Black Momma Beverage Industry

Spindrift adds Lime variety to lineup

Newton, Mass.-based Spindrift announced the launch of its 10th flavor, Lime, and issues a call for a lime emoji. The digital campaign titled WHY #NOLIMEEMOJI? asks consumers to join Spindrift in the effort to give the citrus fruit the “limelight” by sharing why they love lime on social media using the hashtag #NoLimeEmoji.

Califia Farms to launch oat milk beverages

Los Angeles-based Califia Farms announced the launch of Übermilk, a line of oat milk beverages. Available this spring in three varieties — Unsweetened, Unsweetened Vanilla and Chocolate — Übermilks have 8 grams of plant-based protein in each serving including all eight essential amino acids and fatty acids from plant oils for omega-3, -6 and -9, as well as calcium, iron, vitamin D, potassium, and vitamin E, the company says.

PepsiCo announces 2018 financial results

PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y., reported results for the fourth quarter and full year 2018.

Report details trends impacting on-premise channel

Technomic's “On-Premise Intelligence Report,” developed with New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation, examines trends in the on-premise market as consumers' demands for quality, variety and authenticity increase and their flavor preferences shift.

Anheuser-Busch announces launch of Ritas Spritz

As part of the continued innovation from St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, the beer-maker launched Ritas, originally marketed as Bud Light Lime Lime-A-Rita, in 2012. Ritas is the first brand in the Anheuser-Busch InBev portfolio to explicitly target women and last year introduced "The Ritas," legendary women who take a "life's-a-party attitude in every situation,” according to the company.

VitaCup unveils Genius Blend in ground coffee bags

San Diego-based VitaCup, the coffee company that introduced vitamin-infused coffee pods, announced the introduction of its Genius Blend in ground coffee bags.

Newcastle Brown Ale returns with American influence

Heineken USA, White Plains, N.Y., announced the March relaunch of Newcastle Brown Ale brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Co. The new brew celebrates the Altogether Uncommon by bringing together a unique blend of pale and roasted malts with American hops, the company says.

Readers name their favorite new beverage of 2018

Although 2018 has come to a close, the readers of Beverage Industry had one more celebration for the calendar year. In Beverage Industry’s annual Readers’ Choice: New Product of the Year poll for 2018, readers selected Stillhouse Black Bourbon as their favorite new product release of the year.

Caribou Coffee celebrates female empowerment

Caribou Coffee, Minneapolis, announced the launch of a new coffee blend — Amy’s Blend 2019 — that pays tribute to the company’s first roastmaster, Amy Erickson, celebrating the way she lived and her enduring legacy of leadership, the company says.

Sierra Nevada Brewing acquires Sufferfest Beer

Sufferfest Beer Co., San Francisco, will join Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif., and Mills River, N.C., the breweries announced. Sierra Nevada will acquire 100 percent of Sufferfest, which is the company’s first-ever acquisition. The breweries stated shared values, commitment to innovation, and common goals as the root of the partnership, they add.

Koia expands into Target stores

Los Angeles-based Koia, the plant-based protein beverage, announced distribution into 530 Target locations with expanded grocery across the Midwest, Northeast and Florida.

Poll finds 76% of Americans watching Super Bowl plan to drink beer

The Washington, D.C.-based Beer Institute released the results of its latest survey, finding 76 percent of Americans celebrating the Super Bowl this year plan to drink beer as part of their festivities.

Craft brewer launches Don’t Call It Hotlanta Double IPA

In anticipation of the Super Bowl, Atlanta-based craft brewery Monday Night Brewing has an important announcement: Don't Call It Hotlanta.

Pepsi to roll out new campaign at Super Bowl LIII

Pepsi, a brand of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo, announced its new 360-degree Super Bowl LIII campaign, complete with its halftime show and lead-in, Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year announcement, local Atlanta activations, consumer giveaways and more.

