• ⚡ Ryse's Energy Strategy Shapes Up
• 👥 How To “Avoid Over-Hiring Too Early”
• 👾 UNFI Hit by Cyberattack
• 🍹 A Viral Mocktail Moment & A Case Against NA Spirits

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BRĒZ might be well on its way to netting $50 million in revenue this year, but to reach that goal it has broadened its viewfinder beyond THC, opening up growth in the functional and adult non-alc beverage categories in grocery. 

Today, the West Palm Beach, Fla., THC drink maker launched four new “Feel Good Tonics” – two hemp-derived THC options and a pair of non-infused varieties – that offer “effect-driven” functionality.

The brand’s “fundamental shift,” BRĒZ founder and CEO Aaron Nosbisch told BevNET, brings more retail distribution options while creating a feedback loop to bring in new and existing customers.

BRĒZ launched its new non-infused options (known as Elevate and Dream) with its existing lion’s mane mushroom drink, Flow, into all Sprouts Farmers Market locations. Next, it is targeting other natural channel grocery chains and mass retailers.

Since launching in April 2023 and after building a strong digital presence, the brand has been steadily moving into retail, both with its THC-infused options -- primarily in beverage-alcohol retailers – and its non-infused Flow into markets where hemp-derived THC is restricted.

The strategy provides a retail foothold that Nosbisch believes will drive new consumers to its site, where they can find the brand’s hemp-derived THC options. It also helps the brand hedge against regulatory headwinds facing the intoxicating hemp category in various states and federally.

“The hardest part about selling BRĒZ today is the fact that there’s THC in it,” he said. “It’s not that people don’t want THC, they are just still stigmatized by it.”

Insiders can learn how BRĒZ is using its new THC-free functional drinks as a “Trojan Horse” to become a billion-dollar company.

BevNET Live kicks off tomorrow, June 11, in New York City, and this is your final chance to get in the room with the beverage industry’s most influential players.

Join 725+ founders, investors, buyers, and innovators for two days packed with deal-making, discovery, and actionable insights. Register Now. 

Oh, how quick they grow up… it's easy to forget that some of the most prodigious RTD energy drinks from the past half-decade (think: Alani Nu, Celsius, Ghost, Bang, C4 and others) started in the unheralded nutrition supplement market first. Thanks to them, that channel has become an incubator for the next big performance-focused platform brand: Could that be Ryse? 

🍋 The brand has found traction with its 16 oz. Fuel Energy line, boosted by licensed flavors from Country Time Lemonade, Kool Aid and others. 

⚡ But as that line gets revamped as a nootropic-forward beverage, Ryse’s new 12 oz. Energy Drink – enhanced with 8 grams of protein and 150mg caffeine, plus prebiotics – is being positioned as the “everyday” option for all consumers, deploying those same licensed flavors. 

🏪 Launching at retailers like 7-Eleven and QuikTrip, the product represents Ryse’s biggest step yet towards the mainstream while also cautiously dabbling in the protein soda and prebiotic pop trends. 

💦 The result is “an energy drink with a splash of protein,” a proposition that could delight or confound consumers – let alone category buyers. 

Insiders can read the full story for more about Ryse’s energy drink strategy and protein innovation.

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In an industry where cash is hard to come by, but insights and experts are plenty, Aaron Younessi, owner/operator of Fr-Action Sales Management makes a case that startups should be leaning into part-time hiring as part of their strategy to scale up.

• Younessi has worked in the CPG food and beverage industry for over two decades, helping grow brands including Hella Cocktail Co, IWON Organics, Buff Bake, STEAZ, VOSS and more. 
• He started Fr-Action Sales Management in 2022 as “a placeholder for something I wanted to pursue,” but that has evolved into a platform he believes brings the necessary perspective and flexibility for modern CPG businesses to thrive in the current landscape.

📈 Nearly 145,000 individuals across all industries now have “fractional” in their LinkedIn title, per a recent Axios report, up from just 2,000 in 2022: “This isn’t just a trend. It’s how smart brands build,” Younsessi said.  

💡 We recently sat down with Younsessi to learn how startups can prime themselves for growth by onboarding part-time perspectives.

Insiders can access the full interview for best practices on hiring fractional talent. 

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UNFI warned customers of disruption as it shut down “certain systems” this weekend in response to a cyber attack, first discovered on June 5.

• As of this morning, the nature and extent of the attack – and whether or not any data was compromised – remains unclear.
• UNFI has said it is working with law enforcement and digital forensics experts as it works to address the issue.
• Despite seemingly still dealing with the attack, the company reported strong Q3 results this morning of over $8 billion in revenue.

Insiders can get all of the details on BevNET.

Shark Week brings more than just documentaries – Outback Steakhouse's viral shark-themed mocktail trend highlights an interesting point about the non-alcoholic spirits market.

🔥 While adult non-alc is on fire, Outback Steakhouse is opting out of using NA spirits for its zero-proof cocktails, finding success with traditional mocktails that are appropriate for all ages.

🧭 If restaurant chains are a harbinger of a trend hitting the mainstream, it’s worth exploring why some are opting in or out. 

🍻 Other restaurant chains, like Yard House and Uno Pizzeria & Grill, are incorporating non-alcoholic spirits like Seedlip and Ritual into their menus, allowing them to get creative over sticking to canned options. For now, Outback has only picked up NA beer. 

Learn more about how the restaurant chain is evolving its non-alc menu