Carta Coffee Merchants expanded its offerings with the addition of a lighter roasted coffee: Meridian. 

Tea sales in the United States have shown strong growth in 2016, continuing the upswing in ready-to-drink (RTD) and refrigerated categories, according to Rockville, Md.-based Packaged Facts. In its new report “Tea and Ready-to-Drink Tea: U.S. Retail Market, 6th Edition,” the market research firm estimates tea sales slightly exceeded $7 billion in 2015, up almost 6 percent. By 2020, Packaged Facts expects retail sales of tea in the United States to close in on $9 billion for the first time, it says. 

In celebration of National Hot Cocoa Day on Dec. 13, Keurig Green Mountain Inc., Waterbury, Vt., and Swiss Miss, a brand of Chicago, Ill.-based ConAgra Brands Inc., are introducing two new varieties of Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa K-Cup pods. 

Boulder, Colo.-based Celestial Seasonings, a brand of The Hain Celestial Group Inc., is inviting tea lovers to celebrate the magic of the season with a free Candy Cane Lane Holiday Tea sample program on Facebook.

Founding Fathers Products expanded its offerings with the release of Founding Fathers Coffee. 

Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. announced that Kevin Johnson, president and chief operating officer (COO) and a seven-year member of the Starbucks Board of Directors, will expand his responsibilities and assume the role of president and chief executive officer, effective April 3, 2017.

Adding to its expanding portfolio of coffee beverages, Califia Farms introduced Black Label Cold Brew Coffees, a line of ready-to-drink (RTD), all black, cold-brew coffees. 

Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Oxnard, Calif.-based KeVita, a producer of fermented probiotic and kombucha beverages. The transaction will expand PepsiCo's health-and-wellness offerings in the premium chilled beverage space, the company says.