That's the concerning question the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization’s (WHO), has been asking itself lately. According to an exclusive Reuters report, two unnamed sources claim (IARC) will officially designate aspartame – one of the most common artificial sweeteners – as a carcinogen next month, a decision with potentially significant impact on nearly the 6,000 products made with the amino acid-derived substance – including most diet sodas, sugar-free gum and even some Snapple Drinks.

Just the suggestion of being labeled a carcinogen is enough to damage the ingredients’ standing, but as you’d might imagine, the full picture is a bit more complex. The IARC ruling is facing pushback from U.S regulators who don’t believe existing evidence is sufficient to support the claim, along with industry groups like the International Sweeteners Association, which decried the decision as based on “widely discredited research.” Still, aspartame is set to be listed in July as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time.

The sweetener has faced its share of detractors since the early 1980’s, so what makes this time different? As seen with glyphosate, the commonly used weed killer ingredient labeled as “possibly carcinogenic” in 2015, it could spark a wave of lawsuits and litigation.

Could this be the end for Bang Energy? We've had that very thought many a time here, only to be proven wrong by the Florida-based fitness energy giant; say what you'd like about bombastic CEO Jack Owoc, but recall this was once a multi-billion dollar brand that climbed to #3 in the category. Yet the sun may finally be setting on Bang, as court documents filed on Wednesday in the company's ongoing bankruptcy proceedings revealed Monster Beverage Corp. (via Blast Asset Acquisition LLC) as the winning bidder for the distressed company in a deal that valued at up to $362 million. Mind you, that's pending an FTC investigation, and experience tells us to hold off on any final, final confirmation until this plays out further. Stay tuned.

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Callisons wants to make the flavor process simple. Come visit us at IFT 2023 in Chicago between July 17th and 19th to taste some of the great flavors we’ve got brewing in our lab! We’ll be located at Booth S2003 just inside the main entrance to the show! Learn more

Volume declines worsened against stable pricing growth as non-alcoholic beverage sales decelerated sequentially in the two-week period ending June 17, according to a recent analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.

• Dollar sales were up 6% in the two-week period, compared to 8.5% growth in the four-week period and 10.1% improvement in the 12-week period. 
• Volume sales fell -6.6% in the two-weeks, compared to a -4.4% drop in the four-weeks. However, average pricing of +12.7% in the period – roughly in line with 13% growth in the four-week period – helped to offset the fall.
• Energy drinks saw the largest sales increase in the two-weeks, up 14.9%, with volume growing 4.6%. The top three brands all reported double-digit sales growth, including Monster (+13%), Red Bull (+11%) and PepsiCo (+12%). However, Bang continued to face steep sales declines, falling -63.3% with volume down -65.9%.
• CSDs also performed well despite facing some deceleration, growing 10.2% in the two-week period, compared to 12.1% growth in the four-week period. Coke reported sales up 12.1%, PepsiCo was up 4.7% and Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) grew 10.8%.
• Sports drinks was the only category to report a sales decline, dropping -4.2% in the two-weeks, a reversal of +1.6% growth in the four-week period, as volume declines hastened to -17.6% and average pricing grew 16.3%.

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Performance energy player Ghost is taking powdered energy drink brand Swift Lifestyles to the courtroom. The Anheuser-Busch-backed company alleged in a complaint filed this week in New York that Swift has violated the Lanham Act by committing trade dress infringement through the use of an allegedly derivative logo and by offering similar flavors as Ghost, therefore creating likelihood of confusion.

Much of the 34-page document focuses on Swift’s logo, which like Ghost’s is in black and white with jagged lettering in an upward left-to-right slope, followed by a mascot nestled into the “T” at the end of the name. The lawsuit also points to Swift’s flavor offerings, such as Rocket Pop and “Blue Pals,” which it said bear similarity to Ghost’s licensed flavors like FaZe Pop and Blue Raspberry Sour Patch Kids. Backing its “confusion” concerns, the complaint included multiple Twitter posts featuring users commenting on the similarities between the branding.

“In reference to Plaintiff’s Logo and Defendant’s Logo, a social media user provided the following caption on Twitter: ‘Can I copy your homework? . . . Yeah, just make it look different so it doesn’t look like you just copied,’” the complaint states.

(image source: @RobFreundLaw)

Nectar Hard Seltzer is taking its unique marketing approach to the metaverse pairing two new Asian-influenced flavors with a digital rewards platform dubbed The Nectarverse.

• The platform allows consumers to purchase products, play games, submit reviews, earn rewards and generally connect with the broader brand community in an immersive, 3-D environment.
• Coinciding with the launch of the virtual reality platform, Nectar has launched two new varieties: a Hawaiian-inspired, pineapple Li Hing Mui flavor and a Mystical Mango.
• The new flavors will be available in a limited edition, Anime-inspired Spirit Pack that also includes the brand’s original four varieties.
• Nectar has gone heavy on direct, real-time communication with its community coupled with viral in-store distribution pop-ups and multiple social media campaigns including a YouTube video talk show.

Betty's back: Actor Blake Lively and Betty Buzz founder is taking her sparkling mixer line to a new ABV level.

• The new Betty Booze RTDs will debut with three 4.5% ABV tequila and bourbon cocktail offerings as part of the company’s strategy to win over new audiences and occasions.
• The launch arrived on the same day as low-alc pioneer Haus re-entered the market after shutting down last August. The no/low $11 billion global business is projected to grow 7% in volume over the next four years, according to IWSR, although much of the attention from larger spirit companies and investors has been focused so far on no-alc innovations.

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Per a press release we received yesterday: Organic cold-pressed juice and energy elixir maker Garden of Flavor announced a new round of funding this month, backed by a group of private investors led by Roni Goldberg and BCauz Ventures. The size of the investment was not disclosed.

• According to the company, the funding is intended to help the Ohio-based company increase its production capacity, grow its distribution network and develop new products.
• The 11-year-old brand is sold across the country in retailers such as Whole Foods, Heinen’s, Wegmans, Mariano’s and other retailers across the country.

Yogurt has long been viewed as a staple of healthy diets, but it’s just part of a growing conversation around the gut microbiome – and one in which relevant CPG players, including Danone, are hoping to have a bigger part. We recently chatted with Dr. Miguel Freitas, VP of Health and Scientific Affairs North America, to learn what value the global food and beverage conglomerate sees in funding first party research.

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