• 🆕 This Week’s Hot New Sips
• 🏈 G.O.A.T. Fuel Drafts New Investor
• 🤝 BlueTriton, Primo's Merger Approvals 
• 🦉 Crooked Owl Drops Erythritol
• ➕ How To Give Modern Consumers Something ‘Better'

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Gopuff’s seemingly interminable search for growth has taken it deeper into digital advertising with the introduction of several new tools aimed at capturing more Gen Z and millennial consumers. 

The platform announced yesterday that it is teaming with AdAdapted to launch Brand Shops, pitched as “immersive brand experiences” (translation: fancy landing pages) with customizable integrated media that can be launched in just 72 hours. Pepsi (Gatorade) and Mondelēz – which offers packages for making ice cream sandwiches on its Chips Ahoy! page, for example – are already on board.

Sampling, another major piece of the Gopuff package, is also getting some tweaks and improvements, mainly by giving advertisers access to real-time data and insights, including engaging with recipients directly.

But perhaps most impactful is Gopuff’s move to be in more places – or everywhere, in the case of the internet. The company announced this week that it’s adopting AdAdapted’s Add-It carting technology, which allows for users to add branded items directly to their Gopuff cart simply by clicking an ad.

For a platform that’s kind of dependent to some degree on impulse buying – does anyone really need chili-lime coated Skittles Fuego delivered to your door? – removing barriers to purchase makes a lot of sense. But the partnership with AdAdapted for Add-It, as well as Brand Pages, is really about providing advertisers with more tools and reasons to get onboard.  

Amidst the squeeze of inflation and rising input prices, retail media has been a huge boon for major players like Walmart, Target and others. Gopuff’s launch of its own in-house ads platform in July signaled their intent to “put control, power, and visibility in the hands of our advertisers” Daniel Folkman, Gopuff’s SVP of Business, told AdWeek. The app has subsequently seen a 50% higher relevance score, driving a 25% increase in click-through-rates and a 24% increase in conversion, and a 30% drop in average cost-per-click for advertisers. 

And – facing rampant competition from omnipresent digital delivery platforms like Uber Eats, Door Dash and Grub Hub – serving advertisers is arguably more important than ever. Gopuff already introduced a third-party fulfillment and logistics service, Powered by Gopuff, in April that included the option of creating campaign-specific landing pages, a foundation that is now expanding with Brand Pages. After churning through $400 million last year, the company is under pressure to produce results, having laid off 6% of global staff this spring in the latest round of cuts, while targeting profitability by the end of this year. 

“As we continue to innovate to bring our partners more of what they need, we’re now providing them with best-in-class tools for better understanding, engaging with and selling more products to the customers who are most important to them,” Folkman said in a press release. “As we continue to transform the future of advertising, these new tools will help our partners reach the most relevant customers and drive incremental revenue.”

Go Deeper: Inside Gopuff’s Beverage Strategy

From zero-sugar juices to caffeine-free energy drinks, the latest edition of BevNET’s weekly New Products Gallery features innovations spanning all sides of the industry. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:

🎃 Clevr has expanded its portfolio of functional lattes with the release of Pumpkin Spice SuperLatte in collaboration with single-origin spice company Diaspora Co. The new variety features a science-backed formula of lower caffeine, low acidity coffee and adaptogens such as reishi and ashwagandha. 

🥤 Botanical soda producer Casamara Club launched its first non-alcoholic cocktail, Superclasico. The Italian-style aperitivo is crafted with sparkling water, red currant juice, demerara cane sugar, and lemon juice with extracts of Italian chinotto, kola nut and orris root. 

🍒 Seeking to meet growing consumer demand for nostalgia, 7-Up is set to launch a limited edition Shirley Temple flavor later this year. The new variety, described as a pomegranate and cherry soda, will be available in 12 oz. cans and 2-liter bottles, as reported by snackolater on Instagram. 

Check out the full new product gallery on BevNET.

Energy drink brand G.O.A.T. Fuel has drafted a new star investor with the addition of New York Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, joining a roster of other NFL stars now working with the brand.

🏃 Prior to Thibodeaux’s partnership, G.O.A.T. Fuel reported several other players had partnered with the business earlier this month as brand ambassadors, including the Jets’ Breece Hall, Houston Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. and Detroit Lions’ Terrion Arnold.

🐐 The sports-steeped brand was founded in 2019 by Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, his daughter and CEO Jaqui Rice Gold and her husband and chief brand officer Trevion Gold.

🏀 The addition of Thibodeaux to the cap table brings the brand’s lifetime financing to around $12 million. Previous investors include former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. and Minnesota Timberwolves owner Marc Lore.

BlueTriton Brands and Primo Water announced today they have received all necessary regulatory approvals to proceed with the all-stock merger. The deal, which was announced this summer, earned a green light from the Investment Canada Act (ICA) this week.

🇨🇦 The ICA approval follows the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act earlier this month, clearing the path for the merger to finalize.

✅ There’s still a few last steps to check off, including approval from Primo Water’s shareholders and court approval, but the companies anticipate the deal to close by the end of the year.

Catch Up: BlueTriton, Primo Water Merging to Form Publicly Traded Water Giant

Hard tepache producer Crooked Owl announced this week it has revamped its formulation to remove alternative sweetener erythritol. The beverage now utilizes natural fruit juices as its post-fermentation sweetener.

🌺 The change was made to reduce the use of natural flavor extracts in favor of steeping with spices, according to the brand. The new formulation will begin to roll out across its three flavors:  Pasión (passion fruit and hibiscus), Piña (cinnamon and ginger), and Jalapiña (mango, jalapeño, and habañero).

💬 “What’s so great about this shift is that we’re able make these subtle changes and actually improve the flavor our liquor, rather than compromise on the core promise we make to ourselves and our customers, which is to offer the best tasting Hard Tepache possible,” said Cam Bailey, co-founder and chief brand officer, in a press release.

⛔ Erythritol has come under fire in recent years after a study pointed to a possible link between consumption of the low-calorie sweetener and an elevated risk of blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death.

The gang’s all here… in San Diego. The hosts convene at BevNET’s west coast office where they talk about how Fly By Jing nailed its foray into a popular food category and also highlight the debut of a convenient ethnic comfort food brand and Olipop’s upgrade on a legacy soda flavor.

Listen to the episode now.