• New MXXN Rising
• Jones Soda Co. Exits Marijuana Biz
• Patco Picks California Beverage Solution
• SPINS Acquires Datasembly
• Ketone-IQ Brings in Jon Jones
• Now Streaming: Taste Radio

It’s old hat for DSD houses to lose a big brand after an exit, but with Alani Nu, it’s not so clear what Celsius might do.

Nearly two in three U.S. beer distributors expect to lose the fast-rising, female focused energy drink brand sometime in the near future. So why are they still putting everything they’ve got behind it?

According to the latest Beverage Bytes survey of beer distributors by Goldman Sachs Equity Research, 64% anticipate Alani will move to a new distribution network sooner or later following its $1.8 billion acquisition by Celsius earlier this year, which helped push Celsius’ own total U.S. revenue past the $3 billion milestone.

Yet 93% of those distributors also said it’s still a top priority and they won’t de-emphasize sales.

The survey reflected the views of around 50 distributors aligned with a number of top beer producers, with coverage of roughly 46% of all U.S. alcohol retail outlets throughout the country.

Celsius has a core distribution partner in PepsiCo, so integrating Alani onto blue trucks sounds like the natural next step. But Pepsi has significantly trimmed its purchase of Celsius inventory and already has two other energy brands (Rockstar and Mountain Dew) to manage. 

Some distributors are still bullish they’ll hold on to Alani, arguing the brand would get “targeted focus over the long haul” and that independent DSD houses would likely give it more attention than a strategic would. But Celsius has only said it’s still working Alani into its business… 

What does that mean? Insiders can read the full story on BevNET.

Hemp-derived THC drinks and non-alcoholic beverages are two of the hottest trends in beverage right now – but it wasn’t always like this. 

• When Darnell Smith launched THC-infused zero-proof spirits brand MXXN (pronounced “moon”) in 2021, he was one of the first to land in the emerging space. 
• Now, he’s looking to catch a summer tailwind with the brand’s first new SKU in four years: the white rum-inspired Barbados Blanco. 
• The product comes in at the high-end of the market – retailing for $79.99 – which may be a tall ask for consumers used to buying single-serving RTDs. 

Jones Soda Co. is moving out of the marijuana industry after divesting its Mary Jones product line to privately held cannabis business MJ Reg Disrupters LLC. 

• Jones will maintain ownership and control of its hemp-derived offerings, which it can extend beyond the recreational marijuana channel.
• The deal will deliver $3 million to Jones Soda, consisting of $489,399 in cash and the other roughly $2.5 million paid over the next three years as part of a promissory note.

💬 The transaction comes as Jones works to prioritize its “core soda offerings, modern functional beverages, and emerging adult beverage category” (which includes both bev-alc options and intoxicating hemp drinks), said new CEO Scott Harvey in a statement.

📉 The company continues to right the ship after it saw sales slip across many of its segments and shed key leadership in 2024.

Read the full story on BevNET.

California spirits and ready-to-drink suppliers are scattering to new distribution homes as Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) winds down operations in the Golden State. 

Up Next: Rancho La Gloria producer, Patco Brands, is headed to California Beverage Solution. The family-owned company was founded in 2012 on a small tequila business and has grown into one of the largest producers of agave wine RTDs.

• Patco initially partnered with CBS in 2024 to bring its newer innovation, Big Sipz, to market, and the rest of the portfolio will now follow suit. 
• CBS operates an alliance of seven distributors, which was originally formed to compete with larger, multistate wholesalers. Now, it has one less competitor.

Read the full story on BevNET.

Today, data intelligence provider SPINS announced the acquisition of Datasembly, a retail platform focused on hyperlocal, real-time pricing and promotion analytics. 

The transaction addresses a “critical blind spot” in CPG intelligence: the lack of consistent access to store-level pricing data across markets and categories, according to SPINS CEO Jay Margolis.

The deal marks SPINS’ second acquisition in two months as it works to deliver deeper, more actionable insights. In May, the company acquired Lucky Labs to strengthen its capabilities in the beauty and wellness spaces.

💭 “Datasembly was founded on the belief that complete, transparent access to pricing data could transform how brands and retailers operate. Joining forces with SPINS allows us to expand that mission and bring our real-time capabilities to an even broader set of partners,” said Ben Reich, co-founder of Datsembly, in a press release. 

Read the full story on BevNET.

Mixed martial artist superstar Jon Jones is leaving the Octagon, but he’s already found his next bout: The c-suite of functional beverage brand Ketone-IQ as the company’s Chief Performance Officer and a co-owner of the business.

• The timing of the announcement is a bit messy: Jones was charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly fleeing the scene of a car accident in February in New Mexico this weekend, shortly after the retirement announcement came out.
• While Jones is only facing the misdemeanor, the story is a bit more scandalous as police released a video showing police on the phone with a man, alleged to be Jones, who makes threats on the officer’s life. 

💬 “It’s been great in the cage, but I want my true legacy to be the way that I conduct business, putting my best foot forward in everything that I do,” Jones wrote on Instagram. 

How did a company that deliberately avoided a traditional marketing playbook become a billion-dollar player in sports nutrition and energy? Dan Lourenco, the co-founder and CEO of Ghost, talks about the brand’s path from niche sports nutrition startup to household name in the beverage and active lifestyle space.

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