Drinking habits for Super Bowl evolve

As Americans prepare to watch the Super Bowl this coming Sunday, they will be flocking to retail outlets for their food and beverage needs. According to an Insights from New York-based Nielsen titled “The Evolution of Super Bowl Consumption,” the market research firm identified how today’s viewing experience has evolved.

Nielsen details that the female fan base remains substantial, noting that it has held steady at about 46-47 percent of total viewership from Super Bowl XLVII in 2014 to Super Bowl LII in 2018.

Caribou Coffee names new CEO

Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffee, a subsidiary of JAB Holding Co., announced that John Butcher has been appointed president and chief executive officer. Butcher has served as president of Caribou Coffee since joining the company in June of 2017. 

Stella Artois, Water.org partner with Sarah Jessica Parker

Stella Artois, a brand Leuven, Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Water.org co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White are rallying America to Pour it Forward by choosing Stella Artois to help end the global water crisis.

Starbucks Delivers expands in US

Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle, announced the expansion of its Starbucks Delivers pilot to an additional six cities across the United States. The expansion, in partnership with Uber Eats, began in San Francisco on Jan. 21, the first of six new markets to offer the service to customers. Following an initial test in Miami, the company remains on track to bring Starbucks Delivers to nearly one-quarter of U.S. company-operated stores.

Readers name their favorite beverage of December

As consumers adjust to the post-holiday blues, their thirst for premium beverages carries on. In the Readers’ Choice: New Product poll for December, Beverage Industry readers’ selected Victorieux Champagne as their favorite new product release.

Coca-Cola, Ioniqa Technologies work to support recycling efforts
The agreement is designed to accelerate the development and deployment of high-grade recycled content PET for use in bottles used by The Coca-Cola Co.

PepsiCo completes acquisition of SodaStream
The transaction is another step in PepsiCo’s Performance with Purpose journey, supporting health and wellness through environmentally friendly, cost-effective and fun-to-use beverage solutions, and the company’s Beyond the Bottle strategy to form a more sustainable beverage ecosystem, it says.

Nestlé Waters North America will achieve 25% recycled plastic in its packaging by 2021
The company plans to continue expanding its use of recycled materials in the coming years, further setting an ambition to reach 50 percent recycled plastic by 2025.

Riff Cold Brewed Coffee opens taproom
The unique pilot brewing system enables Riff to produce small batch experimental cold-brewed coffees and get immediate feedback from customers on the other side of the bar.

Brewers Association celebrates 2018 beer milestones
As craft brewers continue to make waves in an evolving market, the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo., looked back on the craft brewing community’s contributions, highlights and defining beer moments of the past year.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf extends footprint
This news comes on the heels of the company’s recent expansion and return to New York City with the announcement to open up 100 locations during the next several years.

Bimble announces national release for sparkling CBD drink

New York-based Bimble Beverages announced the national release of its brand new sparkling drink: Bimble. The beverage features 25 mg of hemp-derived, full-spectrum CBD, which is more than double the CBD content of many CBD beverages on the market, the company claims.

Sparkling Ice goes natural

Sparkling Ice, part of Preston, Wash.-based Talking Rain Beverage Co., announced a brand refresh by introducing a new formula featuring naturally sourced colors and flavors, in addition to an updated logo and packaging design. With this new formulation, Sparkling Ice has successfully transitioned to natural colors while maintaining the vibrant look and long shelf life that Sparkling Ice is known for, it says.

Jane Walker to represent Johnnie Walker at Women’s March

Johnnie Walker, a brand of Norwalk, Conn.-based Diageo North America, announced that Jane Walker, the brand’s first-ever female iteration of the brand’s iconic Striding Man, will be in attendance at the 2019 Women’s March on Jan. 19 in Washington D.C., to celebrate the many messages of optimism and empowerment that come to life for the march, the company says.

Bud Light announces transparent packaging design

Bud Light announced that it will add a comprehensive on-pack serving facts and ingredient label, by unveiling a new secondary packaging design that will hit stores in February.

Vive Hard Seltzer

Braxton Brewing Co. released Vive Hard Seltzer, a hard seltzer crafted with pure Kentucky artisan water, the company says.