• GamerSupps Levels Up into RTD
• Lifeway’s Family Feud Fights On
• BevNET Live: What Strategics Want
• Monday Moves
• Now Streaming: Taste Radio

New regulations and rising demand for clean, quality packaging have made glass a key advantage in spirits-based RTDs. This free guide offers expert insights from the Glass Packaging Institute, Via Carota Craft Cocktails, and Sandstrom Partners to help you assess glass’s role in your beverage company’s future. Learn more

Joe Tea has been a mainstay of deli and independent foodservice drink cases for 30 years. The business’ self-described “impulsive” approach to innovation is now being represented in an alien-themed hydration line and an expansion to Australia.

“We realize that not everything we do is gonna work, but we take our chances and manage it,” founder Steven Prato told BevNET. “Our model is basically driven around starting inventory, see if we can sell it. If it sells, we make more. If it doesn’t, we shoot it between the eyes.”

Space.Sip is Joe Tea’s latest beverage “experiment.” The 3-SKU line of 20 oz. glass-bottled hydration drinks are caffeine-free and fortified with zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins A, C and E.

While a zag from the brand’s core line of lemonades and iced teas, Space.Sip is representative of the brand's ethos of “having fun” and “shooting shots” from its (moon?) base.

Expanding into Australia might seem like a big jump for the East Coast-founded company, but the decision to try a new market was seeded in supply chain deficiencies during the COVID pandemic.

The brand began sourcing more glass from Asia and realized there was an opportunity to “look at the world from both an export perspective and one where we produce closer to the markets that we are hoping to enter,” Prato said.

Read the full report to learn how Joe Tea is approaching growth as a startup brand investor and snack innovator.

Gamers and energy drinks have a long-standing relationship, but it’s only recently that a select group of brands (G Fuel, Ghost, etc.) have gone deep into the very-online world of eGaming and streaming. 

That means it's kind of a big deal that GamerSupps, which has strong ties to the gaming and anime communities, will make its entrance into RTDs with a three-SKU line launching this Friday. 

The brand is bringing flavors from its powder mix line to the already-liquid format, each developed with one of its content creator partners, including GOOD by Smii7y, Guacamole Gamer Fart 9000 by RussianBadger and Goof Juice by Most Critical. 

🤝 Not familiar with Smii7y’s work? Others definitely are: the streamer has over 8 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, and has already collaborated with GamerSupps on an instant noodle soup, along with energy and caffeine-free powder supplements. His longstanding ties with the company were formalized when he was announced as an investor earlier this year.

Read the full article on BevNET for more on GamerSupps.

The mother and brother (Ludmila and Edward Smolyansky) of Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky are not giving up their efforts to oust the kefir brand’s board and seize control of the company.

Last week they filed a definitive consent statement with the SEC to initiate a process to elect new nominees and today Lifeway shot back, encouraging shareholders to ignore the filing and alleging the consent solicitation violates Illinois state law and Lifeway’s own organizational documents: it did not give proper notice to all shareholders, the company said.

This is just the latest development in the longstanding family feud within Lifeway, which has occurred even as the business has achieved record growth under Julie Smolyansky’s leadership and as Edward Smolyansky works to launch his own competing kefir brand, Pure Culture Organics.

Catch Up: Lifeway Reports Record Sales in Q2 As Family Drama Escalates

Trendsetting innovation? Profitable business plans? Giant revenue? All of the above? What are strategics looking for in a potential acquisition?

At BevNET Live Summer 2025, a panel of entrepreneurs who have sold to beverage giants, a prominent investor, and at least one former strategic insider broke down the ins and outs of the corporate mindset, discussing why beverage brands need to have upwards of $500 million in revenue to be in the acquisition conversation, and why selling to a strategic may not be the right move for every company.

Insiders can watch the full panel now on BevNET.

Here’s a taste of the people and products moving around the industry to start off your week.

🍉  Micah Urbach, VP of sales at Mela Water, has departed the company. Urbach said he is “excited to witness the future trajectory of the brand under Calypso” and hopes Mela will “continue to flourish and evolve,” in a LinkedIn post. 

🤝 Texas-born sparkling agua fresca brand Bawi landed its first major grocery partnership in select Whole Foods Market stores across Texas, Chicago, and Northern California.

Check out more distribution news on BevNET.

The 2025 Summer Fancy Food Show was a vibrant celebration of everything we love about the food and beverage industry. From new concepts and inventive product launches to passionate entrepreneurs and irresistible bites and sips, the event was a sensory feast. The hosts spotlight ethnic brands, artisanal snacks and distinctive libations from one of the most exceptional trade shows they’ve ever experienced.

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