Mood Beverages: The Ingredients Spurring the Category Forward
Mood‑focused beverages are experiencing rapid growth as consumers seek natural ways to manage stress and emotions. Trust in botanical ingredients has risen sharply, with 66% of shoppers now viewing them as safer than conventional drugs, up from 38% two years ago. Ashwagandha leads the adaptogen segment with a 26% share projected for 2025, while a broad palette of herbs, mushrooms, and amino acids fuels product innovation. Brands must balance the appeal of a single hero ingredient against the efficacy of multi‑ingredient blends to capture market share.
Building an Alcohol-Free Beer Brand: Secrets to Success From Athletic Brewing and Lucky Saint
Lucky Saint has become the UK’s leading independent alcohol‑free beer, now on tap in roughly 10,000 pubs, bars and restaurants, including 85 Michelin‑starred venues, and was the first independent brand to launch draught non‑alc beer in 2020. Athletic Brewing, founded...
Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman in Merger Talks
Pernod Ricard and Brown‑Forman have entered exclusive talks about a merger‑of‑equals that would combine two of the world’s largest premium‑spirits producers. Both companies are similarly sized, with Brown‑Forman valued at $11.8 billion and Pernod Ricard at roughly $11.8 billion (≈€15.6 billion). The combined entity would...
RTDs and Protein Yogurts Boost Fonterra as Billion‑dollar Payout Nears
Fonterra’s half‑year results were buoyed by strong demand for high‑value dairy ingredients, especially protein‑rich RTD drinks and 20‑gram‑plus yogurts, which posted 10% and 65% annual growth respectively. The co‑op posted NZ$13.9 bn (≈$8.3 bn) revenue, NZ$1.23 bn (≈$0.74 bn) operating profit and is set...
Future of Coffee: How It Must Adapt to Survive
Climate change is eroding Arabica coffee’s traditional growing zones, with up to 20% of current areas projected unsuitable by 2050. Farmers are countering the stress through irrigation, shade trees, and heat‑tolerant varieties, while Robusta, a more resilient species, is expanding...
Danone Swoops to Buy Meal Replacement Brand Huel
Danone announced plans to acquire UK‑based meal‑replacement brand Huel, a move that bolsters its Renew strategy and expands its foothold in the fast‑growing complete nutrition segment. Huel reported over £200 m in revenue and nearly £14 m of pre‑tax profit for the...
Alc-Free Growth: Free AF Ramps up US Plans with Whole Foods, Kroger Launch
Free AF, the alcohol‑free beverage brand, is expanding in the United States by adding Whole Foods and Kroger to its retail network, bringing its presence to over 4,000 stores. The rollout introduces the Margarita Variety 4‑Pack and Apero Spritz 4‑Pack...
Brewers’ Global Search for Growth Opportunities
The beer industry in the United States and Western Europe has stalled at pre‑COVID volume levels, reflecting a broader shift toward low‑alcohol drinks and reduced consumption. Analysts label this a long‑term structural stagnation, prompting brewers to look beyond mature markets....
Low Alcohol, High Ambition: Future Château Eyes up Demand for Mid-Strength Wine
Future Château launched a premium low‑alcohol wine at 5% ABV, using traditional winemaking to retain classic aroma and structure. After a successful first vintage, the brand refined grape selection and blending, delivering a second vintage that 100% of blind‑taste participants...
Low and No Alcohol Wine: What to Look Out for in 2026
The alcohol‑free wine market is accelerating, with winemakers investing in premium grapes and refined dealcoholisation techniques to deliver wines that taste closer to their traditional counterparts. Brands like Eisberg are launching higher‑end tiers that preserve terroir and balance earlier in...
Why Instant Coffee Could Be Added to EUDR - and Implications for Industry
Instant coffee is currently omitted from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), a gap experts attribute to an oversight. The exclusion allows imports of instant coffee to bypass the regulation’s deforestation due‑diligence checks, creating a loophole for brands. The European Commission...
Tilray Brands Acquires BrewDog
Tilray agreed to acquire BrewDog's intellectual property, UK brewing operations and a portfolio of eleven profitable brewpubs for £33 million ($44 million). Separate talks are ongoing to purchase BrewDog's assets in the United States and Australia. BrewDog, once valued at roughly £2 billion,...
