Taste Radio

Health-Ade's new 50,000 sq. ft. production facility in Torrance, Calif. is impressive: state-of-the art equipment, automated technology, and plenty of room to make a lot of kombucha. We recently visited the new space and sat down with company founders Vanessa Dew, Daina Trout and Justin Trout who joined us on this edition of the BevNET Podcast. As part of our discussion, Health-Ade's founding trio ruminated on the rapid evolution of the company, which launched in 2012 and is now one of the leading kombucha makers in the U.S. With the new facility in place, Health-Ade will look to ramp up distribution, particularly at grocery, mass and club outlets, they said. The company will also build upon consumer and retailer education initiatives that position kombucha as part of the "real food" movement. Later in the conversation, the youthful entrepreneurs offer their perspective on balancing brand-building with personal and family obligations and also share the inside story on Health-Ade's preparation for BevNET's New Beverage Showdown 6.

These days Zico founder Mark Rampolla spends most of his time thinking about transformative technology and better-for-you sweets. Three years removed from the sale of his coconut water brand to the Coca-Cola Co., Rampolla is now the managing partner and a co-founder of Powerplant Ventures, a private equity firm that invests in "visionary companies that are re-architecting" the food system via plant-based nutrition. He's also the interim CEO of Hail Merry, a maker of plant-based snack foods, which counts Powerplant as an investor. We caught up with Rampolla last week in Los Angeles at the Project NOSH L.A. conference where we recorded this edition of the BevNET podcast. As part of a broad-ranging discussion, Rampolla explains why food and beverage investors, including Powerplant, are embracing ideas that meld idealism and technology and what's driving systematic changes in the food industry. Rampolla also offers up some investment advice for Coca-Cola's Venturing and Emerging Brands unit and talks about why he decided to get back into the food and beverage business after selling Zico.

A couple weeks ago, the podcast team had an opportunity to sit down with Scott Uzzell, the president of the Coca-Cola Co.'s Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) unit. The overarching mission of VEB is to identify and nurture the next billion-dollar brands for Coke, and in this podcast, recorded at the NACS 2016 show, Uzzell shares details about the unit's investment and incubation strategy. As part of a wide-ranging discussion, Uzzell, who has been with Coke for 16 years and was named president of VEB in February, 2014, discusses the three pillars of investment for VEB and why he views modern marketing and integrated technology as critical to the future of the beverage industry. He also shares his thoughts on Coke's strategy for RTD coffee, particularly for VEB-managed illy and how the brand will be marketed and sold amid the company's partnership with Dunkin' Donuts to bottle and distribute a new line of bottled coffees as well as the upcoming launch of Gold Peak's cold brew coffee. Uzzell also comments on the exceptional rise of Bai and his batting average for predictions on "the next big thing."

After a few weeks on the road, the podcast team finally made it back in the conference room at BevNET HQ, where we recently chatted about our travels. In this edition, we look back at last week's NACS 2016 show, which showcased the continuing evolution of the convenience store channel. Our discussion includes an examination of retailers' and beverage suppliers' efforts to adapt to growing consumer interest for healthier drinks in C-stores and our thoughts on noteworthy new products introduced at the show. Later in the podcast, the conversation turns to BevNET CEO John Craven's recent trip to London. Craven shares his perspective on the British beverage market and why so many U.K.-based beverage companies are attempting to market their drinks "across the pond." In our remaining time, we delve into a discussion about BevNET's product review process and the elements that make for a top-rated beverage.

For this week's episode of the BevNET podcast, we've crossed the Atlantic to explore a beverage market that's outside of our usual coverage area: London. Joining the podcast are Hugh Thomas and Joe Benn of Ugly Drinks, which is a U.K.-based startup that produces unsweetened flavored sparkling water. Thomas and Benn, who met each other while helping to launch Vita Coco in the U.K., discuss, along with BevNET founder & CEO John Craven, their thoughts on a variety of topics, including beverage innovation in the U.K. health and wellness trends impacting their local marketing, and the thought process of going international with an emerging beverage brand. In addition, they give their thoughts on trends in the US from both the perspective of being avid BevNET readers and seeing firsthand the products that are making their way into the U.K. from the U.S.

