The Weekly Sip is Food Dive’s column focused on the latest news in the rapidly changing and growing beverage sector. From inaugural product lines to big investments and controversial topics, this column aims to quench the thirst for developments in the category.
Jones Soda refreshes C-suite with new CEO, CFO
Jones Soda named its third CEO in the last two years, with coffee and bagel veteran Scott Harvey taking over the role.
Harvey most recently served as president of Dunn Brothers Coffee, a chain of coffee shops in seven states, with previous stints with Black Rifle Coffee, Nathan’s Famous and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group. He replaces Paul Norman, Jones’ Chairman, who took over as CEO on an interim basis when David Knight left the company after 16 months at the helm.
In addition to Harvey, Jones named Brian Meadows as its chief financial officer. Meadows has experience in the CPG and food ingredients industries, most recently serving as CFO for Simply Better Brands Corporation.
The executive appointments come as Jones is rapidly expanding beyond the quirky sodas that have defined the 30-year-old company in an effort to generate growth.
Most recently, Jones entered the functional beverage category with Pop Jones, an all-natural prebiotic drink. It also launched a beverage with added caffeine, a hard craft soda combining its pure cane sugar soda flavors with hard ciders and a zero sugar cola. It’s also ventured into the cannabis segment with Mary Jones.
“I’m impressed with the steps that Jones has taken to expand beyond its craft soda roots by adding new product lines and formats that I believe are aligned with the preferences of today’s consumer,” said Harvey said in a statement. “The Company’s strategic plan provides a clear path to leveraging that foundation to achieve profitability.”
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Absolut
Pernod Ricard shakes up RTD cocktails with 2 classic flavors
Absolut wants to make it easier to host your next party with its latest launches.
The vodka brand debuted two new varieties of its ready-to-serve cocktails sold in glass bottles: Espresso Martini and Classic Cosmopolitan. The former contains a blend of vodka, Kahlúa rum and coffee liqueur with espresso hints.
Both cocktails are meant to “enhance hosting occasions” and make it easier for party hosts to serve “bar-quality” drinks, according to the release.
The Pernod Ricard-owned brand is also diving further into the crowded RTD canned cocktail space with three new varieties: Classic Mule, Classic Cosmo and Half & Half Tea Lemonade. On top of that, the vodka maker is expanding its collaboration with cranberry juice brand Ocean Spray through two new flavors of its cocktails: White Cran-Peach and Cran-Mango.
As alcohol giants look to grow beyond the traditional wine, beer and spirits categories, the RTD cocktail space has proven to be a popular segment for innovation. Consumers opting to drink at home have a slew of options, from Jack Daniel’s collaboration with Coca-Cola to Surfside’s vodka-infused tea and lemonades.
Ready-to-drink cocktails were valued at $3.2 billion last year. They are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.4% through 2030, according to Grand View Research.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Celsius
Celsius taps into nostalgia for latest energy drink flavor
A leader in the energy drink category is hoping a blast from the past can make new waves with consumers.
Celsius announced the latest addition to its portfolio, the Retro Vibe flavor, meant to hearken back to the time of “roller rinks, arcades, cassette tapes, chill beach vibes, and living life in the moment,” according to Kyle Watson, the company’s chief marketing officer.
Its taste profile includes notes of raspberry, orange and lime, resembling a scoop of sherbet, according to the press release. The drink contains B vitamins and zero sugar.
“We channeled that carefree energy into every sip, giving you a taste of nostalgia with a modern twist,” Watson said. “RETRO VIBE transports you to a sweeter, simpler time — one can at a time.”
The flavor is available at Target, according to the brand.
Celsius has made a splash in the energy drink space through a better-for-you, wellness-themed approach along with bold flavors such as Peach Vibe and Kiwi Guava.
The Florida-based company is expanding beyond energy drinks. Last week it launched Celsius Hydration powder stick products to compete with competitors such as Unilever’s Liquid I.V. The move comes as part of its push to become a “lifestyle” brand with products consumers can turn to at different times of the day.
— Chris Casey
