As we continue to unpack news and insights from the NACS trade show in Atlanta earlier this month, our latest recap highlights more expansion from GHOST’s beverage platform, a bigger bottle for Lemon Perfect and the end of Coke’s experiment in conventional sparkling water. 

👻 The more the company grows (+$404 million over 52-weeks ended Sept. 9, per Nielsen), the more confidence GHOST seems to take in extending its lifestyle-fitness positioning into new categories and product types. And while not officially on display at NACS, the brand shared an early look at its newest innovation for early 2024: a five-SKU line of hydration drinks that represents its first release in resealable 16.9 oz bottles. We sampled Lemon Lime and Kiwi Strawberry flavors. 

GHOST already dabbles in hydration via powder sticks that lean into its strength in licensed flavors: Sour Patch Kids has two SKUs (Redberry and Blue Raspberry), and a Sonic-co-branded Cherry Limeade flavor launched earlier this month online and at GNC. So why stop there? The RTDs are set to drop at GNC in January. 

🔚 Back in the late 2010s, the prevailing wisdom was that an exploding market for zero-calorie sparkling water was just waiting for Coca-Cola and Pepsi to apply their respective marketing and distribution muscles and blow the category sky high. But, late to the party already, it never quite happened for Coke; now the soda giant is sunsetting its flavored sparkling line AHA in most channels (minus Freestyle machines). Expect future sparkling innovation to come via Topo Chico, as exemplified by the recent addition of Sabores. 

Less surprising: Starbucks Pepsi-distributed BAYA natural energy drink appears to be done.

🍋 Lemon Perfect is pivoting from 12 oz. slim bottles to new 15.2 PET format, a long-term goal for the company that coincides with dropping erythritol in favor of stevia. 

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Better Booch is moving to finalize its first acquisition as it has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of fellow fermented drink maker Live Beverages in a move aimed at reaching profitability.

🫧 Live, part of PE firm Great Point Brands’ portfolio since 2019, is expected to be absorbed into Better Booch, and has already begun manufacturing and distributing its organic sparkling probiotic kombuchas in 12 oz. glass bottles featuring soda-style flavors like Root Beer, Cola, Lemon Lime and Cream, among others.

📈 The additional revenue from the purchase is now expected to make Better Booch profitable within its first month in the portfolio. 

🧃 Next up for Live is a rebrand and a relaunch of its probiotic soda line.

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The Coca-Cola Company is taking another step into the beverage alcohol market, announcing today the launch of a global partnership with spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard to introduce Absolut Vodka & Sprite as a ready-to-drink pre-mixed cocktail in 2024. 

🥳 Available in Sprite and Sprite Zero Sugar varieties, the product will enter select countries in Europe -- including the U.K., the Netherlands, Spain and Germany -- early next year. Per a release, the global benchmark for alcohol by volume (ABV) is 5% but will vary depending on the market.  

🤔 The release marks another instance of Coca-Cola teaming with a spirits company to integrate one of its top-selling IPs into a ready-to-drink product. Last June, the soda giant partnered with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey to release a pre-mixed Jack & Coke in 12 oz. cans (5% ABV), becoming the first alcoholic drink to carry Coke’s official branding and packaging. 

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Monster Energy “thinks [alcohol] could be big for them by 2025,” said Goldman Sachs equity analyst Bonnie Herzog’s report from NACS. 

🐲 Monster’s forthcoming hard tea, Nasty Beast Hardcore Tea, is slated to launch in February 2024 with four flavors: original, half and half, “razel berry” and green tea. The flavored malt beverage (FMB) will be available in 24 oz. single-serve cans and 12 oz. sleek can variety 12-packs.

🧒🏼 Both Nasty Beast and Beast Unleashed, the 6% ABV released earlier this year, lean heavily on Monster-inspired imagery, but do not use the energy drink’s brand name – something co-CEO Hilton Schlosberg said the company would not do in order to avoid confusion among underage consumers.

🇺🇸 The Beast Unleashed was available in 28 states at the time of Monster’s Q2 earnings call and the company aims to be nationwide by 2024, Herzog wrote.

Read the full story on Brewbound

From allulose-sweetened gummies and “junkless” granola bars to zero-sugar sodas and “WonderWater,” the hosts discussed how better-for-you brands are attempting to meet consumer demand for great taste and nutrition in snacks and beverages.

Listen to the full episode on BevNET.