In this edition of the BevNET podcast, we're joined by Gerry Khermouch, a longtime beverage reporter and the editor of email newsletter Beverage Business Insights. Khermouch, who also pens a column for BevNET Magazine, has been covering the non-alcoholic beverage industry for over 20 years, reporting on everything from the rise of new age brands like Snapple and AriZona to the meteoric success of vitaminwater to the fast-evolving trends of today. Khermouch shares insights gleaned from over two decades as a beverage journalist, including what he calls the "dirty secret" about success in the beverage industry, why he views curb appeal as a legitimate indicator of a growing brand, the "miraculous" energy drink category, and how a surge in new refrigerated brands is altering the distribution landscape.

Trevor Nelson, the co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm Alliance Consumer Growth (ACG) is admittedly gunshy about speaking to the media. It's not that Nelson isn't well-spoken; in fact, he's quite articulate. It's just that he's wary of sharing too much information about the strategic insights and analyses that ACG, which was an early investor in cold-pressed juice Suja and Krave, a brand of meat jerky snacks, meticulously prepares and refines before making an investment. Nevertheless, Nelson recently hosted BevNET's podcast team at ACG's offices in Manhattan and shared some details about the firm's approach to evaluating investment opportunities. In particular, Nelson explains why ACG, which closed on a new $210 million fund in February, doesn't "make bets" when it comes to funding decisions. He also shares his thoughts on which beverage categories are ripe for disruption and the ways in which ACG identifies new and compelling brands.

Darren Rovell, the veteran ESPN sports business reporter, wrote the book on Gatorade -- literally. His 2005 feature First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat Into a Cultural Phenomenon won acclaim among beverage industry observers and became the foundation for Rovell's expertise in the business of sports drinks. Last week BevNET's podcast team met with Rovell at his home in New Jersey for a broad discussion on the current state of the sports beverage category, one that offers an insider's take on the segment's gatekeepers, from boardrooms to locker rooms. Among topics covered: the value of athlete endorsements, how professional sports teams work with beverage companies to develop specialized nutrition programs, why some of Gatorade's recent innovation efforts have stumbled and how cold-pressed juice and energy drink brands are finding favor in the sports world. Rovell, who has a massive presence on Twitter (over 1.5 million followers) also opines on what makes for successful social media marketing and offers examples of what what works -- and what doesn't.

At Natural Products Expo East 2016, BevNET's podcast team sat down with John Haugen, the vice president and general manager of General Mills' 301 Inc. incubation unit. In this podcast, Haugen discusses how 301, which operates as a business development and venture capital arm of General Mills, evaluates opportunities for investment in emerging trends and early-stage companies and gives an update on the unit's partnership with organic bottled soup brand Tio Gazpacho. He also explains why General Mills needs to redefine how it markets functional benefits and how finding "natural ways for food to work harder" is an important consideration in 301's investment strategy.

Influential blogger and organic food pundit Max Goldberg stopped by the BevNET Podcast home office this week for a discussion of the state of the organic food and beverage industry, the issues concerning the development of new products, and to preview his memoir, Finding Maxwell. Goldberg, a former Wall Street executive, told our team all about his journey from antidepressants to clean-living organic foodie and media figure, with conversational stops along the way on the offerings at Expo East, the difference between Ripple Foods and almond milk, and, most importantly, what he'd do if faced with the choice of eating Arby's or a bag of organic palm sugar. He's optimistic about the future of the business, which is good, because he's deeply involved. Goldberg thinks that product development is still nascent, it should be noted. Goldberg said he's looking forward to "when you get people who are super talented chefs and get them into the plant-based arena," adding, "I think we're really in the early stages here." Regardless of what stage you think we're in, make sure to listen to this edition of the BevNET Podcast, and rate it on iTunes.

This week, the podcast team is joined by veteran entrepreneur, investor and advisor Tom First, best known as the co-founder Nantucket Nectars. First is currently an operating partner at private equity firm Castanea Partners where he focuses on opportunities in branded food and beverages. In a broad ranging discussion, First riffs on emerging trends in the beverage business, including why he sees a big future for gut health and protein and also shares his take on beverage companies that are primed to become billion dollar brands.

Natural Products Expo East 2016 opens next week, and this edition of the podcast offers our take on how exhibitors and attendees can make the most of the event.

In this edition of the podcast, we follow up on a recent BevNET Magazine article that examined a growing controversy regarding standards and regulation in the expanding world of probiotic beverages. BevNET Editor-in-Chief Jeff Klineman, who authored the article, joins us for a lively discussion on the topic.

