Celsius Holdings Inc., Delray Beach, Fla., announced several new partnerships, including RL Lipton, a beer and soft drink distributor in northern Ohio, for distribution of its Celsius calorie-burning beverage. The company also signed Bernick’s Beverages & Vending for distribution in central and northern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, and Alaska Distributors Co., for distribution in Washington. In addition, the company says its products now are available in Meijer Supercenters and Walgreens stores in Michigan.

Vital Lifestyle Water, Calgary, Alberta, has signed with Southco Distributing of Goldsboro, N.C., to carry its products in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and Ohio. Vital Lifestyle waters contain vitamins and minerals and are sweetened with Fruit Up fruit extract.

Ann Thrupp, head of Fetzer Vineyards’ sustainability and environmental efforts, has been appointed to the National Research Council’s Committee on 21st Century Systems Agriculture. As part of the National Academy of Sciences, the committee will produce a study with the goal of increasing environmental awareness and understanding and adopting sustainable agriculture practices worldwide.

Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages has signed an agreement with CKE Restaurants, parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants, for fountain beverage sales. CSAB will have two fountain brands available in all U.S. Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants, including Dr Pepper and either Diet Dr Pepper or Squirt, depending on location.

Beam Global Spirits and Wine, Deerfield, Ill., says it has reorganized its DeKuyper cordial and liqueur line into five product families based on usage occasions. The new segments include DeKuyper Luscious, DeKuyper Burst, DeKuyper Pucker, DeKuyper Signature and DeKuyper Flavored Brandy, and are based on flavor profile and whether the liqueur is used as a mixer, sipper, shot or after-dinner drink. New product packaging and merchandising that reflects each family will support the re-positioning.

Castle Brands Inc., New York City, has entered into an agreement with Autentica Tequilera to develop and launch a new brand of super-premium tequila called Tequila Tierras Autenticas de Jalisco. Castle Brands will be the exclusive importer and marketer of Tierras in the United States.

Pernod Ricard USA, White Plains, N.Y., has placed a full-page ad in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue to help combat underage drinking. The ad is aimed at parents and encourages them to accept responsibility for controlling potentially harmful behavior by their children.

“We could not think of a better platform for our message ... one in which our message would be so seemingly out of place, so disruptive, that readers couldn’t help but notice it,” said Dave Warren, co-founder of Fly Communications, which created the campaign.

WheyUp, Gilbert, Ariz., says its products will be sold at 140 Ralphs Grocery stores beginning in the second quarter of 2008. WheyUp is a sports drink that contains 20 grams of whey protein.

Jetset Beverages Inc. signed an agreement with BevMo! beverage stores to carry its product line of energy drinks and energy mixers California and Arizona.

Glazer’s, Dallas, has expanded the curriculum to be offered by Glazer’s Beverage University, the company’s eLearning educational Web site, to include Wines of the World, a seven-unit program on wine production in each of the world’s major wine producing countries, including France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and the United States. Within each country, the program focuses on production zones, geography, the impact of soil and climate on the vinification process, production methods, major grape varieties and the wines they produce, as well as quality classification and wine laws as they pertain to labeling.

Florida Beverage Sales of Pensacola will distribute DNA Energy Drink in a territory that covers Florida’s Panhandle to Jacksonville and into Mobile, Alabama.

Hiball Energy, San Francisco, will now be available through Whole Foods Markets nationwide, the company announced. The products will be distributed by United Natural Foods Inc.

“Hiball is a great fit for Whole Foods Market because it's a unique product in a cool-looking package that offers an alternative to the standard energy drink,” said Perry Abbenante, Whole Foods Market’s senior global grocery coordinator, in a statement.

New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, Colo., has pledged a portion of its sales to help the planet through One Percent for the Planet, a group of about 800 businesses, 1,500 nonprofit organizations and consumers. The company says the pledge will support nearly 150 sustainability-oriented nonprofits in 2008.

Burn Energy Drink is now available for sale via an online store at sourcedrinks.com. The company will promote its online store through consumer advertising in markets where it does not currently have retail distribution.

Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines has agreed to acquire Rosenblum Cellars for $105 million. The company says the acquisition gives it a brand primarily focused on Zinfandel, filling an important strategic spot in the lineup. The transaction is expected to be complete in the first quarter of the year.