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• Could kratom get caught in the crossfire of federal regulation?
• Black Rifle Coffee Co. back in court over U.S.A claims
• The latest consumer price data and details on where inflation remains “sticky”

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Formulation alone isn’t enough to win in today’s beverage market. Success requires a system, one where ingredients, packaging, equipment, and go-to-market plans work in sync. This free resource, based on a Nombase podcast with MSI Express, shares how brands like yours can master the shift from benchtop to large-scale stick pack production while avoiding costly reformulations and delays. Learn more

It's a “sinister industry,” according to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but kratom beverage producers are not going down without a fight.

This week, Florida-based kratom RTD beverage maker Mitra-9 tallied a victory after facing a proposed class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. The plaintiff voluntarily withdrew her case after Mitra-9 filed a motion to dismiss last month, citing a discrepancy in the timeline. 

While the win in court comes on a technicality, the lawsuit itself could give a sense of the headwinds kratom brands may face from federal health officials, state and city lawmakers, and among private citizens.

Insiders can access the full story.

In just 23 days, BevNET Live (Dec. 7–9 in L.A.) will bring together more than 600 founders, investors, retailers, and partners, including Spindrift, TRIP, Coca-Cola, Poppi, UNFI, Sprouts, Health-Ade, LIFEAID, KeHe, and Whole Foods.

The hotel block is sold out, and registration is filling fast. See who’s attending and make sure your brand is in the room when the next chapter of beverage takes shape.

⏩ Register now >>

This week’s reviews feature a pretty clear distinction between indulgence (Dirty Mountain Dew) and function (Orange Toucan), but that doesn’t mean they both can’t be fun. 

📝 Check out our tasting notes here.

To submit your beverage product to BevNET for review, click here. And to browse past reviews, check the archive here.

Manna Beverages on Wednesday completed the sale of its West Sacramento, Calif., production facility to Redwood Beverage Group, a newly formed investment platform that aims “to become one of the nation’s leading beverage co-packing companies.”

Insiders can access the full story.

Amazon is planning to absorb all 100,000 Whole Foods employees, including frontline staff, into its core business structure, per a report this week.

Become an Insider for all of the details.

Here’s a look at leading headlines from around the beverage industry. Insiders get access to the full story.

1. Where Do Hemp THC Drinks Go From Here?
2. San Francisco Bar Star Aims to Disrupt RTDs With New Brand
3. Trip Brings in $40M To Build Brand, Community in US
4. Lucky Energy Closes $25M Round, Prepares For Innovation
5. Monster Touts Female-Focused Energy Innovation As Q3 Sales Pass $2B

You’ve sampled the headlines. Want the full story? BevNET & Nosh Insider allows you to dive deep into market shifts, brand strategies, competitive benchmarks, and more. It’s how the most successful food and beverage operators stay one step ahead.

A battle may be over, but has the war just begun? 

Baked into the deal to reopen the U.S. government is a provision that bans intoxicating hemp products. What does it mean for the future of THC-infused beverages? The hosts weigh in. 

They also sit down with Trip co-founder Olivia Ferdi, whose relaxation drink brand recently announced a $40 million funding round at a valuation of $300 million.

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