With almond milk leading the charge, the dairy alternative category continue to impress. Recent retail sales data compiled by IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm, showed big gains for refrigerated almond milk in multi-serve format, sales of which were up 6 percent in a year-over-year comparison for the four weeks ending on July 10. The segment is nearing $1 billion in sales, and although Silk and Blue Diamond continue to dominate, Califia Farms once again proved it's a force to be reckoned with; sales hit $42 million, up approximately 87 percent. Although dwarfed by the almond milk segment, refrigerated coconut milk also saw a leap in sales, up 8.5 percent in the timeframe. Sales of other milk substitutes, including cashew milk, flax milk and others, and collated by IRI as a catchall segment, surged by 77 percent, totalling nearly $93 million. The growth of these nut- and plant-based milks seems to have come at the expense of dairy and soy-based milks, sales of which remain on a downward spiral. So, what's driving the evolution of the dairy-alternative category and continued growth for almond milk? In what ways are brands attempting to disrupt and innovate with single-serve varieties? And can sales remain on this upward trajectory? We hash it out in this edition of the BevNET Podcast.

The cold brew coffee craze is sweeping through the beverage industry, and it seems like everyone's trying to get a piece of the action. But we've seen this story before: companies flocking to a hot category, and often times ending up with a less-than-successful outcome (see: energy drinks, cold-pressed juice). "It's just a sign of how this industry works," BevNET CEO John Craven said in a new podcast. "When people see opportunity, you get the herd moving quickly trying to get their troops on the front line for this -- hopefully -- big surge in cold brew consumption. But right now, there are certainly too many brands relative to the amount of volume out there for cold brew." Amid a saturated market for RTD cold brew coffee, we decided to take a look at a few beverage categories that we see as ripe for disruptive and timely innovation. Listen to our take, which includes examples of a few companies quietly taking advantage of white space in traditional categories, in the latest edition of the BevNET podcast.

In June PepsiCo announced the return of Crystal Pepsi, a clear and caffeine-free cola that debuted in the early 1990's. Although it was positioned as a better-for-you soda, the drink lasted about a year on the market before PepsiCo pulled the plug, apparently to the dismay of a loyal contingent of fans. More than 20 years after its demise, some of those fans launched a campaign to resurrect Crystal Pepsi, one that caught the eye of the manufacturer and factored into its limited-edition return to the market. The current iteration of Crystal Pepsi with a few updated graphics, but it's clear that PepsiCo is aiming for nostalgic appeal. In this podcast, we discuss what, if any, impact retro and throwback products and packaging might have for a brand. We also examine similar attempts of reviving dated imagery and discontinued products by companies seeking a sentimental response.

We're asked all the time: how can I get news about my brand featured on BevNET? Well, you can start by saying hello :) Certainly, there are time-tested and effective ways of communicating with trade media. Press releases and story pitches are two of the most common tools, but what are key components for each? How do position your news to stand out among dozens of pitches that we receive each week? In this week's podcast, we discuss best practices for submitting news as a way to build a foundation for effective and consistent dialogue between supplier companies and trade media. The discussion includes details on how we sort incoming news into various "buckets" on BevNET and what makes for a headline story.

In recent months, the cold brew coffee category has been inundated with dozens of new products. While most have been launched by regional-focused startup companies, major players Starbucks and Peet's recently introduced bottled cold brew lines. Meanwhile, third-wave darling Stumptown has gradually expanded distribution of its RTD offerings, and Califia Farms, Chameleon and High Brew continue to introduce new varieties. As more cold brew products come to market, suppliers are doubling down on efforts to differentiate from the pack and appeal themselves to new consumers. In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, we discuss how brands are innovating in terms of packaging, formulation and flavor variety. We also examine the impact of nitro cold brew products and how they are being marketed and sold.

Yes, BevNET staffers have their individual quirks, mannerisms and styles, but it would be a bit of a stretch to describe the team as a motley crew; we prefer "wild bunch." And, we get asked all the time: "So, how'd you land at BevNET?" Backgrounds are varied and, in many cases, seem like an unusual fit for a company that reports on the beverage industry. That said, there is a unifying strain to our stories: a passion for working with entrepreneurs. The usual suspects of this podcast -- John Craven, Ray Latif and Jon Landis -- discuss how their paths led to BevNET and discuss parallels in their experiences at an entrepreneurial media company to that of many beverage entrepreneurs.

