• 🧑🏻‍⚖️ Bang's Bankruptcy Settlement
• 🆕 This Week’s New Sips
• 🛗 This Week On Elevator Talk
• 👷 Diageo Heads Down South
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Marketing Moves
• 🍷 [yellow tail] and Domino’s Intro Red Blend
• 🔔 Strategize Around Real, Familiar & Unique… Registers Will Ring

Guayakí’s bold experiment in self-distribution appears to be over, as BevNET has learned that the company has dissolved the majority of its Yerba Mate Co. division in a move that saw over 100 employees laid off from the California-based company

• The news follows an announcement of a national distribution partnership with Anhesuer-Busch (AB) earlier this month.

Company staff were informed of the forthcoming cuts by CEO Ben Mand during an all-company meeting on Friday, January 17, prior to individual conversations with impacted employees. 

• Fewer than a dozen roles outside of the division, including controller, were also affected. An unspecified number of dismissed personnel signed non-disclosure agreements upon departure.  

In a statement to BevNET, Guayakí confirmed that the company is still using a mix of “some self-distribution in California” and third-party distributors nationwide, and has retained a “dedicated YMCO team for hands-on relationships with key mission-aligned accounts (like natural chains, universities, and healthcare) so we can stay true to our roots while continuing to grow.”

BevNET Insiders can access all of the details.

Another chapter in the Bang saga has closed as a Florida bankruptcy judge approved a $3 million settlement between the liquidating trustee of Vital Pharmaceuticals and Professional Supplements LLC.

• The settlement stemmed from a 2012 contract dispute lawsuit between the companies which was decided in favor of Vital back in 2022 via a jury trial to the tune of $3.6 million.
• However, weeks later the former Bang parent company lost a much bigger lawsuit with Monster Energy Company (as you may remember) and then filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections.

Today is Friday, and you all know what that means… It's new product gallery time! We’ve rounded up the hottest new products and packaged them into a neat array. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:

☕ Italian coffee company Lavazza joined forces with Lamborghini for its Espresso for Automobil Lamborghini dark roast whole-bean coffee blend. 

🧃 Ocean Spray grew its Zero Sugar line extension with the launch of Ocean Spray Zero Sugar Tropical Punch Juice Drink. 

🦄 Drink flavoring company Jordan’s Skinny Mixes added three new sugar-free flavors to its lineup: Tropigal Syrup, Fairy Dust Syrup and Unicorn Sauce. 

Check out the full gallery and get all of the product details on BevNET.

The latest installment of Elevator Talk features leaders from Sip Herbals, Sacred Bev, See the Elephant Amaro and DryWater.

Watch founders and CEOs introduce their brands and provide a recap of recent news and updates. This week’s special co-host is Dale LaFlam, the founder of 5:30 Somewhere, who shared his thoughts, questions and feedback with the participants. He is joined by Ray Latif, the editor and producer of the Taste Radio podcast.

Watch the full episode now.

BevAlc giant Diageo North America is plotting a new 360,000 sq. ft. manufacturing and warehouse facility in Montgomery, Ala., that will enable “a multi-million case annual production capacity.”

🛣️ The plant will serve as a hub closer to its southern beverage distribution partners and is intended to cut road travel  and “further mitigate carbon emissions.”

📍 The development is part of a multi-year strategy to expand Diageo’s global supply chain across territories and is expected to cost approximately $415 million with 750 new jobs estimated.

🥃 Single malt Scotch whiskey purveyor Glenmorangie has tapped legendary actor Harrison Ford as the new face of the brand, starting with its “Once Upon a Time in Scotland” campaign. 

☕ Chamberlain Coffee, the brainchild of YouTuber Emma Chamberlain, has stepped up its presence in the “real world” by opening its first café in Los Angeles. 

🏀 In an effort to reach a broader audience, Nutrabolt-owned energy drink brand C4 has secured multi-year partnerships with three NBA teams. 

BevNET Insiders can get all of the details on the latest beverage campaigns.

Just as our taste buds are finally recovering from the infamous Pizza Hut wine (seriously, what was in that stuff?) we’ve received word that [yellow tail] is taking inspiration from the pizza-innovation playbook.

🦘 The Australian wine company partnered with Domino’s to create a limited edition Red Blend. 

👀 Fortunately, the new collaboration appears to be a regular, fruit-forward wine meant to pair with pizza rather than taste like it.

🍕 The Red Blend features a “Twist.Tap.Order” cap that, when twisted off and tapped to a smartphone, allows consumers to place an order through the Domino’s app.

These days, keeping it simple is one way to be different. At a time when brands are packing their products with processed ingredients, some companies are taking a stripped down approach… and getting noticed. This episode, which features an interview with Stephanie McGregor, a veteran food and beverage executive and founder of plant-based drink brand Ringa, explores that dynamic.

Listen to the episode now.