Black Momma Beverage Industry

Readers name their favorite beverage of March

As consumers begin to gear up for spring, their thirst for premium liquor also is gearing up. In the Readers’ Choice: New Product poll for March, Beverage Industry readers’ selected Stillhouse Classic Vodka as their favorite new product release. 

PepsiCo announces mobile-enabled hydration platform

Built to reflect how people drink water today, the new hydration platform from Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo Inc. is a connected ecosystem that responds to the rise in consumption of low-and-no-sugar drinks as well as heightened focus on plastic's effect on the environment. As part of PepsiCo's Beyond the Bottle efforts, the new system makes it easier for people to stay hydrated, digitally track their hydration, and help meet the growing consumer demand for more sustainable packaging, the company says.

Cascade Blonde celebrates Earth Day

Cascade Blonde American Whiskey, a brand of Diageo North America, Norwalk, Conn., announced its commitment to cleaning American waterways throughout the entire year.

Absolut Vodka breathes new life into sustainability

On Earth Day, Absolut Vodka, a brand of New York-based Pernod Ricard USA, announced its new platform to promote our planet — and its people — as Planet Earth's Favorite Vodka. Absolut hopes to inspire others in its belief that small changes today can lead to big impact tomorrow, it says.

Food Safety Summit educates on food safety progress, certifies professionals
Professionals from every part of the food safety supply chain will have the opportunity to take advantage of eight certification courses, 26 educational sessions, a keynote presentation, discussion groups, several networking events and a tradeshow floor featuring 200-plus exhibitors.

Natural Products Expo West hosts 86,000 attendees
The exhibiting companies included hundreds of established and emerging beverage brands.

Constellation invests in mezcal label

Constellation Brands Inc., Victor, N.Y., acquired a minority stake in the parent company of Mezcal El Silencio, a specially crafted, Los Angeles-based mezcal label and leader in the category.

AQUAhydrate releases Camo-Gallon package for WWP

Los Angeles-based AQUAhydrate has initiated a new partnership with Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and is donating $10,000 this summer to help honor and empower wounded warriors. AQUAhydrate is promoting the partnership with a co-branded camouflage edition of its gallon package. Available now through July 4th, the AQUAhydrate Camo-Gallon can be purchased at CVS, GNC and other fine retailers.

CÎROC, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs launch latest vodka flavor

Sean “Diddy” Combs, DJ Khaled and the makers of CÎROC Ultra Premium Vodka, a brand of Diageo North America, unveiled the newest addition to its premium vodka portfolio: Summer Watermelon. CÎROC Summer Watermelon is a rich-tasting spirit made with vodka five times distilled from French grapes and finished in a tailor-made copper pot still in Southern France, the company says.

Tecate launches summer drinking campaign

Tecate, a brand of White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA, is welcoming summer with carne asada and summer barbeque, for when the “food first” beer drinking occasions brings consumers together, the company says.

fairlife announces plans for new production, distribution facility

Chicago-based fairlife LLC announced plans to increase its overall production capabilities with the construction of a brand new 300,000-square-foot production and distribution facility in Goodyear, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix.

MillerCoors debuts sparkling cocktail line

Chicago-based MillerCoors launched its newest innovation: Cape Line Sparkling Cocktails. Crafted with six ingredients — carbonated water, alcohol from real cane sugar, real cane sugar, lemon and/or lime juice concentrate, natural flavors, and fruit juice added for color — Cape Line Sparkling Cocktails is naturally gluten-free and contains 120 calories with an alcohol by volume of 4.5 percent.

Four Corners Brewing expands to Southern California

Dallas-based Four Corners Brewing Co. is coming to Southern California, expanding distribution of its flagship El Chingón IPA and new El Grito Lager. This introduction marks the first region outside of Texas where the craft brewery's beers will be available, it says.

RUNA, Keurig Dr Pepper enter distribution agreement

RUNA Clean Energy, an organic energy drink made from the guayusa leaf, now is being distributed nationally by Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), Plano, Texas, and Burlington, Mass., and other regional distributor partners. 

Conor McGregor launches second alcohol brand

Professional martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor announced the launch of his new Champ Champ Rosé, produced and sold through his new company: McGregor Vineyards. The brand will debut May 1 on retail store shelves and restaurants throughout Ireland and the United States.

