• 💰 SipMargs Lands $3M
• ☕ Westrock Ends Q4 On High Note
• 🫵 Update In The 7-Eleven Takeover 
• 📈 UNFI Raises 2025 Outlook
• 🆕 What Else Is New?

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Kate Farms built its name as a go-to meal replacement brand in the children’s ward. Can it replicate that success in the Kid’s Nutrition aisle?

The medical-grade, plant-based beverage maker is launching a new line of plant-based Kids Nutrition drinks this week in 302 Target stores across the country, and online at Target.com. It’s a big leap into mainstream distribution for the brand after years focused on the healthcare sector. Its current footprint totals over 1,500 hospitals..

CEO Brett Matthews told BevNET that the move was precipitated by “demand and need” – from retailers, consumers and doctors who recommend the brand to their patients.

The timing of the mainstream distribution push makes sense when you consider all the trends Kate Farms checks off: plant-based, better-for-you, high protein.

Protein in particular has been in high demand of late – just look at the myriad protein plays across food and beverage on display at Natural Products Expo West last week. 

Kate Farms is also liable to find some competition in retail, albeit few brands will be able to tout the same pedigree among medical professionals. 

• Nevertheless, last year saw the launch of Koia Kids, another plant-based shake brand touting 9 grams of protein per 8 oz. bottle. 
• There’s also kid-focused products in this set from Orgain and Ripple on shelves as well.

But Matthews says that Kate Farms intends to put its laurels forward, and Target may just be the beginning of a bigger expansion into promoting the brand’s daily use potential.

“From a marketing perspective, really having the peer-to-peer and the doctor recommendation are key parts,” he said.

Read the full story on BevNET.

Canned sparkling margarita brand SipMargs has landed a fresh $3 million investment and new backers, including an influencer known for making products fly off the shelves. 

🤳 Powerhouse social media TikToker Alix Earle has joined the company’s investor roster and will pitch in on its creative direction. 

🎛️ Music producer Kygo’s hospitality company, Palm Tree Crew, which has also invested in RTD cocktail maker the Finnish Long Drink, is joining as well.

🧪 SipMargs launched in 2021 but has yet to scale growth, according to its CEO. With new firepower, the brand stepped back to reformulate its liquid for a less carbonated, more fruit-forward and higher quality tequila cocktail. 

Learn more about the investment and how SipMargs is testing out an influencer-backed strategy while it expands into new markets.

Westrock Coffee Company touted a dozen new “major” brand product developments and manufacturing partners signed late last year during its Q4 and full year 2024 earnings report this week. Those moves helped push EBITDA growth over 50%.

📈 Q4 net sales were up 6.5% to $229 million, however, net sales were down 1.6% for the full twelve-months to $850.7 million. 

🏭 Westrock opened up its Conway, Ark. production facility last year, but the site only recently met production capacity potential, contributing to results that did not include “any meaningful sales” from that location, CEO Scott Ford cautioned during yesterday’s earnings call.

➕ Outlook is positive for 2025 and beyond, the company claimed, anticipating strong volume growth in its core coffee business via retail customers and the realization of cost saving initiatives.

Go Deeper: Dairy Farmers of America Accuses Westrock Coffee of Trade Secret Theft in Lawsuit

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Negotiations are heating up over Alimentation Couche-Tard’s takeover bid for Japanese operator of 7-Eleven, Seven & i Holdings Co. Couche-Tard criticized 7&i for its “disappointing” engagement in acquisition talks, in a statement released Monday.

💰 Couche-Tard submitted a revised proposal last month but did not disclose the offered sum. The Canadian operator initially posted a $38 billion offer that was later upped to $45 billion. Both bids were rejected by 7&i..

🏪 Last week, 7&i announced a plan to pursue a U.S. IPO for its North American c-stores in the second half of the year.

🤷 The future of 7-Eleven remains in flux as an internal, $58 billion bid by the parent company’s founding family fell through in February after the party couldn’t secure proper funding.

Catch Up: 7-Eleven Buyout Bid Falls Through

UNFI’s net sales rose 4.9% to $8.2 billion during Q2 as it continues to execute a realignment of its wholesale business. Here are some key numbers:

• Conventional products sales were up 2%. 
• Total retails sales were down 3% due to five store closures over the past 12 months.
• Net loss was $3 million compared to $15 million in Q2 2024. 
• Adjusted EBITDA grew 13.3% to $145 million.

💭 “We are laser-focused on improving processes and removing waste so we are better able to bring value and improve service levels to our customers and suppliers,” said CFO Matteo Tarditi during the call on Tuesday, noting the efforts have already delivered low single-digit productivity gains.

⏩ UNFI again raised its outlook for fiscal 2025 across all metrics except capital spend, forecasting sales of $31.3 billion to $31.7 billion (previously $30.6 billion to $31 billion). 

Insiders can read the full earnings recap on Nosh.

It’s Hump Day! Here’s a look at the new drops and activations from the first half of the week.

🥤 Zevia unveiled its “Get the Fake Outta Here” campaign starring Grammy-nominated artist Jelly Roll. 

⚽ Just weeks after the fallout from its Super Bowl LIX marketing stunt, Poppi is going after the other football (a.k.a. soccer) after being named the official soda of Inter Miami CF. Poppi also marked its first movie collab with the upcoming “A Minecraft Movie.” 

🏀 RTD cocktail brand BuzzBallz is celebrating 86 years of March Madness with BuzzBallz Big Blue BBallz – basketball-sized and -textured ball cans that hold the equivalent of 17 regular-sized (200ml) Berry Cherry Limeade BuzzBallz. 

🧁 Sports nutrition brand REDCON1 announced a multi-year partnership with Hostess it believes will “redefine protein with innovative product collaborations.”

🌕 Capri Sun is entering a new phase with the debut of Moon Punch, its first glow-in-the-dark pouch, ahead of the Total Lunar Eclipse on March 14.

🎥 Diet Coke introduced its “Know the Signs” campaign, highlighting the importance of taking a break during busy days with a playful film series featuring a voiceover from actress Kristen Wiig.