Expo East has always featured a wide range of non-alcoholic beverage brands, but never quite like this.

For this fall’s trade show in Philadelphia, organizers New Hope Network has partnered with the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA) to create a dedicated Non-Alcoholic Beverage Pavilion. The details are still being finalized but the move is indicative of the burgeoning market for - and founders trying to make a go of it in -- adult non-alc beverage options, especially in event spaces, trade shows and social gatherings.

The plan was initially to roll out the pavilion at Expo East 2024 but category momentum convinced organizers to move ahead early, ANBA CEO Marcos Salazar told BevNET.

Only ANBA members will be able to exhibit in the pavilion, which will be dedicated to hosting 12 emerging brands -- names like Mingle Mocktails, Parch Spirits, Caleño, Sovi Wine, and Noughty, per New Hope -- who will receive a table or 2x6 “counter height” booth, Salazar said. “It will be a dedicated space for those brands that don't really always have an opportunity or have never participated in any of these types of events, to be able to have an avenue area at a lower cost.”

The dedicated section gives NA brands more opportunity to sample and talk to attendees but Expo organizers are also expected to integrate non-alc options onto the bar menus at the food show’s concerts and networking events. A panel discussion is also planned for the show that will address how zero-proof brands can support retailers with merchandising and integrating low- and no-alcohol products into stores, Salazar said.

The announcement is part of ANBA’s larger plan to further integrate its members into trade shows and beverage industry conferences. It is also a part of the pitch for prospective member brands to join the organization because they will be able to take part in these networking events, Salazar added. “Expo East and West is going to be one of the major homes for NA beverages to showcase what we're doing in the category and the food and beverage space.”

Go Deeper:

• Non-Alc Cocktail Earns Investment From Pernod Ricard’s Venture Arm
• How Female Founders Are Fueling The Non-Alc Movement

Last week, Boylan announced a rebranding and new format for MASH, moving the product from proprietary 16 oz. plastic bottles to 12 oz. slim cans. As well, the products have been reformulated to remove artificial coloring and the line has been reduced from six flavors to four.

Read the full story on BevNET

As the heat begins to stick around, many beverage brands are starting to roll out their summer-focused campaigns. Below are some of the most noteworthy recent marketing efforts:

• Probiotic soda brands Culture Pop and Poppi have both released initiatives seeking to change how consumers perceive soda, showing that the bubbly beverage doesn’t have to be unhealthy to be tasty. 
• Muscle Milk, in partnership with WNBA star Candace Parker and National Fitness Campaign will build a new public outdoor Muscle Milk Fitness Court for one community in need in either Los Angeles, Orlando or Atlanta to make fitness more accessible. 
• After seeing record numbers during the first ever BIG3 Celebrity Game last year, BIG3 Basketball announced Monster Energy is returning as a league sponsor for the upcoming 2023 season.

Read the full story on BevNET.

Actress and entrepreneur Jennifer Lopez took to Instagram to address some of the backlash she's received online after announcing the launch of her new RTD cocktail line De Lola back in April.

• The Hustlers star has taken some flak for launching an alcoholic beverage despite the fact that she has admitted in past interviews that she does not herself partake
• In a video post she explained that her approach is more about drinking responsibly than outright sobriety.
• While acknowledging that she enjoys the "occasional cocktail," Lopez emphasized that she drinks "to be social and have a nice time... But always responsibly.”
• Fellow actress Blake Lively has faced some similar criticism following the introduction of Betty Booze -- a low-ABV canned cocktail line that complements her non-alc mixer brand, Betty Buzz.
• Making things more complicated, both celebs' spouses have wildly different relationships with alcohol: Lopez's husband, Ben Affleck, is in recovery, while Lively's beau Ryan Renyolds is a stakeholder and spokesperson for Aviation Gin.

As the new CEO of Distill Ventures, the independent drinks accelerator funded by Diageo, Heidi Dillon is looking for brand founders “from diverse and dynamic backgrounds” who are aiming to disrupt the world of drinks. We chatted with Dillon about what makes DV say “yes” to a founder, how the incubator coaches for growth, and where she sees non-alc going. The incubator will continue to:

• Building its non-alc brand portfolio, 
• Support founders championing grain-to-glass production techniques and sustainability initiatives
• Investing in new and emerging categories.

Read the full story on BevNET

Hong Kong conglomerate Swire Pacific Ltd. has agreed to sell its Swire Coca-Cola USA bottling business for $3.9 billion (approximately HK$30.4 billion) to John Swire & Sons Ltd., its controlling shareholder, the company announced last month.

• Swire Coca-Cola USA is headquartered in Draper, Utah and sells and distributes Coke products in 13 states, including all of the Western U.S. and stretching into parts of the Midwest such as Nebraska and Kansas.
• The bottler employs more than 7,200 people and reports annual revenue of around $3 billion, according to its website.
• Swire Pacific said the deal will help to crystallize an “attractive valuation” for the business, improve its balance sheet and is “consistent with [its] stated geographical focus” on the Greater China and Southeast Asia market.
• Swire Pacific’s international Swire Coca-Cola Ltd. unit will continue to provide administrative support to the USA business in exchange for an annual fee of at least 6% of its recurring EBIT.

PepsiCo has announced the 10 finalists chosen to participate in its Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos (Together We Grow) Edition, intended to help drive growth for Hispanic-owned food and beverage startups. This marks the first time the program, launched in 2017, has focused specifically on a social equity cause.

• As part of the six-month mentorship and educational business program, each finalist will be paired with a PepsiCo mentorship team and receive a $20,000 grant.
• At the end of the program in November, the “highest potential” business will be awarded an additional $100,000 and the opportunity to continue working with PepsiCo and Juntos Crecemos (launched in 2021 as part of PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Goal). 
• The two beverage brands selected for this year: Katrina Brewing Co, a non-alcoholic beer that offers an authentic artisanal Mexican option in the emerging non-alcoholic beer sector, and reigning New Beverage Showdown champion Parch.

There are some issues so fraught and controversial it’s best just to stay out of it. So we have to applaud Pepsi’s bravery in stepping into the “does pineapple belong on pizza” debate with the return of a limited time flavored cola, Pepsi Pineapple, available as an exclusive at Little Caesars stores.

• Co-branded cans of Pepsi Pineapple, which originally debuted in 2020 as a summertime LTO, will be sold at the pizza chain this summer and starting July 17 consumers can also get an exclusive combo meal, offering a 16 oz. soda and a large two-topping pizza for $9.99.
• Fortunately or unfortunately, it does not appear that pineapple needs to be one of the toppings to qualify for the coupon.

• Supplement site Stack3d is reporting that the Swedish energy drink maker NOCCO (The No Carbs Company) has dropped a new U.S. exclusive flavor: Melon Blast, which clocks in at 180mg caffeine and 3 grams of BCAAs. A 12-pack case is available online for $29.99.
• Organic natural energy drink Machu Picchu has secured nationwide distribution at Fred Meyer, according to a LinkedIn post from CEO/founder Dan Scharff.
• CLEAN Cause is rolling out four non-carbonated versions of its yerba mate-based energy drink, starting with Mint & Honey, available now on cleancause.com. New flavors are set to be launched every Thursday throughout July.