Technologies

avure-hpp-foods.com

AZPack

–

Tempe

(480) 449-7770

azpack.com

BAWLS Guarana

–

Twinsburg

–

bawls.com

Be Well Nutrition, Inc.

–

drinkiconic.com

Monika Puzelyte

Chicago

–

BerlinPackaging.com

Michael Opperman

St Paul

(866) 956-4608

bevsource.com

Berlin Packaging BevSource Bioenergy Life Science, Inc.

Penny Portner

Ham Lake

(763) 746-3926

bioenergylifescience.com

Blue Pacific Flavors, Inc.

Donald Wilkes

City of Industry

(626) 934-0099

bluepacificflavors.com

BluePrint Organic Bragg Live Food Products BrainGear Buddha Teas BULLETPROOF 360 Celsius Holdings, Inc. Chemi Nutra

–

(866) 774-6831

blueprint.com

Michael Launer

Santa Barbara

(805) 453-2844

bragg.com

–

San Francisco

(866) 902-4110

braingear.me

Ted Turczyn

Carlsbad

(800) 642-3754

buddhateas.com

Michael Campi

Seattle

(213) 973-8019

bulletproof.com

Nicole Cheifetz

Boca Raton

(561) 276-2239

celsius.com

Chase Hagerman

Austin

(866) 907-0400

cheminutra.com

Chobani

Al Dejewski

New York

(201) 805-0091

chobani.com

Ciara's Kombucha

Ruth Patras

Toms River

(732) 778-6550

ciaraskombucha.com

COCO5

Scott Sandler

Chicago

(312) 243-1115

COCO5.com

Callan McCollister

Vista

(760) 842-5522

coffeeblenders.com

–

El Segundo

–

core-hydration.com

Coyote Logistics

Brooke Kotz

Chicago

–

coyote.com

CP Kelco

John Gilbert

Atlanta

(678) 247-7300

cpkelco.com

Coffee Blenders CORE

Dave Carlson

Ambridge

(724) 266-9000

creeksidesprings.com

Dark Dog Organic

Creekside Springs, LLC

Madeline Maldonado

Miami Beach

(786) 245-9859

darkdog-organic.com

DD Beverage Co.

Andrew Drayson

Bellingham

(604) 999-3050

ddbevco.com

Keetae Kim

Brooklyn

(888) 887-4318

detoxwater.com

DIABOLO Beverage Co., LLC

Jon Pevehouse

Sherman Oaks

(714) 702-4967

drinkdiabolo.com

Doehler

Maria Whitsett

Cartersville

(770) 387-0451

doehler.com

Andy Staib

Deer Park

(631) 667-6666

dwsprinting.com

EnerBee

Zach Grossman

Miami

(305) 801-4618

Essentia

–

detoxwater

DWS PRINTING

104 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

EnerBee.com essentiawater.com

The Leading Conference Series for the U.S. Beverage Industry

LEARN MORE & REGISTER: bevnet.com/events

COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION COMPANY

CONTACT NAME

CITY

STATE

PHONE NUMBER

WEB SITE

evian

–

New York

–

EVIVA

Elaine Morrison

Los Angeles

(310) 433-1575

drinkeviva.com

Christina Larigan

Seattle

(206) 318-7609

evolutionfresh.com

–

Watsonville

(831) 466-0499

farmhouseculture.com

Michelle

Burlingame

–

firstaidshottherapy.com

Evolution Fresh Farmhouse Culture FAST (First Aid Shot Therapy)

facebook.com/evian.unitedstates

Feel Good

Alissa Daglezt

Ramsey

(201) 962-9241

drinkfeelgood.com

FIJI Water

–

Los Angeles

(888) 426-3454

fijiwater.com

Finlay Extracts & Ingredients FitPro

Jamie Bechard

Lincoln

(401) 333-3300

–

Fairfield

–

Teamfitpro.com

finlays.net

Flavorman

Sara Bowman

Louisville

(502) 266-7377

flavorman.com

Flow water

Dan Ashby

Los Angeles

(949) 282-3449

flowwater.com

Foodarom

Phillip Kraemer

San Diego

(541) 213-7005

foodarom.com

Fort Dearborn Company FORTO Franklin Baker, Inc.

