Just two years ago, The New York Times was printing lengthy exposés on the latest craze in the sober-curious movement: kava bars. A year later, the city went to work on shutting them all down. This week that campaign got the greenlight from a Manhattan judge, who ruled that New York City public health and safety officials have the authority to close bars and restaurants serving drinks made from kava, the psychoactive plant from the Pacific Islands traditionally and socially used for relaxation. The case in question involved a tiki-themed cafe called Kavasutra, with the owners arguing that steeped kava drinks count as single-ingredient foods, per the FDA. But the judge harshed their mellow, declaring kava an illegal food additive – one with a reported history of dangerous side effects at that. While kava itself – that is, the plant – is not banned in NYC, kava-based beverages are formally forbidden. This latest ruling paves a path for even more kava bar closures in the Big Apple. Industry group The Kava Coalition strongly opposed the decision, claiming it relied on “discredited allegations” around kava’s supposed impact on the liver. What’s more: the Coalition cited a March 2025 FDA letter that confirmed steeped kava drinks count as single-ingredient foods, suggesting that New York’s laws may actually conflict with federal policy. Reminder: Kava has emerged in the beverage industry via brands like Melo, Leilo, White Rabbit, New Brew and Mitra9, but there’s still questions around regulatory approval in the U.S. Brands have also found themselves tangled up in the increasingly popular – and allegedly addictive – blend of kava and kratom, another plant with euphoric effects existing in a legal gray zone. Also this week, the FDA announced it will begin a crackdown of its own on concentrated, synthetic kratom products. That move will likely impact bars in Florida, where kratom and kava have similarly enjoyed on-premise success. There’s little word right now on how these regulatory moves might affect CPG brands, but it does signal that prospective kava and kratom purveyors should proceed with kaution. Insiders can read the full story on BevNET to understand what this means for CPG brands. | 