Ah, to be in the Whole Foods Pentagon City. that's where super-entrepreneur Seth Goldman — co-founder of Honest Tea and Current Chairman of Beyond Meat — has been trotting out products like Honest Sport and the Beyond Burger for consumers to test out. BevNET's podcast studio last week became a mini-Pentagon City itself, with Goldman stopping by to let the team taste the new products. Goldman considers the Beyond Burger in particular as a transformational enterprise — the opportunity to create a viable branded plant protein at the meat counter. "It's a huge opportunity," says the longtime vegetarian. "The veggie burger is an evolutionary dead end. I'll never eat a veggie burger again." It wasn't just a feast, though. The BevNET Podcast team quizzed Goldman on a number of other topics, including the ongoing battle over GMO labeling and its impact on the organic movement, as well as the long-term future for Honest within the Coke system. Ever the good — and well-informed — sport, Goldman fit right in for an enjoyable and interesting time, which you can hear via the podcast above.

The combined forces of BevNET and Project NOSH descended on the Fancy Food Show in Manhattan a couple of weeks ago, and while the beverage team has already given its take, let's face it — there's a heck of a lot more solids on display in the aisle than liquids. And that means this edition of the BevNET Podcast is a perfect chance to throw Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and Marketing Specialist Jacqui Brugliera into the line of microphone fire alongside Jon Landis and Jeff Klineman to discuss the seismic changes overcoming this retail channel, which has so long been the realm of luxury and indulgence. The discussion centers around the way overwhelming consumer trends toward cleaner foods and special diets are washing over the channel, causing even spreads, snacks, and high-end epicurean products to develop varieties that fit paleo, non-GMO, organic, and other shopper requirements. It also looks to the history of the channel, introducing the "Mount Rushmore" of New York specialty foods: Dean & Deluca, Balducci's, Fairway, and… Stew Leonard's?

Since its debut in 2010, Spindrift, which markets craft sodas and sparkling water drinks made with fresh fruit juice, has focused messaging on the "real" and "simple" aspects of its ingredients. The brand proposition is rooted in the belief that consumers are increasingly confused about how drinks are formulated, especially when it comes to carbonated beverages, and seeking greater transparency and clarity. This month, Spindrift is planning to introduce a label refresh that company executives believe will articulate that messaging and enable for broader sales and distribution opportunities. In this podcast, recorded at Spindrift headquarters in Waltham, Mass., we sit down with founder and CEO Bill Creelman and CMO Strick Walker to discuss the company's approach to the updated branding and how it incorporated consumer feedback into the redesign. Creelman and Walker also delve into competitive set for craft soda and sparkling water, Spindrift's strategy for winning new retailers and consumers, and the brand's roots and positioning in the food service channel.

Back in the Big Apple for the third time in less than a month, the BevNET team rallied once more, this time to cover the 2016 Summer Fancy Food Show. Amid the vast halls of the Jacob Javits Center, the specialty food convention featured a broad and diverse range of beverage exhibitors at the event, including many based in metro New York. In this podcast, we examine how the Summer Fancy Food Show has evolved to become an important event for beverage brands seeking local and national retail opportunities. We also discuss a thriving scene for Brooklyn-based food and beverage companies as seen at the convention and the ways that some are marketing the borough as part of their brand. Finally, we offer our take on some of our favorite products, some of which are featured in our photo gallery from the show.

After a whirlwind eight days in which BevNET produced three conferences, we've taken some much needed time to sit down and reflect. Beginning in Brooklyn, where BevNET sister sites Brewbound and Project NOSH held business conferences focused on the business of craft beer and natural packaged foods, the team traveled uptown to Manhattan for BevNET Live Summer 2016, a three-day event that attracted 500+ beverage industry professionals. In this edition of the podcast, we discuss an overarching theme of health and wellness that linked the three conferences. We also examine the evolution of BevNET Live's New Beverage Showdown competition and the categories in which entrepreneurs are identifying opportunities for innovative concepts. The discussion leads to one about the market for cold-pressed juice and RTD coffee and ways that some brands are attempting to stand out from the pack.

The following podcast features a captivating discussion with Fred Hart, the creative director at Interact, a Boulder-based branding and design firm. Hart offers his take on cutting edge design trends and spoke about a recent visit to Mexico City where he found inspiration for new methods of design and storytelling. He also shares an engrossing account of Interact's work and packaging and label refresh for Dogfish Head Brewery.

