You’re receiving the Lite Edition of BevNET’s Daily Briefing. Join us as a BevNET & Nosh Insider to receive the full version, which includes:

• Inside HappyPop’s rise, latest retail gains and how it stands out in the emerging category
• Can conglomerates compete among entrepreneurs?
• The latest brand to extend into protein beverages
• Details on Diageo’s U.S. production pause

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From the playful rise of #WaterTok to the wellness appeal of prebiotic sodas, consumers are reshaping what they expect from a simple sip. Flavored water is leading the charge, bridging fun, function, and flavor in ways brands can’t afford to ignore. See where innovation is headed next. Learn more

Everybody has a reason to feel stressed right now, just read the news (...on BevNET, of course 😉) So it’s no wonder the mood-boosting and relaxation beverage category is continuing to surge.

• Back in January, GlobalData called “Mood Maintenance” a key consumer trend for 2025, with 82% of Gen Z and 84% of Millennials stating relaxation and mood boosting ingredients were “essential/nice to have” in their food and drinks.
• Meanwhile, adult NA sales have been growing by mid-double-digits, while energy and functional soda have also been among the strongest performing beverage categories in recent years. 
• Consumers, it seems, are eager to feel something (well something other than like crap after a night of hard drinking).

HappyPop is the latest to emphasize mood and relaxation, but with 100mg of caffeine in each 8.4 oz. can, its energy-positioning also helps to set it apart from the adult non-alc segment. 

Insiders can access the full story to understand the brand’s latest gains in this growing set.

To sparkle or not to sparkle? Whatever you fancy, we’ve got it this week. Need some bubbles? Talk to sparkling tea specialists Birdie. Good without? See Mateina and its non-carbonated yerba mate RTDs. Or for something truly disruptive, check out Strive‘s take on “hydration soda.” 

📝 Check out all of our tasting notes right here.  

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

Legendary wild man (and now eight years sober) Charlie Sheen isn’t slowing down, he’s just ditching the booze. The ‘80s icon has teamed up with Harpoon Brewery and brand shop The Silent Group to release a new non-alcoholic beer, Wild AF Brewing. 

Insiders can access the full story for all of the details on this new joint venture.

In June 2025, UNFI was hit by a cyberattack and forced to shut down its entire network. The result? Diminished store shelves and a huge hit to UNFI’s gross profit margins -- and maybe even YOURS. If the UNFI attack caught you off guard, it's time to start playing offense. Learn more

Hy-Vee debuted a new partnership with nutrition intelligence platform FoodHealth Company, becoming the first grocery retailer to bring the color-coded, numerical nutritional score directly to products sold in-store. 

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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.

This week, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard discuss the most recent twist in Ben & Jerry’s battle with Unilever as co-founder Jerry Greenfield steps down from his iconic ice cream brand.

• Need more high-protein drinks? Lukas discusses how Slate Milk has ridden the trend to a $23 million investment.
• How will SlimFast fare under another new owner? Monica explains how the diet brand could have a rebirth under Spenda-owner Heartland Food Products Group.
• Hear about the newest celebrity to enter NA beers. Hint: He is “winning” again.

Click here to listen to this week’s episode. Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

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