–

Elk Grove

(847) 357-9500

fortdearborn.com

Kyle Pollack

New York

(216) 702-8839

FortoCoffee.com

John Slade

Memphis

(901) 881-6681

franklinbaker.com

FreshForward Beverages

Romano Palenzona

Miami

(305) 607-9090

sparklingbitters.com

G2K Imports LLC - Texas/U.S.A

Stefanos Giannaris

The Woodlands

(713) 478-7488

g2kimports.com

–

Cleveland

(440) 229-5200

GanedenProbiotics.com

Zeyad Moussa

Huntington Beach

(888) 410-1487

gingershots.com

Global Essence Inc.

–

Hamilton

(732) 677-1100

globalessence.com

GO FAST

–

Denver

(303) 893-1222

gofastsports.com

Ganeden Inc. Ginger Shots, Inc.

Go Time Energy, LLC

Kirk Hardwick

Dallas

(972) 661-5133

gotimeenergyshot.com

–

Commerce

(323) 724-8935

goldcoastinc.com

GOTHAM BRAND MANAGERS

Trent Moffat

New York City

(877) 931-3030

gothambrands.com

Great Lakes Consulting Assoc.

Stephen Cook

Strongsville

(440) 725-3157

beverageguru.com

Kia Illulian

Los Angeles

(323) 653-8500

drinkh2rose.com

Charlene McNeil

Rochester

(585) 424-3880

hammerpackaging.com

–

San Francisco

(347) 467-0733

HarmlessHarvest.com

Gold Coast Ingredients

H2rOse, LLC Hammer Packaging Harmless Harvest Harvest Soul Organic Juice Health-Ade Kombucha Hidell International

Rani Quirk

Marietta

(770) 355-2048

harvestsoul.com

Vanessa Dew

Los Angeles

(844) 337-6368

health-ade.com

Henry "Bob" Hidell

Hingham

(781) 749-8040

hidellinternational.com

High Brew Coffee

–

Austin

(844) 265-3278

highbrewcoffee.com

Humm Kombucha

Rene Mitchell

Bend

(541) 306-6329

humm.com

Sammy Nasrollahi

Greenwood

(888) 738-9287

hydroonebeverages.com

Steve Torres

Bryn Mawr

(347) 416-0776

h-factor.com

Mariah Fineman

Las Vegas

(877) 468-1144

idrinkbeverages.com

Charlotte

Los Angeles

(206) 383-8797

impactph10.com

Inland

Kevan Kent

La Crosse

(608) 788-5800

Innovative Food Processors

Amanda Fox

Faribault

–

Interact Boulder

Blake Mitchell

Boulder

(310) 926-5163

interactonshelf.com

International Beverage Mgmt.

Dianne Hustus

Monroe

(203) 880-9370

internationalbeveragemanagement.com

–

San Francisco

–

Hydro One Premium Beverages Hyedge, Inc IDRINK Beverages IMPACT Aklaline Water Inc.

INVO Coconut Water

buyinland.inlandpackaging.com/bevnet ifpinc.biz

invofresh.com

ITO EN (North America) Inc.

Adam Hertel

Brooklyn

(718) 250-4000

itoen.com

Java Kick LLC

Warren Vogel

Marlboro

(732) 859-7954

javakick.com

106 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

STRATEGIZE. NETWORK. EXCHANGE IDEAS. LEARN MORE: brewbound.com/events

COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION COMPANY

CONTACT NAME

Karma Culture

Shanna Baccari

Pittsford

–

Houle

Drummondville

(819) 477-2345

Kefiplant

CITY

STATE

PHONE NUMBER

WEB SITE drinkkarma.com kefiplant.com

KeVita Master Brew Kombucha

Sales at KeVita

–

Kolé Life Foods LLC

Bernard Rubin

Baltimore

(704) 450-2413

koletonics.com

Kona Deep

Barney Acselrod

Kailua-Kona

(808) 327-1400

konadeep.com

KRa Drinks for Athletes, Inc.

