• 🆙 KDP's New Execs
• 🔖 Our 2025 Content Calendar
• 💸 Via Carota Brings In Funding
• 🍹 Spritz Society Locks In Gallo
• 💧 Coffee Water Co.'s Join Forces
• ♥️ How To Help: L.A. Fires Relief Efforts

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Talk about (zero) Proofing the Point: The Mindful Drinking Fest returned to Washington, D.C. this past weekend, bringing together over 1,200 attendees and nearly 220 adult non-alcoholic products. The Dry January celebration has grown 10X since its launch three years ago and 40% since just last year. We stopped in for the second year in a row to see the energy brought by the sober-curious crowd firsthand.

“We're still calculating all the metrics but the trend is obvious… or to say, this is no longer a trend. Year-over-year, we are seeing steady growth,” said Derek Brown, co-founder of Mindful Drinking Fest. “Consumers want more options to drink and they want more events where fun can share the stage with wellness rather than leave one behind at the door.”

Functionals For The Future: While alt-spirits seemed to saturate the show last year (and there were plenty still on display this go-around) functional spirit alternatives showed up as one future beachhead for the ANA movement. 

• Brands including Aplós, Do’Mo and Little Saints touted nootropic boosts, while new products while Keef and Brez sampled (uninfused) iterations of their cannabis-containing creations.  
• Category newcomer 1:11 sampled an RTD sparkling Kava cocktail set to debut at retail later this year. The brand was founded by NA bottle shop owner Jamie Sabat (more on that below) and former hemp industry lobbyist Ben Droz.

Women-owned Brands Show Up: Nootropic and adaptogen-infused Huzzy, a new brand from hair care company CURLS founder Mahisha Dellinger, made its debut with a four-SKU line of cocktail-adjacent products. The second-time entrepreneur founded the brand after her first business was acquired and subsequently “destroyed” by its buyer, pushing her to struggle with her mental health and rely heavily on alcohol

• Elsewhere, Little Saints showed off its new St. Juniper NA spirit and Revvl debuted prototype cans ahead of the launch of its mixologist-crafted mocktails later this Spring.

Retail Ramps Up: Union Market’s first NA bottle shop, Plant Magic, opened at the beginning of the month to celebrate Dry January with shelves stocked to the brim with euphoric, nootropic and adaptogen packed products. The store operators said not much education has been needed thus far as those curious enough to stop have already been seeking out these items. 

• The rise of the ANA movement at retail is one to watch. A handful of attendees noted the beneficial boost Total Wine and Spirits has given the space having dedicated, at times, full aisle to alcohol-free products

BevNET Insiders can go deeper to learn more about the growth and direction of the ANA movement.

A number of Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) execs are celebrating the new year with promotions following the announcement of several new appointments earlier this week.

• Perhaps the biggest move is Eric Gorli (formerly CCO), who has been named President of U.S. Refreshment Beverages and will oversee a $9 billion segment covering all of the company’s American soft drinks and energy products.
• Drew Panayiotou was named chief marketing officer, barely three months after he first joined KDP; his new role will focus on “accelerating a digital-first marketing approach.”
• KDP also is getting more serious about energy drinks, what with its $990 million purchase of Ghost last year, the launch of Black Rifle Energy and its partnership with C4 and Bloom maker Nutrabolt. To steer that ship, Justin Whitmore has been named to a newly created role: President of KDP Energy.

Want to know more? Read the full story on BevNET.

Explore our upcoming beverage industry reporting and insights, including editorial deep dives, data reports and analysis, event coverage, and buyer guides highlighting new products. These resources build on the daily industry reporting trusted by Insiders from BevNET, Nosh, and Brewbound.

Have some news that aligns with an upcoming story? Reach out to our editorial team at news@bevnet.com. 

The spirits-based RTD category is booming. New York-based Via Carota Craft Cocktails is on its way to closing a $17.5 million Series A round (so far reporting $11 million in a recent SEC filing) that will help it expand its retail footprint in the metro New York area and further into New England as well as the Mid-Atlantic.

🍸 Founded in 2021 with a mission to bring the aesthetic of the famed West Village Italian restaurant to the ready-to-drink set, Via Carota is extended its portfolio into sparkling cocktails and an adult non-alcoholic innovation coming in the next year.

🏨 The brand also has eye toward growing within on-premise opportunities in boutique hotels and event spaces.

💭 Chairman and co-founder Matt Leeds said the brand aims to be a “category-defining” option with its unique packaging and premium appeal, which can position it alongside other category brands like TipTop or On The Rocks.

BevNET Insiders can access the full story for all of the details.

Spritz Society is getting a boost from an RTD powerhouse distributor, kicking off a new distribution agreement with Gallo, effective immediately, in South Carolina, Illinois, Texas, and Florida, followed by nationwide expansion in major retail stores in March.

• Launched by a crew of influencers in 2021, the white wine-based RTD sees its founders poll their 10+ million followers for flavor suggestions resulting in concoctions like V8 co-branded Bloody Mary Spritz and a Clauson Pickle-flavored spritz; the latter will be joining its core SKUs.
• As wine companies struggle to reach younger demographics, GALLO has found success expanding its spirits portfolio with RTD leaders like High Noon. 
• It has beefed up the wine side too over the past few years with brands appealing to new demographics. 

Not all water is good coffee water. In an effort to bring this knowledge to the coffee-drinking masses, Ohio-based Third Wave Water has acquired Perfect Coffee Water for an undisclosed amount.

☕ The two companies make mineral stick packs that are added to water before brewing coffee and improve taste and decrease limescale buildup in coffee machines.

💻 The deal includes all of the assets of Perfect Coffee Water including the Washington-based company’s intellectual property, trademarks, inventory and online sales platforms.

🚚 Perfect Coffee Water’s recipe will not change, but all operations will move to Third Wave’s Xenia, Ohio headquarters.

As the L.A. area continues to reel from the ongoing firestorm, here are fresh ideas for helping both the citizenry and the food and beverage community.

• Lifeway Foods is organizing a community drive that will take place at the brand’s Niles and Waukesha facilities and collect non-perishable food, water and baby food. 
• Contribute here to GoFundMe raises specifically for the LA CPG Community 
• Regarding Her is collecting donations to help women-owned food and beverage businesses recover. 
• Frontline Impact and Global Empowerment Mission is collecting CPG food donations to distribute to displaced individuals and frontline workers. Businesses can learn more about how to donate here.
• West Side Food Bank is accepting donations at its 1710 22nd St.location in Santa Monica and also accepts donations of large collections of food by appointment. 
• L.A. Community Fridges operates 15 locations around the city. Food donations can be left at any of the locations.
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is also accepting food donations at its two distribution centers.