VEGA Coffee is based on a simple – but surprisingly novel – concept, says founder Noushin Ketabi: What if the farmers who grow coffee, actually roasted and packaged it as well, and then sold their ‘farm-roasted’ product directly to US consumers via an...
From savory yogurt and coffee fruit infusions, to switchel – apple cider vinegar-based concoctions that offer a modern twist on a centuries-old tradition - Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) highlights 10 culinary trends it predicts will inspire packaged foods...
Part 2: One-on-one with The Tea Council of the USA on Emerging Trends
Sales of tea in the US are booming, but the industry still faces tough competition and must continue to innovate to capture a larger “share of throat,” according to Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Council of the USA.
A product only aficionados – and hipsters - had heard of a couple of years ago, cold-brew coffee is rapidly becoming an established part of any forward-thinking retailer’s beverage set. But the market has grown so explosively that a shakeout seems inevitable,...
'As awareness grows, more people get the chance to taste it and have that ‘aha’ moment'
With several new ready-to-drink cold brew coffee products in the pipeline and a growing retail footprint, private equity-backed Stumptown Coffee Roasters is betting on a big future for the hottest thing in cold coffee.
After successfully raising $627,644 from 8,015 supporters via Kickstarter, Minneapolis-based Hidrate Inc will launch its HidrateMe smart water bottle product in December.
From caffeine-free energy drinks and 'coffeehouse style' tea lattes to chia and greens drinks and ready-to-drink Soylent, check out FoodNavigator-USA's gallery of new beverage launches hitting US shelves this summer.
Latte art – the designs sprinkled on the froth of a milky coffee by baristas – influences people’s perceptions of the beverage and can even make them willing to pay 11 to 13% more.
Beverage industry superstar Bai Brands – which hit the headlines this week with the launch of antioxidant-infused Antiwater – has also attracted the attention of plaintiff’s attorneys in California, which claim it played fast and loose with food labeling...
Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya has invested an undisclosed sum in upmarket coffee firm La Colombe Coffee Roasters that will make him the majority owner, but says he will not take on any management responsibilities at the Philadelphia-based firm, and will...
Back in 2011/12, nerves were getting very frayed at Hiball Energy, which was doing a steady trade in upmarket energy drinks in elegant glass bottles, but “losing more and more money”, recalls founder Todd Berardi. In May 2012 he switched to aluminum cans,...
The dramatic rise of coffee pod sales in the U.S. has been a rare bright spot for the retail category in the past few years, but the platform’s days at the top may be numbered, according to Euromonitor International analysts.
The University of Vermont says it will keep its bottled water sales ban in place, after a study suggested the policy increased sugary drink consumption and failed to reduce waste.
Sales of tea in the U.S. are growing quickly as more Americans are drawn to the beverage for its health benefits, rich history and artisanal qualities, according to industry stakeholders.
Geneva-based Natural Taste Consulting (NTC) is launching a plant-derived bitter blocker for applications such as dark chocolate, instant coffee, teas, energy drink and dietary supplements.
Sales of energy shots are slumping as their medicinal taste and less favorable position as a supplement drive consumers to reach for energy drinks, which many shoppers consider safer, according to new research from Mintel Group.
One out of every 10 dollars (10%) spent on dry loose or bagged tea leaves in the US will be spent on single-serve capsules such as K-Cups in 2015, compared to just 2% in 2009, predicts one tea market expert.
While shares in Keurig Green Mountain fell sharply after bosses unveiled the $299-$369 price tag for the new Keurig Kold machine (99c-$1.29 per pod), CEO Brian Kelley said purchase intent scores were high as consumers understood the value proposition.
The amount of waste created by used coffee pods worries not just the die-hard eco-friendly, but coffee lovers at large, says US coffee roaster and packager Copper Moon Coffee.
Dr Pepper Snapple Group has invested $15m in a minority stake in Bai Brands, which has generated explosive growth in multiple retail channels with its 'antioxidant infusion' low-calorie Bai5 beverages.
$86m factory now operational as distribution broadens
Capri-Sun is expanding its presence in China, announcing a partnership with Reignwood Group that will give it the necessary sales and distribution muscle.
While their sophisticated flavor profile and branding might seem a natural fit for Whole Foods Market, Brewla gourmet ice pops – made from brewed tea, coffee and root beer – are also on sale at Walmart, proving that the brand has broad appeal, say co-founders...
The beverage can remains a ‘novel’ form of packaging in India, according to manufacturer Rexam. But having seen a 72% increase in sales volume in 2014, the company predicts the packaging will become much more popular.
Big beverage companies now recognise the speed and energy of start-ups, but corporations maintain the might and muscle when it comes to distribution. So could both worlds work together?