kevita.com

Annie Hesser

Washington DC/Chicago

(312) 725-6931

drinkkra.com

Labrada Nutrition

Keith Lessmann

Houston

(281) 774-1349

labrada.com

Layn Corp

Shaun Richmond

Newport Beach

(949) 577-2850

layncorp.com

LIFEAID Beverage Company, LLC

Jordan Shulman

Santa Cruz

(831) 419-5288

lifeaidbevco.com

Long Island Brand Beverages

Julio X. Ponce

Hicksville

–

Long Island Iced Tea

Philip Thomas

Hicksville

(855) 542-2832

longislandicedtea.com

LXR Biotech, LLC

Steve Ehrman

Auburn Hills

(248) 860-4246

eternalenergyshot.com

LXR Biotech, LLC

Steve Ehrman

Auburn Hills

(248) 860-4246

lxrbiotech.com

–

Lebanon

(513) 248-9876

mane.com

Sarah Hetrick

Secaucus

(201) 659-3100

martin-bauer-group.us

Talal Asad

Durham

(919) 428-6442

matienergy.com

MANE, Inc. Martin Bauer Inc. MATI Energy

alojuice.com

Maypro Industries

Jocelyn Leon

Purchase

(914) 251-0701

maypro.com

McLean Design

Rifle Hughes

Walnut Creek

(925) 944-9500

mclean-design.com

Chioma Menakaya-Adigwe

Jessup

(410) 870-8818

hiblisscusblends.com

Menax Brands LLC METABRAND

Debbie Wildrick

Edison

(888) 611-5573

metabrandcorp.com

Mixwell Beverage LLC

Jens Stoelken

Santa Monica

(646) 896-4081

pleasemixwell.com

Monvera Glass Décor

Caitriona Anderson

Richmond

(510) 444-9463

monvera.com

Michael Glass

Union

(908) 688-9009

morretec.com

Morre-Tec Industries, Inc. Mother Beverage

Allison Ellsworth

Dallas

(940) 867-3240

motherbeverage.com

NatureWise

Bob Sipper

Ramsey

(201) 962-8622

naturewise.com

neuro Brands

Zach Hotle

Los Angeles

(855) 696-3876

drinkneuro.com

New Age Beverage Corporation

Tom Lebon

Denver

(303) 289-8655

newagebev.us

NOR-CAL Beverage Company

Jeff Coulter

West Sacramento

(916) 372-0600

ncbev.com

nuun & company

Paige Wilson

Seattle

(206) 812-4277

nuunlife.com

O2living

Sandra Lee

Cross River

(914) 763-6320

o2living.com

One11 Innovation

Mark Davis

Kearney

(888) 533-5141

getworkouttea.com

–

Deer Park

(800) 472-5753

overnightlabels.com

Mike Palmer

Chicago

(773) 394-4913

palmercanning.com

Pervida

Debbie Custer

Blacksburg

–

PHARMACHEM Labs

Gregory Drew

Kearny

(201) 719-7405

pharmachemlabs.com

Overnight Labels, Inc. Palmer Canning Systems

pervida.net

Power Supplements, LLC

Guillermo Amtmann

Houston

(713) 266-0021

patriaenergy.com

Premier Nutrition Corp.

Lee Partin

Emeryville

(800) 587-6937

powerbar.com

ProAmpac Protein2o Inc. PTM Food Consulting

–

Cincinnati

(513) 671-1777

proampac.com

Robert Kral

Des Plaines

(855) 290-7820

drinkprotein2o.com

Don Rodgers

Point Pleasant

(888) 736-6339

ptmfood.com

Pyure Brands LLC

Philip Coggins

Naples

(305) 505-5096

PyureSweet.com

Rau Chocolate

Brian Watrous

San Diego

–

Anthony Randolph

Las Vegas

(702) 591-6076

DrinkRealWater.com

–

Berkeley

(855) 732-2500

rebbl.co

Red Bull North America

Erin Mand

Santa Monica

(310) 713-9184

energydrink-us.redbull.com

Red Jacket Orchards

Kelli Foster

GENEVA

(315) 787-0117

redjacketorchards.com

Real Water REBBL

108 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

drinkrau.com

COMPANY

CONTACT NAME

CITY

Refresco US Inc.

Michael Guidry

Reliant Hydration Inc.

