• Bloom Enters Walmart’s ‘Modern Soda’ Set
• Shore Capital’s $450M Fund III Closes
• Dollar General Calls On Small Businesses
• The Spirits Scoop
• Casamigos Moves Into RTDs
• NIQ Tracks Bev-Alc Volume Drop
• Now Streaming: Taste Radio

Canning “energy” has proven to be a profitable business – why should “productivity” be any different? 

That’s the $3.4 million bet being placed on Neutonic this morning, as the U.K.-based productivity drink maker – fronted by Modern Wisdom podcaster Chris Williamson and fitness YouTuber James Smith – has landed its first outside capital aimed at fueling its expansion offline both in its home country and in the U.S. 

The raise, led by venture group JDI Investments, represents the latest step in Neutonic’s rapid rise since launching in November 2023. 

Selling exclusively online through its website and Amazon, Neutonic’s flagship 330mL zero-sugar productivity drink, available in a single SKU (Orange Sunrise), has thus far sold over 3 million cans and generated over $10 million in revenue across the U.K. and U.S., according to the company. The line has now been expanded to powder sticks and capsules.

Neutonic’s founders have been key to its appeal. Across their various platforms, Williamson and Smith are influential voices in modern wellness, integrating brain function and cognition into a holistic outlook on mental and physical health. 

That awareness may help Neutonic solidify its foothold as a player in the still-niche nootropic segment against competitors like Unilever-owned Onnit and Gorilla Mind. As a product, Neutonic is aiming for mainstream acceptance while also sporting a formulation that is “basically what every nootropics bro would look at if they went down the stack.” 

That mainstream theory will be tested when Neutonic arrives at U.S. retailers later this year, backed by further innovation. 

For more on the investment and how Williamson and Smith plan to leverage their platforms to grow Neutonic, Insiders can read the full article on BevNET.

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BevNET Live heads to Marina del Rey, CA on December 7-9, and the official hotel room block at the Marriott is now available. Rooms always go fast. Staying on-site means you’re just steps away from networking opportunities, product sampling, and every moment of the event.

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Bloom Nutrition is seeking to make a splash in the blossoming “modern soda” category, debuting its shelf-stable prebiotic soda, Bloom Pop, in Walmart stores nationwide today.

• The new offering, first teased in March, marks the brand’s second ready-to-drink offering. Each 12 oz. can has 1 gram of PreticX, a proprietary prebiotic strain clinically-proven to increase good gut bacteria.
• Bloom will leverage its existing relationship with Walmart to boost awareness and drive trial for Bloom Pop. Aside from the modern soda set, the new product will be featured in the retailer’s Action Alley in over 3,000 stores. 

💭  “As the largest retailer in the country, Walmart is the perfect launch partner because they meet our community exactly where they are: everyday, at scale,” said Greg LaVecchia, co-founder and CEO of Bloom. “They have been instrumental in shaping what ‘modern soda’ looks like today.” 

Insiders can learn more in the full story on BevNET.

PE firm Shore Capital Partners has closed its third food and beverage fund, coming in at over $450 million in capital commitment and bringing its total assets under management to a whopping $13 billion.

• The fund was “substantially oversubscribed” Shore reported, with investment from new and existing partners.
• Shore’s food and beverage portfolio currently includes a variety of companies including suppliers like 360Pack and FirmaPak to producers such as OWS Foods and Sweetmore Bakeries.
• Shore’s leads on the food and beverage fund are getting promotions with the closing of the fund: Tom Smithburg, Jeff Smart and Jeff Smith have all been named Partner in the firm.

Dollar General has issued an open call for small businesses looking to sell through the retailer. The online application portal is now open through July 21, enabling virtual meetings with the discount chain’s Small Business Development Program and merchandising teams.

• The dollar channel chain pointed to recent partnerships with brands like Milo’s Tea Company and Black Paper Party as examples of the program’s success for getting products into its stores.

🔊 “We are committed to partnering with a growing network of vendors and suppliers from all backgrounds across the United States and beyond who support our efforts to provide our customers with the products they need and want at prices they can afford,” said Dollar General EVP and chief merchandising officer Emily Taylor.

The O.G. celebrity tequila has made its way into canned cocktails. George Clooney’s Casamigos announced Monday the launch of Casamigos Margaritas, its first ever ready-to-drink (RTD) product. 

Since Diageo bought the business in 2017, Casamigos has been one of the fastest growing spirit brands until recent years, when competition in high-end tequila began to restrain its growth (a class-action lawsuit against it may also bode poorly for the company). 

Now, Casamigos is clearly looking to boost sales by leveraging its name in the crowded canned margarita space. Could the move spell trouble for indie players? 

Read the full story on BevNET for more.

As bev-alc volumes declined in the two-week period ending June 14, cider and some ready-to-drink subcategories have become bright spots for summer. Here’s the overview:

• Despite ready-to-drink beverages showing growth in the period (+15%), sales velocity for major brands like High Noon and Cutwater continue to cool.
• Cider was the only other growing category, with sales up 3.9% in the two-week period. 
• We’re also keeping an eye on the spiked ice tea wars. In the case of Boston Beer’s Sun Cruiser and Surfside, sales velocity is where we see the larger gap, with Surfside down 19.2% versus Sun Cruiser at a decline of 38.2%.

Get the full data breakdown on BevNET.

In this special edition of the podcast, we feature highlights from interviews with eight founders, creators and innovators who joined us on the show during the first half of 2025.

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