Beverage Entrepreneurs

COVID-19: Expo West cancelled as New Hope shifts focus to Expo East

COVID-19: Expo West canceled as New Hope shifts focus to Expo East

By Elaine Watson

In an announcement that will not likely surprise many stakeholders, New Hope has decided to cancel (rather than postpone) the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim and focus its attention on Expo East in Philadelphia (Sept. 23-26).

“Hoping millennials will adopt boomer values as they age just isn’t a sensible business strategy.

Can wineries leverage plant-based messaging to attract young drinkers?

By Beth Newhart

An oversupply of wine in the US has producers rethinking their branding and marketing strategies to reach millennials and Gen Z drinkers. The Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division (SVB) advises wineries to tap into the ‘better-for-you’ trend and health-forward...

Bevi cuts 150 million bottles and cans from the workplace

By Beth Newhart

Complimentary workplace snacks and beverages are now a relatively common practice for US employers, but the mounting costs and environmental drawbacks have offices turning more to eco-friendly drink systems like Bevi.

Night Shift believes there is a line when it comes to healthy craft beer, and would never sacrifice the quality of an IPA to make it low-calorie. Pic: Getty/Woodkern

Reformatting IPAs for the masses: small sizes win big

By Beth Newhart

In the face of health and wellness concerns and low-to-no alcohol trends, craft brewers of heavy, boozy beer are rethinking their methods. Line extensions and new packaging formats are the advice of Massachusetts-based Night Shift Brewing.

Bacardi goes ‘back to the bar’ in search of cocktail trends

By Beth Newhart

Bacardi is enlisting the help of 7,000 global employees to track new trends in cocktails and wider alcohol by sending them to local bars and restaurants. This year mindful drinking is expected to go mainstream, and natural, fresh ingredients will be at...

The Italian Way considers the US a ‘mature and conscious’ market for Italian beverage exports.

Italy eyes the US beverage market for health-conscious, eco customers

By Beth Newhart

American consumers are increasingly looking for products with a focus on simple, high-quality ingredients and sustainability. And a group of Italian companies believe their products are ready to meet these demands: with their drinks on show at the Winter...

HopTea craft brews non-alcoholic tea like a beer

HopTea craft brews non-alcoholic tea like a beer

By Beth Newhart

Hoplark’s HopTea brand replaces malt in its beverage brewing process with a tea base for a line of non-alcoholic beer alternatives. Its latest grapefruit variety mimics the radler style.

“We encourage people to get outside, so our packaging highlights a lot of northern California destinations.”

Surreal Brewing 'reduces the stigma' of non-alcoholic beer

By Beth Newhart

After just a year and a half in business, Surreal Brewing Company sells five varieties of alcohol-free craft beer out of northern California. They exhibited at this year’s Winter Fancy Food Show, sampling the latest release.

People tend to associate tea with health benefits, but that hasn't traditionally been the case for alcoholic tea drinks.

Loverboy launch grows the hard tea category

By Beth Newhart

Hard seltzers dominated the alcohol conversation in 2019, and there’s been an uptick in flavored malt beverage (FMB) launches in response. Loverboy brings a healthier option to the small but growing hard tea category.

Dare motivational shake pack shot

Editor's Spotlight: Startup Focus

Doctor creates motivational shake to replace empty-calorie coffees

By Nikki Hancocks

An emergency medicine doctor has founded his own brand selling a nutritionally boosted plant-based ‘motivational’ protein shake offering a replacement for "empty-calorie" coffees and additive-filled snacks.

Alcohol brands

Alcohol brands are making billion-dollar ecommerce mistakes

By Beth Newhart

US consumers spent $2.6bn buying alcohol online last year, but experts say it could be billions more. Alcohol ecommerce penetration is ‘abysmally low’ which Rabobank believes could have 'profound consequences' on the industry.

“We’re doing so much more in DC than we were four years ago. We’re speaking up for common sense labeling regulations, lobbying for legislation to lower excise taxes.

Cider association rebrands and highlights dry offerings

By Beth Newhart

The United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM) was officially renamed to the American Cider Association (ACA) on December 31. It called 2019 ‘a year of resilience’ for cider in the face of flavored malt beverage (FMB) popularity.

The Sans Bar x DRY 2020 National Pop Up Tour kicks off on January 10 in Seattle.

Dry Soda and Sans Bar partner for sober bar pop-up tour across the US

By Beth Newhart

A sober bar from Texas will take its alcohol-free drink partners and signature mocktails on tour to 15 cities across the US this year. It’s joined forces with ‘botanical bubbly’ Dry Soda in a shared mission to help people connect without alcohol.

“More than two-thirds of Americans across the political spectrum want excise tax relief for the beer industry, which supports more than 2.1 million American jobs.

US House votes to extend craft beverage tax act

By Beth Newhart

Craft brewers and importers will not face a $130m tax increase in 2020 thanks to a one-year extension of relief from the the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act.

Consumer appetite for hard seltzer is based on occasion and flavored refreshment, which has given the category year-round success. Pic: Getty/hiro-y

No end in sight for US hard seltzer domination

By Beth Newhart

US hard seltzer consumption is set to triple by 2023. But will consumers be able to support the stream of new launches? And can other global markets mimic the success of seltzer in the US?

Pic:getty/alphaspirit

PepsiCo launches 2020 accelerator program

By Rachel Arthur

PepsiCo has launched its second PepsiCo Greenhouse accelerator program in North America: calling for applications from start-ups which are at the forefront of transformative trends.

Japan is the second biggest market in the world for RTD beverages, catching up to the US in sales.

'Premium level' RTD shots find new footing on-premise in Japan

By Beth Newhart

New York-based LIQS Cocktail Shots is taking its growth international with November’s launch into Japan. Its lines of liquor-based and wine-based shots build their audience first on-premise at concerts, stadiums and festivals.

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