Steven Pecoraro

ReThink Water

STATE

PHONE NUMBER

WEB SITE

Wharton

(918) 478-7126

refresco.com

Tacoma

(877) 922-2601

recoverywater.com

Todd Fletcher

Ellicott City

–

drinkrethinkwater.com

Revive Kombucha

–

(707) 536-1193

revivekombucha.com

ROAR Beverages

JB Woodworth

New York

(631) 683-5565

roarorganic.nyc

Mark Cook

Stroudsburg

(570) 234-0094

schecktersorganic.com

–

Pittsfield

(413) 213-6700

firecider.com

Scheckter's Organic Beverages Shire City Herbals Shotz Natural Energy, LLC

Kirk Hardwick

Dallas

(972) 661-5133

shotznatural.com

Sneakz Orgnaic

Reese Costa

Jupiter

(561) 529-3089

Sneakz.com

Solti

Rebecca Jones

Los Angeles

(229) 224-9245

solti.com

Southeast Bottling & Beverage

Alisa Cessna

Dade City

(352) 567-2200

southeast-bottling.com

Dave Ring

Middleton

(902) 402-6910

spa-springs.com

SPI West Port, Inc

Drew Pawlan

South San Francisco

(650) 616-7777

alodrink.com

Steaz

Ashley Benson

Doylestown

(215) 321-8330

steaz.com

Steviva Ingredients

Thom King

Portland

(310) 455-9876

stevivaingredients.com

Stiebs

Brian Nova

Madera

(559) 661-0031

stiebs.com

Suja Juice

Bella Tumini

San Diego

–

Keith Vest

Winston Salem

(336) 918-2933

drinkthesunshine.com

John Mansour

Orlando

(407) 489-3701

DrinkB4.com

Synergy Flavors

Joe Boehrer

Wauconda

(847) 487-1011

synergytaste.com

Talking Rain Beverage Company

Chris Hall

Preston

(425) 222-4900

sparklingice.com

Tart Beverages, Inc.

Diana Wang

San Ramon

(415) 299-2146

Temple Turmeric, Inc.

–

NYC

–

The Chill Group Inc.

Mitchell Raisch

Los Angeles

(855) 552-4455

drinkjustchill.com

Cindy Blum

Downers Grove

(630) 256-7633

theisopurecompany.com

John Campbell

Island Pond

(860) 705-5816

mapleguild.com

Pete Algarin

Redwood City

(951) 310-6066

drinkmainsqueeze.com

Debbra Demarco

Edmonton

(780) 439-1425

tophealthingredients.com

Spa Springs Mineral Water Company Ltd.

Sunshine Beverages, LLC Sunshine Supplements LLC

The Isopure Company The Maple Guild The Masters of Beverages, LLC Top Health Ingredients Townshend's Tea Company

sujajuice.com

tartly.co templeturmeric.com

–

Portland

–

Tri-Balance Health Solutions

Jon Kollstedt

Highland Heights

(513) 225-0102

grabalifeline.com

TricorBraun

Suzie Fenton

Saint Louis

(314) 983-2000

tricorbraun.com

trimino Brands Company, LLC

Peter Dacey

Brandford

(203) 453-0090

drinktrimino.com

–

Clermont

(352) 394-8737

unclematts.com

Uncle Matt's Organic United Food and Beverage, LLC

brewdrkombucha.com

Jeremy J. Sanders

Hickory

(843) 622-8434

unitedfoodandbeverage.com

Up Mountain Switchel

Garrett Riffle

Brooklyn

(315) 939-3085

drinkswitchel.com

USA Nanfang

Peggy Chung

Buena Park

(714) 562-0848

amyandbriannaturals.com

–

New York

(212) 245-1601

drinkverday.com

Verday Chlorophyll Water Vim Vitae

Elizabeth Black

Dallas

(214) 879-9920

vimvitae.com

WANU Water, Inc.

Dr. Todd O'Gara

Los Angeles

(310) 401-1733

wanuwater.com

Wellness Group, LLC

Dorian Walder

Santa Monica

(310) 403-0367

wellnesswtr.com

–

Portland

–

wonderdrink.com

Sioma

La Jolla

(858) 337-7341

wonderfueldrink.com

Maja Sponring

New York

(212) 594-3080

xl-energy.com

Adam Rosenfeld

Los Angeles

–

Wonder Drink Kombucha Wonder Fuel XL Energy Drink Corp Zenify

zenifydrinks.com

109

PROMO PARADE

INDUSTRY PROMOTIONS & EVENTS

New 7UP Campaign Mixes It Up

7UP has launched a new creative direction in an integrated campaign. The “Mix It UP a Little” campaign spotlights the classic soft drink as an essential staple for baking, cooking and, of course, cocktails. The campaign showcases the versatility of 7UP and leans into the truth that not only is 7UP a great beverage on its own, but you can do a lot with 7UP – from creating mixed drinks to punching up food recipes. With no other

brand positioning themselves as a versatile add-in within the soda category, 7UP expands into a new territory. The new spots leverage insights from consumers about the ways in which they already use the product as a mixer – and their claims that 7UP is the only lemon lime soda that works best as a mixer. The first spot, “Yacht”, which launched today features party hosts preparing a tray of crowd pleasing cocktails and then transports

them to various social scenes, with a cameo from rapper 2 Chainz. A corresponding spot, “Granny”, highlights 7UP’s usefulness in the kitchen. Digital videos provide a variety of recipes that incorporate 7UP and help the consumer create everything from bundt cake to kimchi to punch. The videos feature M.C. and rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot mixing and playfully naming his own custom recipes such as a “Bubble Bundt” cake and “Mrs. Butter-

worth Be Jalapeño Business” cocktail. On the brand site, a recipe generator features food and cocktail recipes, helping hosts find the best refreshment for their gathering – like girls’ night, dinner parties, backyard parties and more. The campaign support will continue through upcoming activations, with a Tastemade partnership and exclusive retail partnership, as well as a yet to be revealed big summer kick-off.