Bacardi introduces lime-flavored rum

Hamilton, Bermuda-based Bacardi Ltd. introduced Barcadi Lime: a vibrant and flavorful rum for any warm weather drinking occasion, the company says. Regarded as one of the top choices for fruit infusions in beverages and the most popular fruit purchased to be paired with rum, lime was the obvious choice for the new Bacardi flavor innovation, it adds. 

Readers name their favorite new beverage of February

As consumers gear up for the spring season, their thirst for alternative beverages remains high. In the Readers’ Choice: New Product poll for February, there is a tie for the title between OWYN Dark Chocolate Protein Drink and Califia Farms Übermilk.

LIFEWTR releases Art through Technology packaging series

LIFEWTR, a premium water brand of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo, announced it is championing Art through Technology as its seventh design series.

Lavazza brings cold-brew varietal to US

Lavazza, a brand of Turin, Italy-based Lavazza Group, launched a new cold-brew offering in the United States. Made from ¡TIERRA! Colombia, the cold-brew coffee features a unique blend characterized by a sweet and smooth taste and a rich body, it says. 

Coca-Cola mini bottles enter Canadian market

Coca-Cola beverages just got a lot smaller in Canada. Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite now are available in a more compact and resealable 250-ml mini bottle. The new “mini” package size kicks off a year of innovation for Coca-Cola in Canada, which will introduce more than 20 new beverages across the company’s portfolio, including low- and no-calorie drinks, bold flavors and soda water beverages, the company says.

Coca-Cola releases financial results
While reported net revenues declined because of refranchising and currency headwinds, the company delivered organic revenue (non-GAAP) growth within its long-term target for the sixth consecutive quarter, while also gaining value share globally, it said.

Creatively combining coffee, tea and dairy
Having identified millennial consumer tastes trending toward a passion for coffee and tea beverages, Symrise now offers a collection of specialty flavors designed to deliver the popular tastes of tea, coffee and dairy products.

CBC heads to Denver for annual tradeshow, expo
Presented by the Boulder, Colo.-based Brewers Association, the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) offers concentrated brewing education and idea sharing to improve brewery quality and performance, it says.

Smirnoff gears up for summer with Party Pitch contest

To celebrate the return of Smirnoff Red, White & Berry, the brand is launching Smirnoff Party Pitch featuring a panel of fun experts to review consumers' ideas for the ultimate red, white and blue Fourth of July bash. With the help of the party panel, Smirnoff hopes to find the most exciting, outrageous, silly and wild ideas to celebrate America — all with responsible drinking in mind, of course.

Yuengling launches Make Your Day Golden campaign

D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc., Pottsville, Pa., launched "Make Your Day Golden," a new, fully integrated campaign in support of Yuengling Golden Pilsner; the brand's first new year-round product in 17 years. Yuengling Golden Pilsner was created by Yuengling's sixth generation of family members: Jen, Debbie, Wendy and Sheryl Yuengling.

Swire Coca-Cola USA, Monster reach distribution agreement

Swire Coca-Cola, USA, Draper, Utah, announced the signing of a distribution agreement giving the company and other Coca-Cola franchise bottlers the rights to distribute Monster products throughout Arizona and in limited areas of New Mexico and Colorado.

Essentia Water posts another year of strong retail sales
Essentia Water, Bothell, Wash., announced that it continued to generate accelerated growth at retail during the final quarter of 2018, marking a strong conclusion to the brand’s most successful year-to-date, it says.

Boston Beer net revenue up for year
The Boston Beer Co. Inc., Boston, reported fourth quarter 2018 net revenue of $225.2 million, an increase of $18.9 million or 9.2 percent from the fourth quarter of 2017, mainly due to an increase in shipments of 6.3 percent.

SPINS, The Data Council expand partnership

Wellness-focused data technology company SPINS, Chicago, and The Data Council, a provider of verified and standardized product data and images, announced their expanded partnership, which will infuse The Data Council's IX-ONE platform with SPINS health and wellness insights, providing brands, retailers and their partners with increased item-level transparency and completeness as well as a highly efficient one-stop integrated solution, the companies say.

Kinky Cocktails adds new flavor to lineup

Kinky, a brand of Mendota, Minn.-based Prestige Beverage Group, added a new flavor to its Kinky Cocktails lineup: Aloha. Aloha is infused with the tropical flavors of pineapple, coconut and lime, the company says.