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• What Starboard’s growing stake in KDP signals about the strategic’s path forward
• Everything you need to know about the CFO swapping between major water brands
• Details on a private label deal within the caffeinated sector

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Keurig Dr Pepper’s (KDP) mega-purchase of JDE Peet’s has attracted a new player to its table.

Activist investor Starboard Value has taken a sizable share in the soft drink giant, building its stake in the weeks since the $18 billion acquisition of the global coffee conglomerate was announced on August 25. 

Why it Matters: KDP’s blockbuster deal to cement itself as a global coffee leader seems like the kind of thing on paper that would excite shareholders. Instead, investors balked at the 11-figure merger, driving KDP’s stock price to a four-year low. Can Starboard come to the rescue? 

Insiders can access the full story to find out.

The CGA by NIQ Q3 2025 report reveals a dynamic on-premise market reshaping around new spending patterns and shifting category power. 

Spirits and RTDs continue to dominate in value share - spirits now hold 46.7% of total beverage dollars, while RTDs surged +34.7% year-over-year, driven by flavored cocktails and expanding distribution. 

The report also spotlights a consumer base balancing indulgence with intention. 37% of consumers are spending more per visit than last year, while half of those cutting back cite simply ordering fewer drinks.

Insiders can access the full report here.

Manna Beverages has listed both Nor-Cal Beverage Company productions centers for auction about a week after announcing it had ceased operations at the West Coast copacker, abruptly shuttering the plants and putting about 400 workers out of work.

Insiders can access the full story.

Walmart – the country’s largest grocery retailer – has partnered with ChatGPT parent company OpenAI today to enable consumers to make purchases directly within the AI platform via a feature known as Instant Checkout.

Insiders can access all of the details.

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If staying ahead is part of your job, this is your silver bullet.

How can a patient, craft-centric mindset give brands a competitive edge? Cy Cain, the founder and CEO of premium RTD cocktail brand Straightaway Cocktails, outlines a strategy rooted in deliberate, thoughtful growth over the pursuit of viral trends, and emphasizes the long-term value of investments in quality and brand integrity alongside partnerships with Costco, Alaska Airlines and Shake Shack.

Tune into the episode here. Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.