In Episode 10 of the BevNET Podcast, we sit down with Justin Prochnow, a partner at Greenberg Traurig, to discuss current legal and regulatory issues affecting the beverage industry. We spoke with Prochnow, an expert in legal requirements for labeling, about changes to the Nutrition Facts panel, which were revealed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May. Prochnow also discussed the FDA's guidance on use of "evaporated cane juice" on ingredient labels, the agency's view of the term being "false or misleading," and what it means for food and beverage companies that are using the term.

Beverage entrepreneurs hear it all the time: "how is your brand differentiated from what's currently available on the market?" It's often distributors, retailers and investors that are asking the question, and most brand owners answer with claims about enhanced flavor, function or health benefits as compared to competing brands. Sometimes, entrepreneurs will say that their brand is "creating a new category" and doesn't fit into standard beverage segments. But just how effective is that statement? More importantly, is grounded in reality? We examine the approach in this podcast and discuss attempts to position a brand as so novel that it belongs in its own category. We also look at potential challenges and pitfalls that entrepreneurs may encounter along the way.

We're just a few days away from BevNET Live Summer 2016, and with it the eleventh edition of the conference's signature beverage brand competition, the New Beverage Showdown. The competition will feature 15 early-stage entrepreneurs who will take the main stage to present their brands and business plans to a panel of expert judges for a chance at a $10,000 grand prize. In this podcast, we look back at previous editions of the Showdown and identify key attributes of successful presentations and commonalities among winners. We also discuss where some brands stumbled and things to avoid while under the spotlight.

The team had a chance to evaluate some products with beverage industry investor, advisor, board member and raconteur Ken Sadowsky when dropped by the BevNET Podcast studio for an interview recently. Sadowsky has had a front-row view of the growth of groundbreaking brands like Vitaminwater and Vita Coco, joined BevNET's Jeffrey Klineman and Jon Landis to talk about the strategic moves taken by successful beverage company leaders, some of the reasons that distributors can't stop listening to Bruce Springsteen, and what it means to be characterized by so many in the industry as "The Beverage Whisperer."

In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, Chris Furnari, the editor of Brewbound, joins us to discuss his takeaways from the massive, 14,000-attendee Craft Brewers Conference and Brew Expo America, including some of the factors that are enabling massive growth in the craft beer category. We also discuss the increasing amount of merger and acquisition activity in the space, the prospect of 10,000 U.S. craft breweries, and the ongoing "craft vs. crafty" debate that just won't die.

In this edition of the BevNET Podcast, we discuss the swelling ranks of premium water brands and efforts by marketers to stand out from the pack. We also examine why a growing number of beverage entrepreneurs are bypassing co-packers and opting to build their own production facilities.

In this podcast, BevNET CEO John Craven interviews Doug Evans, the founder and CEO of Juicero, a new high-tech countertop juicing machine. Recorded in Calabasas, Calif., Evans discusses the development of Juicero, its introduction to the market and how it fits into the expanding landscape for cold-pressed juice. He also responds to criticism about the unit's price tag ($700) and talks about his long-term vision for Juicero.

Every week we receive samples of new drinks sent to us from a wide variety of beverage companies, ranging from Red Bull to upstart cold-pressed juice shops. Most of the products are loaded into a cooler in the front of the office and available to everyone. While some drinks fly off the shelf, others sit around for weeks on end. In this podcast, we discuss why this happens and attempt to delineate the reasons behind consumption decisions in the office.

In this edition of the BevNET podcast, BevNET CEO John Craven sits down with Alex Matthews, the co-founder and CEO of Juice Served Here, a fast-growing cold-pressed juice chain based in Los Angeles. Founded in 2013, Juice Served Here launched 11 new locations in 2015 and plans to add three more this summer. As quickly as the company is expanding, Matthews and Juice Served Here executives recently pulled back on the reins as a way to reflect on operations, staff training and marketing campaigns for current stores. Matthews describes the initiative as "really healthy" and something that enabled for a clearer path forward. Matthews also discusses the thriving market for cold-pressed juice in Southern California -- "there's probably going to come a moment when there's a juicery on every street corner here in L.A.," he says -- and why he believes "staying true to your mission" will be the key factor for success among the growing range of juice companies in the region. Listen to this podcast for the full interview, which includes Matthews' comments on an increasingly competitive landscape for cold-pressed juice, why coffee and juice go hand-in-hand, and new technology in the category. As always, please send feedback, comments and ideas for future episodes to [email protected].

Discussing a growing trend in repurposing food waste, the pitfalls of cause-based marketing, a surging nut milk category and sugar as "public enemy number one."