Soft drinks company to purchase 10 percent minority stake in coffee company
February 6, 2014
The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (GMCR), Waterbury, Vt., have signed a 10-year agreement to collaborate on the development and introduction of The Coca-Cola Co.’s global brand portfolio for use in GMCR’s forthcoming Keurig Cold at-home beverage system. Under the global strategic agreement, GMCR and The Coca-Cola Co. will cooperate to bring the Keurig Cold beverage system to consumers around the world. In an effort to align long-term interests, the companies also entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement whereby The Coca-Cola Co. will purchase a minority equity position in GMCR.
Acquisition adds 40 craft beers to A-B’s portfolio
February 6, 2014
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch (A-B), the U.S. arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev, announced it has agreed to purchase Blue Point Brewing Co., a Long Island, N.Y.-based craft brewer that has more than 40 beers and sales concentrated along the East Coast. The move will bring additional resources to Blue Point's operations, allowing it to meet growing consumer demand for its brands, A-B says. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Whiskeys also paced steady growth within US market
February 5, 2014
American distilled spirits exports broke new records in 2013, crossing the $1.5 billion threshold, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), New York. This growth was driven by premium bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, which exceeded the $1 billion mark for the first time, it reported at its annual briefing for Wall Street analysts.
Two Budweiser spots appear on Ace Metrix’s list of most effective ads, while two Bud Light commercials make the least effective ads list
February 4, 2014
Ace Metrix, Mountain View, Calif., revealed the top-performing ads of Super Bowl XLVIII, which honed in on heroes, inspiration and patriotism with the least amount of humor in years, it reports.
Partnership to expand East Coast retail distribution of enhanced-water brand
February 4, 2014
Oakland, N.J.-based blk. Beverages announced a new distribution agreement with Big Geyser Inc., Maspeth, N.Y. Big Geyser now will act as the exclusive distributor of blk. Beverages’ fulvic-enhanced mineral water brands blk. and blk.+ with distribution throughout New York City and its five boroughs — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island — as well as Westchester, Long Island, Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Partnership with KeHe will expand the organic beverage’s reach
February 4, 2014
Epicurex LLC, North Miami Beach, Fla., announced that it will partner with natural and specialty food distributor KeHe to distribute its Cocozia 100 percent organic coconut water across the state of Florida.
New coffees available in select Walmart stores Feb. 10
February 4, 2014
Inspired by the signature coffees available at its doughnut shops, Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. is bringing its iced coffees to retail store shelves in ready-to-drink (RTD) bottles. Starting Feb. 10, RTD varieties of Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Iced Coffee and Krispy Kreme Mocha Iced Coffee will be available at more than 900 Walmart locations throughout the United States.
Holland, Mich.-based New Holland Brewing Co. announced a collaboration with Carhartt, a Dearborn, Mich.-based work wear brand, to brew a craft beer in honor of the clothing manufacturer’s 125th anniversary. The new brew will pay tribute to the hard-working people who wear Carhartt clothing, the companies say.
Real Inspiration Blend coffee inspired by Pinterest fans
February 3, 2014
To celebrate the creativity of Pinterest users and the launch of its new Real Inspiration Blend coffee, Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffee will unveil a 64-foot-tall Living Pinterest Board in the Mall of America on Feb. 3. Like the social media site, the display will offer interactive components with the goal of spreading inspiration to shoppers in the Bloomington, Minn., mall.