• 🫧 Bloom Goes Pop
• 🆕 A Taste of Expo West
• 📉 Black Rifle’s Q4 Earnings
• 💸 Bracing For Tariffs
• 🍸 De Soi Expands
• 🥬 He’s Leading A ‘Green’ Revolution… And Slurping His Way To Victory

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After running around under the big top yesterday, we’re all warmed up and ready for the first actual day of the circus, er, Natural Products Expo West 2025. Here’s a taste of our initial samples from the big event.

A2 Taking Off? The market for products that won’t make your stomach hurt seems to be on its way to success. Ohio-based Origin Creamery (Booth #F106) showed off its lineup of A2 dairy-based cheeses with varieties like Brie, Mozzarella and Chili Jack. The company has been at A2 for over nine years, working with small family farmers primarily within Amish communities along the East Coast, but is working to secure a larger A2 source in Louisiana where it has found one farmer who has over 1,000 qualified cows. That’s all coming as the brand gears up for a national rollout at Sprouts, along with a few others, later this year. 

Not too far away, A2 and regenerative dairy darling Alexandre Family Farm (Booth #N836) showed off what is sure to be a family favorite. The California-based dairy debuted its A2 Organic Chocolate 4% Whole Milk at the show, adding to its selection of milks, creamers, cheese and kefirs. Need a refresher on everything A2? Catch up quickly here.

Clamoring Through Claims. Speaking of novel callouts, “no seed oil“ markers were plentiful, and you could brew up an amazing attribute-aligned latte with these two. 

• Hikers Coffee (Booth #F73) showed off its selection of seed oil-free and mycotoxin-free (read: toxic mold-free) whole beans in a range of flavors and roast levels. 
• Just across the aisle sat Three Trees (Booth #F53) with seed oil-free plant-based milks including two new organic soy varieties (Unsweetened and Unsweetened Vanilla) as well as new Oil-free Oat Milk that uses whole almonds in place of added emulsifiers. 

Elsewhere, it appeared to be one of the largest gatherings of regenerative organic brands the industry has seen with suppliers slinging more sustainable vanilla (Vanilla Bean Project: Booth #F69), meat (Starwalker Farms: Booth #N1552), dairy (see above), coffee (Heirloom: Booth #F67) and more. 

Stay tuned to BevNET throughout the week for continuous Expo West coverage.

It’s been a week since we last saw a new prebiotic soda launched. That means, it's about that time again: this morning Bloom Nutrition unveiled Bloom Pop – its new shelf-stable “modern soda” set to enter Walmart by Labor Day. Here’s what you need to know: 

• While aping classic soda styles seems to be the trend, the three 12 oz. SKUs Bloom previewed – Shirley Temple, Raspberry Lemon and Orange — look to balance fountain classics with fruit flavors. 
• Each can will contain 1 gram of PreticX, a proprietary prebiotic strain that has been clinically shown to increase good bacteria.

The launch reflects how both Bloom, investor Nutrabolt (C4) and its distribution partner Keurig Dr Pepper are evolving together after Bloom introduced its first RTD product, Sparkling Energy, last year at Target. With KDP, Coca-Cola and Pepsi now all in the game, things should get interesting. 

Read the full story on BevNET for more.

Natural Products Expo West 2025 is here! If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer size and samples, have no fear – we’ve got you covered. Here’s a preview of some of the latest beverage launches to help warm you up for the full show.

🍊Vita Coco (Booth #1877) is adding to its flavorful Treats line with Orange & Creme, an indulgent coconut water that pairs “a bright zest of orange with smooth vanilla notes.”

♻️ Saint James Tea (Booth #5105) is embracing sustainability with a new aluminum bottle format for its iced teas.

🧃 Topo Chico (Booth #331) is the latest sparkling water brand to add some juice to its formula with the new Topo Chico Sabores line.

Check out the full gallery on BevNET for more.

Stay ahead of the latest beverage trends, sample new products, and connect with key suppliers at Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 24-26. From craft spirits to RTDs, find what’s next for your brand. Use code BEVNET to save 20% on your pass! Don’t miss your chance to elevate your drink program! Learn more

Declines across Black Rifle Coffee’s business divisions shot down its Q4 earnings hard, leading to an 11.5% revenue dive in the quarter.

• Wholesale sales fell 8.6% and DTC dropped 17.7% in Q4, with the brand bringing in $105.9 million total for the quarter.
• Sales fared better across the full year 2024, declining just 1% to $391.5 million; wholesale and retail expansion remained a bright spot for the business.
• The launch of Black Rifle Energy is a big focus for the coming year, with a bulk of marketing spend expected to be put behind the energy drink extension.

Read the full rundown on BevNET.

As tariffs move ahead, the spirits industry is bracing for tough times. The 25% fee on imported goods from Canada and Mexico could bring price increases, job losses and shake up the backbar. 

📉 Tequila importers, in particular, have been preparing for hits and frontloading imports. Major groups expect losses of over $80 million, with companies like Diageo expecting to cover 40% of its projected loss before raising prices. 

📝 Studies have shown that job losses in the industry due to the tariffs could range from 17,000 to 31,000.

🩶 There may be a silver lining for domestic producers: Consumers, as well as bars and restaurants, are expected to eat the costs of tariffs, which may cause bartenders and shoppers to look for lower cost alternatives.  

Read more about how tariffs are expected to shake up the spirits industry.

Katy Perry-backed adaptogens are coming to a bar near you. Sparkling non-alcoholic apéritif De Soi (co-founded by pop star Perry and master distiller Morgan McLachlan) is expanding into 28 new markets through an agreement with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (SGWS).

🤝 A partnership with the country’s largest bev-alc distributor signals a milestone for the brand, which will now significantly expand its footprint in the on-premise sector. It also signals Southern’s embrace of adult non-alc, which major distributors have been slow to engage with. 

📈 The NA ready-to-drink segment is gaining momentum compared to other formats: up 165% in the last 52-weeks while ANA spirit bottles are up 39%, according to NIQ Data assembled for BevNET by bev-alc data firm 3Tier Beverages.

Go Deeper: Who Will Win The Billion-Dollar Non-Alc Market

Mac Villarreal, the founder & CEO of I Eat My Greens, a pioneering plant-based soup company, takes us through his fascinating entrepreneurial journey, the impact of his brand’s innovative packaging,  how he overcame initial retailer pushback, creating products that align with modern food trends and his patient, yet ambitious growth strategy.

Listen to the full episode now. Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.