FitWhey Named the Official RTD Protein Beverage of Spartan Race BFit Brands has announced a new partnership between Spartan Race – an organization that stages a national series of obstacle races of varying distance and difficulty levels – and FitWhey, the fitness beverage that combines protein and functional energy. FitWhey and Spartan Race kicked off their new partnership at the

Sprint & Super event at Fort McDowell Rodeo Grounds in Arizona. FitWhey was named the “official RTD protein beverage” of the event, with more events planned for 2017. As sponsor, FitWhey had a significant presence at the event, including the promotion of the FitWhey brand prominently throughout the event. Company reps

110 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

handed out complimentary FitWhey samples to Spartan Race participants. Spartan Race is the world’s leading obstacle race company, with more than 170 events in over 25 countries. It has more than 1 million global participants, with more than 5 million passionate social media followers, as well as a popular NBC television series.

Me & the Bees Lemonade’s Kid Entrepreneur Featured on ABC’s “20/20” Me & the Bees Lemonade and its twelve-year-old founder were featured in a recent episode of ABC’s news show “20/20.” The episode “Shark Tank on 20/20: The Road to $100 Million in Deals” highlighted the lemonade founder, Mikaila Ulmer and her success as a millennial entrepreneur following her 2015 appearance on the ABC hit show, “Shark

Tank.” The “20/20” episode also featured a handful of other business that have collectively closed $100 million dollars in deals during individual appearances on “Shark Tank.” Me & the Bees, formerly known as BeeSweet Lemonade, was conceptualized eight years ago, by a then four-year-old Mikaila. What started out as a local lemonade stand inspired

by Makaila’s fascination with the prolific pollinators, is now a line of natural lemonades distributed throughout the Southern U.S. and along the East Coast in retailers including Whole Foods Market and Wegmans. It is also available in Mikaila’s hometown of Austin, Texas at locations including W Austin and Fresh Plus. The “20/20” airing will pro-

file, among others, the success of Me & the Bees which has grown more than 400 percent since debuting on “Shark Tank.” Success for the brand, also equates to saving bees -- a passion of Mikaila’s that bloomed at the initial launch of her lemonade stand. A portion of proceeds from each sale goes to organizations invested in the future of the planet and supporting honeybees.

A Celebration of AGAVE AND EEEEEATS Presented by The Infatuation, #HashtagLunchbag and Tequila Don Julio Tequila Don Julio has partnered with The Infatuation, a digital guide to all things food and drink, on a nationwide private dinner series. Attendees will feast on family-style dinners and will be treated to an ode to the brands’ expertise in two areas: agave and #eeeeeats. Guests will enjoy Mexico’s original luxury craft tequila alongside custom curated menus from a collection of top chefs and bartenders in the U.S. While guests will de-

lightfully satiate, they will also be giving back to the community beyond the one created at the dinner table, as their attendance will benefit #HashtagLunchbag, a nonprofit organization that provides meals directly to those in need. The series will feature six private dinners kicking off in New York City with additional stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin and Chicago. Agave and EEEEEATS will bring together chefs and bartenders

from city to city, hosting dinners at hotspots that not even The Infatuation has gotten the chance to write about yet, opening the doors to the places that trendsetters don’t even know they should be dreaming of. Chefs in each city will also share the food from the table with those less fortunate that will be distributed with the help of #HashtagLunchbag the following day in each city. The Infatuation has fostered a community

that is serious about food, but doesn’t take food too seriously, creating the perfect mindset for the inaugural guests of Agave and EEEEEATS.

