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Target made headlines on Friday when it began stocking shelves with intoxicating hemp beverages, marking a potentially major shift in distribution opportunities for the category.

Unsurprisingly, the mass retailer chose to dip its toe into the hemp-derived THC set within the relative quiet of its backyard (read: Minneapolis). Minnesota remains one of the most progressive states for THC drinks, using the innovation (and Farm Bill loophole) to open the door for craft brewers to expand into the space.

Target selected six Minnesota-based brands, along with five other out-of-state brews, to build out the shelf. The retailer stuck to 5mg THC dosages for nearly all the options (except Cann, which has both 2mg and 5mg varieties) and is stocking 4-packs and 12-packs on-shelf and in refrigerated. What does this mean for the category?

🎁 Gift Link! Read the full story to find out – even if you’re not yet an Insider. 

Tepache maker De La Calle’s makeover into a “modern Mexican soda” began this summer, but the transition hasn’t happened in one fell swoop. 

Insiders can access the full story.

Kylie Jenner’s canned cocktail brand Sprinter Spirits has raised over $4 million in new investment as part of a $12 million round, according to a SEC Form D filed on Friday. 

Insider can access all of the details.

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

1. Manna Beverages Shutters All California Operations, Terminates Employees
2. Liquid Death Partners with Big Geyser for NYC Distribution
3. PepsiCo Says “Fiber will be the next protein,” After Q3 Volume Declines
4. Prime Sues Más+ by Messi Over False Advertising Claim
5. Death Match: Death Wish Sues Liquid Death Over Plans for Coffee Launch [Updated]

Happy Indigenous People’s Day. It appears many of you took today off, but not all of us over here at BevNET. We’ll be doing what we always do – keeping a pulse on non-alcoholic beverage news. 

And maybe just today we’ll kick back with some non-alcoholic beers while we do it… or non-non-alcoholic beer, “the first non-alcoholic beverage that's over 96% alcohol [with] the same great taste as non-alcoholic beer, but with more alcohol than any beverage currently on the market.”

This is what we call innovation. Now time to do some market research 🫡 

(Don’t fear, this isn’t real, but its spot on Saturday Night Live is…)