Beverage entrepreneurs

“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.

Mexico is the world's largest exporter of beer, but craft brewers have yet to catch up. Pic: Cerveza Mexico

Mexican craft beer looks to mimic big-brand success with exports

By Beth Newhart

At the recent Cerveza México 2019 event, it was revealed that the country’s craft beer market is nearly up to 1,400 independent breweries with a 29 million litre output. The industry relies heavily on exports to the US and Europe to keep up with annual...

Bacardi acquires Stillhouse Spirits

Bacardi acquires Stillhouse Spirits

By Rachel Arthur

Bacardi has acquired Stillhouse Spirits, a ‘young powerhouse brand’ in the US whose products include vodka, whiskey and bourbon.

RayZyn lets grapes hang on the vine past the time they would typically be harvested for winemaking, and dries them to create a new 'superfood snack.' Pic: Getty Images/bmdesign

RayZyn draws on otherwise wasted wine grapes for a superfood snack

By Kristine Sherred

The growing snack company – a phoenix rising from the devastating California wildfires in 2017 – dries wine grapes (and sometimes coats them in chocolate) to create a fruit snack with more antioxidants than their traditional counterpart.

C-store beverages: What’s new at NACS?

C-store beverages: What’s new at NACS?

By Beth Newhart

The National Association of Convenience Stores has been meeting since 1961, and today the expo covers more than 400,000 square feet. The 2019 show was held in Atlanta October 2-4, bringing together retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and exhibitors from...

A single pouch is designed to work on up to 16oz of coffee and remove 200mg of caffeine.

Decafino opens the coffee world to decaf drinkers on-the-go

By Beth Newhart

A pouch that can decaffeinate brewed beverages like coffee and tea has been developed by a chemical engineer from the University of Washington. Decafino’s commercial launch is planned for May of 2020 in the US.

Bluestone wants to bring the coffee culture of Melbourne to the US through its cafes and blended beverages.

Australian cold brew coffee spreads in the US

By Beth Newhart

Bluestone Lane’s Australia-inspired cafe chain is its expanding its beverage options with ready-to-drink iced coffee and cold brew, including a partnership with Elmhurst 1925.