Personalised beverage hydration systems, one-of-a-kind bottles, and capsules which can transform a plain glass of water into something else entirely - the marriage of technology and personalisation is changing the way people think about beverages, says...
From watermelon juice with a dash of lemon; to artichoke water with ginger; maple water; coconut smoothies; caffeine water; protein-packed dairy and non-dairy beverages; and a new wave of turmeric-laced drinks, there was a wealth of beverage innovation...
What is not in TK Hibiscus’ ready-to-drink teas is just as important as what is when it comes to setting the beverage apart in an increasingly crowded category, according to the start-up’s co-founder and CEO.
DGAC’s criticism of high intensity sweeteners is “contradictory", says ABA
If the meat lobby isn’t happy with the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s (DGAC’s) recommendations on what constitutes a healthy diet, neither it seems, is the American Beverage Association (ABA), which also issued a statement claiming the expert...
Thanks in part to the ongoing success of Keurig Green Mountain’s personal beverage brewing system, sales of single cup coffee are helping to buoy the overall coffee category as sales in the other segments fall, said the firm’s CEO.
The founder of Amara Beverage Company is on a bold mission to fight the obesity epidemic by “modernizing” the sports drink category, which he says is filled with beverages laden with sugar, empty calories and artificial ingredients.
Kara Goldin: Consumers have evolved faster than the beverage category has
While gaining significant distribution in the beverages market can be tough if you don’t have the might of a Coke or Pepsi behind you, Hint Inc CEO Kara Goldin is “not losing sleep at night wondering when they will call me”, she tells FoodNavigator-USA....
The Coca-Cola Company says the US market can help offset global challenges in 2015, warning that 2015 will be a ‘transition’ year while initiatives take hold.
Hear from the CEOs of Mamma Chia, HonestTea, KeVita, KonaRed, Vertical Water, and Reed's
From the impact of the Safeway Albertsons deal to dubious alcohol levels in kombucha, the CEOs in our beverage entrepreneurs debate on Feb 4 did not hold back. Here are some of the highlights from our 60-minute session, which is now available on demand as...
Visitors at the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) in Cologne have chosen ‘the most innovative’ new products to enter the global candy and snacks market.
Science and an evaluation of risk must inform any regulatory decision on powdered pure caffeine products and not Senators usurping the law, says the Natural Products Association’s Dr Daniel Fabricant.
More consumers are seeking healthy foods and beverages at convenience stores, creating an opportunity in a previously often overlooked channel for manufacturers of these products to expand their reach, according to new market research from Technomic.
Researchers suggest drinking four or more cups of coffee a day could decrease the risk of melanoma by 20%, saying it is possible that the drink has a ‘protective role’ against UVB-induced skin cancer.
PepsiCo brand Mountain Dew Kickstart tells us its two new flavor lines with higher juice content, coconut water and slightly less caffeine are targeted at a core ‘cross cultural millennial male’ consumer.
A Vancouver startup believes it’s on the brink of exploding into mainstream success with its 40 winks coffee – a coffee blended with a herbal sedative, allowing it to be drunk as an evening or bedtime drink.
Entrepreneurs need to stay healthy in order to ensure the long-term success and health of their start-up, advises a top executive at TumericALIVE, a young beverage company dedicated to making elixirs packed with turmeric to rejuvenate, restore and re-energize...
Consistency born from thoughtful attention to detail and hiring specialists before they were needed helped start-up Chameleon Cold-Brew rapidly expand distribution by three to four times, launch a new line of ready-to-drink coffees and scoop up a prestigious...
Diet soda is in a funk, while 'real sugar' is back in vogue. Energy is hot, but caffeine is still controversial. Maple water is bang-on-trend, but will it really become the next coconut water?
The absence of clean labels and fast energy from New Nutrition Business’ list of top 10 food, nutrition and health trends for 2015 is just as important as what made the cut.
Breakfast is extending throughout the day: 'Now anything goes, anytime'
From bold Asian and Hispanic flavors, to nuts, gourmet coffee, and all-day-breakfasts, New York-based Comax Flavors highlights four hot trends likely to influence food and beverage development in 2015.
They're selling everything from coffee leaf tea to maple water, banana-based snacks and hummus (minus the chickpeas). Here's FoodNavigator-USA's latest pick of entrepreneurs to watch in the US food and beverage market.
Coffee leaf tea has got the 'body and full flavor of black tea without the bitterness'
By unlocking the potential of the coffee fruit, enterprising companies from Bai Brands and KonaRed (beverages) to CF Global (coffee flour) and VDF Futureceuticals (nutraceuticals) have already proved that the coffee bean is not the only thing the coffee...
