• 🧠 Analysis: Supply Side West Recap With Joshua Schall
• 🍾 Raise the BOTLD
• 📉 Diageo: Organic Sales Expected to Drop -20% in LA/Caribbean
• 🌜 Luna Bay Boots the Booze

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As most recently seen at the NACS trade show in early October, the borders separating supplements from mainstream food and beverage products are more porous than ever, creating unseen opportunities for capturing new day parts, use occasions and functional benefits. And just a few weeks later at Supply Side West, the ingredient supplier show held Oct. 23 to 27 in Las Vegas, the close bonds between those two worlds were further confirmed. 

But across the frontier of innovation, it's hard to tell where the truly fertile soil lies -- melatonin-free sleep aids? Brain-boosting, caffeine-free energy? Good old whey protein?  

What we're saying, basically, is it helps to have a guide. 

CPG consultant and BevNET contributor Joshua Schall was on the show floor in Las Vegas to check out the latest trends and developments, but also to get a sense of the current status of long-tail movements like gut health and mental acuity as they permeate mainstream consumer products. 

In conversation with BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero, Schall unpacked his insights and takeaways from Supply Side West, sharing his thoughts as to why Kyowa Hakko USA’s Cognizin may have broken out from the pack of brain-boosting ingredients, why fighting against caffeine is likely a losing battle and what's in the future for sweeteners. 

Read the full story on BevNET

As one of the first craft distillers post-prohibition in the U.S., we knew Andrew Auwerda of Philadelphia Distillery was innovative. But it takes another type of crafty to find a loophole in the control state liquor system. 

BOTLD, a recent retail enterprise from Auwerda has found a workaround to sell rums, bourbons and other spirits that otherwise may never make it into Pennsylvania's state-run liquor stores. 

🚚 The distiller has opened an independent liquor store by buying craft spirits in bulk and bottling them in Pennsylvania, and using a law that allows in-state craft distilleries to sell their spirits directly to consumers without any control board interference. 

🤝🏼 The venture offers craft pioneers like St.George and new brands like Pa’Lante Rum, whose founders says BOTLD has given it unique access to a new market. 

👀 Before you ask, it’s unlikely this is a model that can be replicated in other control states, but we’re still keeping an eye on what comes next. 

Read the full story on BevNET

Diageo shares dropped sharply on Friday after the group lowered its revenue and profit forecast for H1 of its fiscal year due to a weaker performance outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean. The region is now expected to see a 20% decline in organic sales for the six-month period.

💸 In a trading update on Friday, new CEO Debra Crew admitted that the global group had an inventory problem in its fastest-growing region, and blamed the decline on “macroeconomic pressures” and customers downtrading to cheaper products. 

🌴 The region makes up about 11% of Diageo’s total sales, and operating profits have more than doubled there in the two years to June, expanding faster than sales.

🆙 The drinks giant expects to see improved sales in North America, and will likely continue to rely on raising prices to premiumize its brands as it expects “continued, albeit moderating, cost inflation, which will be partially offset by pricing actions.” Other spirits groups have also reported a slowdown as inflation-weary consumers are looking for better deals.

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Is any kombucha company content to play in one spot these days? Supporting evidence in the negative continues to pour in, with the latest being Chicago-based hard kombucha brand Luna Bay Booch’s launch of new zero-proof varieties for anytime sipping. 

3️⃣ As seen on LinkedIn, Luna Bay will unveil zero-alcohol versions of three flavors – Blueberry Mint Mojito, Mango Mule and Raspberry Rambler – made with yerba mate on Amazon starting next week. 

🫖 The new drinks complement Luna Bay’s existing seven-SKU family of hard kombuchas and its sparkling hard teas (5% ABV), sold in three flavors in 12 oz. cans.

Pointless is a new entry into the mid-calorie CSD set that focuses exclusively on ginger ale. All four 12 ounce flavors – Original, Lime, Blueberry, and Cranberry – feature cold-pressed ginger juice as their hero ingredient.

How does Pointless stack up against the competition? Read the full review on BevNET.

Zevia CEO Amy Taylor will speak at BevNET Live on the power of focus in brand and product portfolio as a way to lay the groundwork for healthy, credible, sustainable business growth. Read the story.

It’s time to reveal the semifinalists for BevNET’s signature pitch competition, the New Beverage Showdown, taking place on Dec. 4 + 5 at BevNET Live in Marina del Rey, CA. Read the story.

How do you hold someone’s interest after an initial interaction? What motivates them to stay connected with you and your company? Three weeks before BevNET’s winter events kick off in Marina Del Rey, the hosts discussed ways that entrepreneurs can optimize meetings with investors and retailers and how to amplify their message to the industry at large.

Listen to the full episode on BevNET