Is Emmi AG the biggest coffee company you’ve never heard of? That might be changing soon. 

The Swiss dairy giant – which reportedly sells over 200 million units of its Caffe Latte RTDs in Europe every year – is partnering with San Francisco Bay Area-based third-wave coffee specialists Equator on a joint venture that kicks off with the launch of four-SKU line of premium refrigerated cold brews this summer. 

In a world increasingly packed with mushroom-powered and plant milk-based options, Emmi Equator’s approach is decidedly simpler: organic, Fair Trade certified cold brews in 8.5 oz glass bottles in four varieties– Pure Black, plus the dairy-based Hint of Milk and Sugar (16 grams of sugar), Velvet Mocha (18 grams) and Hint of Vanilla (16 grams). The suggested price is $3.99 to $4.99 each. Led by former KeVita and Ugly Drinks exec Brett Lanford and ex-Lucky Jack sales leader Ryan Sowards, the product has hit shelves in almost 300 stores in California, including Safeway, Whole Foods and Erehwon, listed at $3.99 to $4.99 per bottle. 

It’s a pairing that makes a lot of sense: Emmi brings deep experience in operations and manufacturing, while Equator’s culinary-inspired, sustainability minded approach ticks the boxes for important trends. But cold-chain distribution presents a challenge for national expansion: see Peet’s failed experiment in building its own refrigerated truck network to support its cold brews back in the late 2010s. 

With an emphasis on quality and with the help of placements inside Equator’s 10 cafe locations across California, could it work this time?

“I just saw a white space here that Equator can be a national brand,” Lanford said. “There's this great opportunity to introduce this beautiful, early stage third-wave coffee to the entire U.S. market and I just wanted to be a part of that.”

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ZenWTR and A Shoc, two startup brands founded by seasoned beverage entrepreneur Lance Collins, have raised substantial new rounds of capital according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this month.

Sustainable bottled water brand ZenWTR, which Collins runs as CEO, raised $32.9 million according to the July 13 filing, while performance energy brand A Shoc brought in just around $14 million. 

• Molson Coors-backed ZenWTR’s raise comes on the heels of last month’s brand refresh, which included the announcement of an upcoming aluminum bottled line.
• A Shoc, which is supported by Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), has struggled to stand out in the crowded performance energy set. According to NielsenIQ, sales were down -21.7% in the 52-week period ending July 15. However, the brand has cited its Accelerator sub-line as helping to turn around the declines. 
• A Shoc previously closed a $29 million Series B round last year.
• Beverage Business Insights reported that a substantial portion of the new financing came from Collins himself. The founder has put $25 million of his own money into ZenWTR and the raise actually surpassed $50 million, with other new funding coming from MavenHill Capital and 93 Ventures.
• MavenHill has been a frequent investor for Collins-founded brands. The firm is also involved in A Shoc, Casa Azul Tequila and MyMuse.

In this week’s new products roundup, AdvoCare creates a new way for consumers to enjoy kombucha on the go, Blue Bottle teams up with singer/songwriter The Weeknd and CBD-infused soda maker Mary Jones launches its first crossover flavor release with Jones Soda Co.

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Supply chain problems and shortages may have made headlines during the pandemic, but there’s one shortage that could have long-term consequences for bourbon. 

• High demand for white oak, the dominant wood used to age bourbon, has experts like sounding the alarm on a looming slow-moving shortage
• Whiskey companies are making their supply chains resilient by innovating with other styles that don’t require new white oak or creating new aging technology
• Others are supporting the sustainability of the tree through the White Oak Initiative, an organization that is advocating for the new farm bill to include funding to assist private landowners with forest management

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Oatly is pushing to simplify and streamline its operations after a disappointing quarterly earnings report saw the Swedish oat product maker slash its 2023 revenue forecast range from 23% to 28% to a dire 7% to 12%.

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Reports and CPG roundups from the Pacific Northwest regions of both the U.S. and Canada, the controversy surrounding children and caffeine and whether honey truffle could be a gamechanger for the food and beverage industry.

Listen to the full episode on Taste Radio