Dairy Farmers of America Inc. (DFA), Kansas City, Kan., announced an agreement has been reached with Dean Foods (Dean) for the farmer-owned cooperative to become the stalking horse bidder to acquire a substantial portion of Dean's assets and business.

Vaughan, Ontario-based Ignite Beverages Inc., a subsidiary of Ignite International Brands Ltd., announced the addition of ZRO, a performance beverage, to its expanding portfolio. The new release is on the heels of unveiling its vodka and pH9 alkaline water products.

Natural Light, a brand of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, is back for the third consecutive year with $1 million to help fans with college debt as part of its 10 year, $10 million commitment to the Natural Light College Debt Relief Program.

Alcohol brands including Bacardi, Jackson Family Wines and Francis Ford Coppola Winery are partnering with digital meal planning service eMeals, Birmingham, Ala., to build online and digitally influenced grocery revenues. Strategies include menu pairings that place branded wine, beer and spirits recommendations as options on the weekly eMeals shopping list.

Lower-middle-market private equity firm Huron Capital announced that its platform company Ronnoco Beverage Solutions, a manufacturer and distributor of premium quality coffee, tea and related products, has acquired Trident Beverage, a provider of high-quality beverages and dispensing products for a variety of foodservice establishments.

PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y., announced the 10 emerging food and beverage brands that will join its second annual North America Greenhouse program. Each of the participating startups will receive $20,000 in grant funding and participate in a six-month business program designed to accelerate their growth through personalized mentorship. 

Tenth and Blake Beer Co., the U.S. craft division of Chicago-based Molson Coors Beverage Co., announced an agreement to acquire Detroit-based Atwater Brewery.

As the final wrap-up of 2019, the readers of Beverage Industry voted on their favorite new product. Compiled from the monthly winners of the Readers’ Choice: New Product of the Month poll, the voting took place Jan. 21 through Feb. 3.