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After sharing a tease on Tuesday night, Pepsi unveiled its full 2026 innovation pipeline at the NACS c-store trade show in Chicago this week, showcasing both bold swings and subtle tweaks across a range of beverage categories including protein, soda, coffee, sports drinks and tea.  

Insiders can access the full story.

From autumn-inspired instant lattes to alcohol-free spirits, this week’s new product gallery has a beverage for every time of day. 

This edition includes a first look at Uncle Matt’s foray into the yerba mate category, Sylva’s latest collaboration with The Zero Proof, FORALL Nutrition’s flavorless, protein-infused water and more. 

🆓 Access the full gallery here.

There’s two main themes in our reading lineup this week: shortages and the impact of short form content. Let’s start with the latter…

📶 User-generated content may be out, but the pendulum isn’t swinging back to glossy, expensive ad campaigns either, or at least that's the bet 203 Media founder and CEO Josh Suggs is making. The Wall Street Journal dove into the growing trend of the man on the street interview and how the stalwart local news tactic is now being deployed across CPG marketing strategies to generate real time product feedback, and hopefully a few glowingly authentic soundbites.  

☕ It seems no one can function without coffee, not even Congress (is this what caused the shutdown?!). The Atlantic explores the motivations and “funny place” from which the recently introduced No Coffee Tax Act spawned, highlighting that access to a morning cup of joe might be the only thing both sides of the aisle can agree on.

💚 For all of you non-coffee addicts, don’t feel lonesome: there’s shortage worries for you, too. While it's always been a niche product in Japan, its country of origin, the matcha craze has taken off in America, despite a “well-publicized shortage,” The New York Times writes this week. Amid the green rush, fraudulent product and marketing prowess has pushed demand to new heights. 

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Is Target about to normalize THC drinks? The team unpacks a potentially game-changing move by the retail giant, and what it could mean for the future of cannabis beverages. They explore the regulatory roadblocks and why the move might be a tipping point. 

Plus, why PepsiCo is calling fiber “the next protein,” and a look at CPG innovations, including a surprisingly convenient twist on tomato paste.

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