• 🦊 Foxtrot To Make Hometown Return
• 🚨 Correction: Revised Expo West Schedule in 2025
• 📊 UNFI Posts Mixed Quarterly Results
• 🔄 People Moves: Clover Sonoma Names New CEO

If something is whispering in the winds of the Nordic ice caps, fear not – it’s just Ken Sadowsky.

The “Beverage Whisperer” – known for his work with brands like Vita Coco, Bai, Califia Farms, Sambazon and Vitaminwater – has joined the board of directors for international bottled water brand Icelandic Glacial. 

The premium-positioned brand has set out to scale its U.S. business over the next several years, and Sadowsky’s decades of experience in the industry aim to help the business to avoid pitfalls and drive sales, said CEO Reza Mirza.

Last fall, Icelandic Glacial raised a fresh round of capital and as of September had an American ACV of about 60% to 65%, with 75% of global revenue coming from the U.S. market. Now, Mirza wants to focus immediate growth on the Los Angeles and SoCal region – the brand’s backyard – and is introducing a new eight-week TV campaign aimed at the market this week.

“What I want to do is invest in this market, get the data and look at the lift which we get, and then you extrapolate that to see ‘Okay, for 2025 we know what worked, now let’s extrapolate that to the next market and the next market,’” Mirza said.

Bottled water sales in U.S. retail grew 2.1% in the 52-weeks ending May 4, to over $19.4 billion, according to NielsenIQ. Though Icelandic Glacial is one fighting for a slice of a very large pie, Sadowsky said he believes it is capable of competing and that, at least relative to the rest of the world, the U.S. bottled water category is still fairly young.

And Icelandic Glacial hopes to be much more than just a water brand. The company debuted its flavored sparkling water line last year, and looking ahead Mirza says it intends to extend into new, to-be-announced categories sometime around 2026.

Want more? Read the full story on BevNET.

The fox moves fast. In less than two months since abruptly shutting down all stores, declaring bankruptcy and auctioning off some assets of its combined parent company, Outfox Hospitality, it appears Foxtrot may saunter back into Chicago this summer. 

💸 The investment firm that bought the retailer’s non-real estate assets at auction last month for $2.2 million, Further Point Enterprises, is now the official tenant for six of former Foxtrot locations in Chicago, according to a recent filing in Delaware bankruptcy court.

🆕 The new, old locations could begin opening as soon as this summer, specifically the Gold Coast and Old Town stores, according to a report in Crain’s Chicago Business Journal this morning.

🚗 Crain’s also confirmed the rumors that Mike LaVitola, Foxtrot’s original co-founder, is back in the driver’s seat. David Magruder, managing partner of Further Point Enterprises, will act as interim chief financial officer and board member of the new entity.

BevNET Insiders can access all the details about the fate of Foxtrot in the full story here.

💵 In additional retail move news: Dollar Tree is reportedly exploring a sale of its Family Dollar banners in hopes of restructuring the business while inflation continues to restrain consumer spending.

We previously reported that Informa Markets’ New Hope Network is revising the schedule for Natural Products Expo West next year based on exhibitor and attendee feedback, but we provided some incorrect information. 

👉 All exhibit halls (North Halls, Anaheim Convention Center Halls A-E, Arena and Level 3) will be open Wednesday through Friday. (We erroneously stated the North Halls will open only Wednesday and Thursday). 

🕟 Among other changes, buyer-only hours will be expanded and extended to include all show floors. The event will also include a one-day farmers market-style exhibition tent (previously Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace).

😎 Additional changes to Expo West will be announced later this summer, according to New Hope Network.

United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) today reported mixed Q3 2024 results amid the company’s ongoing business transformation efforts aimed at improving profitability and working capital efficiency. Here’s the top-level view:

• UNFI saw net sales decrease 0.1% to $7.5 billion during the quarter which ended April 27.
• The distributor’s gross profit accounted for 13.6% of net sales and increased by $20 million, or 2%, to $1 billion. 
• Business transformation costs totaled $11 million in the quarter, compared to $7 million in Q3 2023. As a result, total operating expenses in Q3 were $992 million, or 13.2% of net sales.

Check out the full earnings recap on Nosh.

🥛 California-based dairy purveyor Clover Sonoma has announced the appointment of John Coletta as CEO, effective July 1. Coletta, who comes to Clover with over 35 years of experience in the CPG industry, succeeds Ken Gott, who is retiring after nearly a decade at the company. 

💀 Liquid Death, a fast-growing producer of canned water and iced teas, has named Karim Sadik-Khan as its CFO. The company, which has driven triple-digit retail scanned sales growth for the past three years, has brought on Sadik-Khan to lead further growth and expansion strategies.