In case you hadn’t heard (I’m sure you have), bottled water overtook carbonated soft drinks as the No. 1 beverage sold in the United States based on volume in 2016. With consumers showing their love for bottled water, it is no wonder that brand owners are introducing new products into this category.

St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch (A-B), a wholly owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, announced that its Michelob Ultra brand launched ULTRA 95, a free, dedicated skill on Amazon Alexa.

With the start of spring, Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co. announced new Teavana tea beverages: Teavana Shaken Iced White Tea and Teavana Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte. The teas, along with the regional roll-out of ready-to-drink (RTD) Teavana Craft Iced Teas, will be available at Starbucks stores in the Northeast United States, the company says.

Joplin, Mo.-based Vivify Beverages LLC announced the launch of Bravazzi Hard Italian Soda. Available in three citrus flavors — Grapefruit, Limonata and Blood Orange — Bravazzi is a gluten-free sparkling alcohol beverage that delivers an authentic, all-natural Italian soda experience, the company says.

Casa Modelo, a brand of Victor, N.Y.-based Constellation Brands Inc., announced the launch of its newest ready-to-serve chelada: Modelo Chelada Tamarindo Picante. The second chelada flavor to join the Casa Modelo portfolio, Modelo Chelada Tamarindo Picante celebrates traditional Mexican ingredients — chipotle peppers and tamarind — to offer fans of Modelo a spicy yet sweet taste profile that embraces one of the most popular and growing flavor trends: the desire for unique, authentic flavor combinations, the company says. 

Plano, Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) announced that reported net sales were up for the fourth quarter as well as the year.

Kohler Co., Kohler, Wis., announced that Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates is broadening its offerings with the launch of Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates Chocolate Mint Brandy. Incorporating the company’s exclusive blend of chocolate, the new brandy is naturally infused with Kohler’s all natural, 72 percent dark chocolate and provides a fresh minty taste, the company says. The Chocolate Mint Brandy will be released this month and will be available at Destination Kohler as well as other select retailers and restaurants in the Wisconsin area.  

Portland, Ore.-based Eastside Distilling Inc., a producer of hand-crafted spirits, announced the acquisition of MotherLode Craft Distillery, also based in Portland, Ore., and a provider of bottling services and production support to craft distilleries. Since its founding in 2014 by Allen Barteld, the mission of MotherLode has been to enable craft distillers to increase their production and extend their product lines, reducing cost and increasing efficiency, thereby freeing them to focus on their craft, the company says. The typical MotherLode customer is a distillery of small batch, hand-crafted spirits, or a premium craft spirit sold as a private label, it adds.

Stoli Vodka, a brand of Stoli Group USA LLC, New York, is returning to TV with a new commercial for the first time in seven years. As part of the biggest multimedia campaign since the inception of Stoli Group USA, the new television spot, titled "THE Vodka," uses a montage to celebrate the pioneering heritage of Stoli through the lens of those who drink it, the company says. The 30-second spot will run on TV during live sports and late night in target markets beginning March 13 with national digital distribution to include sports and lifestyle properties and premium full-episode players, it adds.