Like Tequila Don Julio and The Infatuation, #HashtagLunchbag was created first as a passion project, that ultimately ended up bringing together communities. 111

PROMO PARADE XYIENCE Energy Drink Announces New Original Campus Insiders Video Content XYIENCE, the zero-calorie energy beverage, has teamed up with Campus Insiders, the premier digital destination and content source for college sports fans, for the second year to produce a new series hosted by veteran sports journalist Seth Davis, titled “Don’t Mess with Seth.” In addition, XYIENCE is sponsoring a national sweepstakes which will send a lucky fan and a guest to the 2017 national college basketball championship weekend in Phoenix, Ariz. In the new series titled “Don’t Mess with Seth,” Davis will discuss the college basketball season headlines leading up to the national championship. XYIENCE will serve as the program’s title sponsor as well as advertise on the Campus Insiders network throughout the season leading up to the national college basketball tournament. The “VIP Experience” includes airfare, hotel stay and access to the 2017 national college basketball semi-final and final games. The winner also receives credentials granting floor and behind-the-scenes access with Campus Insiders on-air talent. The sweepstakes will be promoted online and supported with in-store point-of-sale displays.

Long Island Iced Tea Named Exclusive Iced Tea of New Coliseum

HENNESSY: A Toast to the World's Preeminent Spirit Lavishly illustrated, “HENNESSY: A Toast to the World's Preeminent Spirit,” is the first book on the world's most famous Cognac producer. Considered a benchmark of excellence, its blends have become icons of refinement and luxury. In HENNESSY, renowned writer and bon vivant Glenn O'Brien invites the reader to discover the history of Cognac. The highly entertaining text, filled with extraordinary events and O'Brien's irresistible humor, is married with classic cocktail recipes and evocative imagery that conveys the lifestyle of the Hennessy connoisseur through the ages, including the Mad Men of the 1960s and today's stars of hip-hop. Featuring contributions from such cultural luminaries as Shepard Fairey, Nas, Futura, Fab 5 Freddy, Arik Levy, and Todd Selby, ever-suave illustrations by Jean-Philippe Delhomme, as well as never-before-seen images from the Hennessy archive, HENNESSY is an informative and engaging account of the world's most revered brandy and a book that belongs on every Cognac enthusiast's shelf. 112 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

Long Island Iced Tea Corp. has formed an alliance with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment to become the official iced tea of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Presented By New York Community Bank (NYCB). The New Coliseum Presented By NYCB hosts hundreds of events annually, including concerts, family shows, and sports, such

as college basketball, hockey, MMA, and boxing, as well as outdoor festivals and other major events. Long Island Iced Tea will have exclusive serving rights in the venue, including all concession stands and luxury suites. The alliance also includes high-profile interior and exterior LED branding, as well as digital and retail promotional opportunities.

The Coca-Cola Foundation and The Coca-Cola Company Donate $106M The Coca-Cola Foundation and The Coca-Cola Company together donated more than $106 million to more than 230 organizations in 2016. These contributions will directly benefit communities across more than 200 countries and territories, with approximately 97 percent of the grants focused on The CocaCola Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core sustainability priorities of women, water and community well-being. The amount donated in 2016 equates to 1.2 percent of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2016 operating income, surpassing its public commitment to donate at least 1 percent of operating income annually. Since 1984, The Coca-Cola Foundation has given back approximately $909 million to organizations and communities across the world. The Coca-Cola Foundation awarded and paid $72 million in the following areas: $7 million to support womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s empowerment initiatives; $27 million to support water and environmental initiatives; and $38 million to support community strengthening initiatives including education, youth development, HIV/AIDS, arts and culture, and humanitarian/ disaster relief. Additionally, The Coca-Cola Company donated $34 million in funding and in-kind product donations to community events and programs around the world.

Image Courtesy of The Coca-Cola Company.

113

PROMO PARADE

Blue Chair Bay Rum Offers Consumers The “Key To The Keys” Blue Chair Bay Rum is offering the antidote to any wintertime blues with its “Key to the Keys Sweepstakes,” a nationwide sweepstakes that will launch in conjunction with the brand’s newest premium flavor, Key Lime Rum Cream. Sweepstakes entrants will have the chance to win one of several prizes, with the Grand Prize winners scoring a trip to be at a private show with country music star Kenny Chesney in Key West, Fla. To enter the Key to the Keys Sweepstakes, consumers must either find a “key” symbol under the tamper tape of 500 select Key Lime Rum Cream bottles or download an image with further instructions on Blue Chair Rum’s website. The grand prize winner and a guest will receive airfare to Key West, Fla. and lodging in Key West, with a $500 stipend for activities. They will be invited to a private show by Kenny Chesney. Second prize winners will receive a Blue Chair Bay Key Lime Rum Cream-themed guitar with Kenny Chesney’s autograph. Ten third prize winners will receive a Blue Chair Bay swag pack.

114 BEVNET MAGAZINE – MARCH/APRIL 2017

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