• 🚚 RTDs Rollout in PA With Hurdles
• ⚖️ PRIME Strikes Back in Olympics Suit
• 🐶 Don't Forget The Dogs

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It’s not quite trench warfare, but fighting for victory in the beverage industry can sometimes feel that way. It’s maybe no surprise then to see veteran-owned or veteran-supporting brands making an impact in CPG (and coffee, specifically, for whatever reason). On this Veterans Day, we’re highlighting how a few veteran-backed brands are fighting to win in their respective categories: 

Black Rifle Coffee: The Utah-based brand has emerged as one of the most high-profile veteran-focused companies, though not always without controversy. Black Rifle’s unabashed embrace of military firepower may be a turn off for some, but the brand would likely rather highlight its mission to hire 10,000 veterans. 

• The company made positive headlines in 2023 when it teamed with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on a partnership to raise money for the HunterSeven Foundation, a group focused on preventing and detecting cancer in veteran populations.

HOIST: Getting placement in Operational Rations for active duty members of the armed forces is something of a “badge of honor” for HOIST. The rapid hydration (RTD and powder stick) brand touts its Department of Defense-verified credentials on its website, as well as “Formulated for the U.S. Military” on its packaging. Along with sponsoring events, the brand also supports military charities Team RWB, Warrior WOD and Health4Heroes.

Free Rein Coffee: “Yellowstone” actor Cole Hauser has made supporting veterans a foundational piece of his coffee company, Free Rein, launched last October. The brand supports the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, an organization that supports educational opportunities for eligible surviving children of fallen Special Operations Personnel and children of all Medal of Honor Recipients, as well as other services. 

• The company has a ‘Buy a Bag, Give a Cup’ promotion that promises to donate a cup of coffee to someone who serves their country or community for every bag of Free Rein Coffee bought at Walmart this year. 
• If that wasn’t enough, Heath Nielson, a member of Free Rein’s board of directors and president of drive-through beverage concept HTeaO, is a veteran of the U.S. Army’s elite 10th Mountain Division.

Check out the full story on BevNET for more details on veteran-owned brands such as Kill Cliff, Hanx For Our Troops, Folds of Honor, Wild Bill’s Old Fashioned Soda, JOCKO Fuel and Easy Company Brewing.

The people of Pennsylvania could likely use a drink, and now they can head to their local convenience store or restaurant for a fresh cold ready-to-drink cocktail. 

🛒 Starting in mid-September, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has allowed restaurants, bars, beer distributors, grocery stores, convenience stores, and other outlets to sell alcoholic RTDs with ABVs not exceeding 12.5%.

🪙 But the new rules cost private retailers a pretty penny, and partially limit their RTD selections to national brands selected by the PLCB. That gives an opening to local RTD producers, who are allowed to distribute directly to those outlets. 

🦅 Distillers like BOTLD are even readying an RTD collab with the Philadelphia Eagles. But local distillers will have to keep up with marketing and get liquid to lips before the big guys put their resources to work. 

Read how retailers and distillers and rolling with the changes.

PRIME Hydration is moving to dismiss claims that it infringed on Olympic trademarks in its ad campaign featuring professional basketball player Kevin Durant this past summer, reported Law360.

🥇 The beverage company claimed in a filing last week that the allegations by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) are “tenuous” and defended its use of terms such as “Olympic,” “Olympian,” “Team USA” and “Going for the Gold” on packaging.

💬 "There is no dispute that Prime's description of Mr. Durant and his accomplishments on the bottles are accurate: 1) he is an Olympian; 2) he is a repeated Gold Medalist (winning a gold medal now four times), 3) he is a three-point wizard; 4) he is a master of mid-range skills; 5) he was a member of Team USA; and 6) he was going for gold at the recent 2024 games," the company argued in its filing.

Catch Up Quick: PRIME Violates Trademarks, Claims U.S. Olympic Committee

On this Veteran’s Day, Heritage Distilling is saluting the military’s fluffier service members with the launch of War Dogs, the first whiskey edition under its new Service To America Salute (SAS) brand.

🥃 The craft distiller's new 5-year straight bourbon whiskey pays tribute to the “service, loyalty, courage and sacrifice of America's military working dogs.” A portion of the proceeds from each bottle sold will be donated to nonprofit organizations supporting human and K9 warriors, veterans and their families. 

💸 The release is part of what initially started as a limited fundraising initiative for Special Forces-related charities, with a Salute Series brand in November of 2023. Heritage Distilling’s whiskey program has since raised nearly $100,000 for partner charities, and is among a few distillers that have built brands saluting veterans and service members. 

🐾 Aiming to appeal to the likely abundant overlap of pet lovers and military communities, the label even includes a paw print from "Duco," a war dog who served with U.S. Army Special Operations in Afghanistan.