Jomaree Pinkard

Constellation Brands Inc. saw its stock climb during premarket trading on Thursday following an upward revision of its adjusted fiscal 2025 profit forecast, surpassing analyst predictions. The company also reported a robust fourth-quarter profit, driven by the stronger-than-anticipated performance of its beer division. CEO Bill Newlands highlighted the beer business's consistent volume growth over 56 quarters, coupled with impressive margins, although wine and spirits sales experienced a decline. https://lnkd.in/ggNU_G9r Constellation Brands Bill Newlands Branded Hospitality Ventures #Technology #Business #Innovation #AI #investing #venturecapital MarketWatch

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Interesting take on the battle for consumers during months like Sober October and Dry January from Stephanie Cain 👇 Her commentary below with link in comments 🍻🥂🍹 The wine industry has launched an assault on #SoberOctober and non-alcoholic beverages as if the sole existence of the booze-less category is to put a hit against wine. With its new campaign, Come Over October, wine folks are declaring you should grab a glass instead of going sober, because wine brings people together. Instead, #wine should really be looking at their core messaging because that's why wine is declining. At the #ComeOverOctober kick-off party, I had a conversation with a salesperson of a wine distributor. He attempted to be ok with the evolution of wine by explaining that ready-to-drink, single-serve wine brand, BeatBox, marketed to the 21 to 25-year-old set, was crushing the market. He was all for it. While the brand has wacky flavors like blueberry lemonade wine, he felt that every wine consumer “starts somewhere.” It was promising to him because he said they would “continue their wine journey” and start “drinking real wine.” So many problems here but here is the big one: They don’t often continue the wine journey. News flash, wine people! Consumers don’t have time. We don’t desire it. We want to build connections, not spend the evening only discussing what we want to drink. We have jobs and travel and bills to pay and kids and dogs and aging parents and hell, we just want to buy a house. We have no job security. We have been hit with recession after recession. Right now, inflation is making our groceries cost some 40% more. You really think we are jumping at the time-consuming task of learning about wine? Get real. We’ll grab a #Martini. And start ranting. Which is exactly what I'm doing in today's The Mad Ones 👇 Link in comments. #health #wellness #marketing #alcohol #alcoholfree

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“Growing a CPG company, especially in the food and beverage space, ‘is astronomically harder today,’. ” Paul Voge you said it, man. So many truth bombs dropped in this article about the challenges and difficulties growing and scaling a CPG brand in today’s world. The cruel reality is that it takes a whole lot of money or a whole lot of time (and most times both) along with a fair amount of luck to have a chance at making it. If you dont have a ton of money then you better have a ton of time, some good fortune, and a product that can withstand many changes of the seasons (and "trends"). For most emerging brands today its all about survival and just finding a way.  There are lots of traps out there– lots of shiny objects– lots of vanity metrics hoping to be noticed and cared about–but at the end of the day sometimes its just about living to see another one. Here’s to all you day-to-dayers and week-to-weekers out there that are all just finding a way. Keep finding it.

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In 2003, Mike Kirban was skating around NYC selling coconut water. 20 years later, that same product is set to hit $500 million in sales. 🥥 This is the Vita Coco story. The product is simple - some may even call it a commodity. But, branding, story telling and the right marketing allowed this Verlinvest portfolio company to win. This story will show that brands are built with patience, hustle and heart. In 2003, co-founders Michael Kirban and Ira Liran met 2 Brazilian women at a bar. Ira ended up falling in love with one of them and moved to Brazil🇧🇷 Later, during one of Mike’s visits, Ira convinced him to partner up to start selling coconut water in the US. Vita Coco was born! They scraped together $75,000 and bought two containers of coconut water; only to realize that they didn’t have FDA clearance to import them. But that didn’t stop them – They re-exported them to the Bahamas and flew there to sell through the product door-to-door. Mike was everywhere—skating through NYC in the morning, doing store demos in the afternoon and then bookkeeping at night. That’s the real founder hustle :) Meanwhile, Zico, a better-funded competitor, was emerging, setting the stage for the "coconut water wars." It’s around this time that Verlinvest realized we wanted to have a share of the coco-war, and ended up investing $2M. At the time, Vita Coco had not even hit $1M in sales yet. The momentum continued. In 2010, the brand raised a $5M celebrity from celebs like Madonna and Matthew McConaughey. Today, this is common - but at that time it was path breaking. Suddenly, they had the megaphone they needed to build massive brand awareness 🫡 Through the years, their distinct branding and marketing strategy allowed them to stand out on shelves across the world. In 2021, Vita Coco went public, raising $172M. Now, they’re on their way to clock $500M in sales :) From no business plan to building one of the biggest global beverage companies, the story of Michael and Ira building brand in a category like coconut water is one that’s always amazed me. In a lot of cases in consumer products, the product isn’t necessarily the moat. Success comes from brand and a relentless hustle - the willingness to roll with the punches. I’ve always said - the best way to start is to start. You will end up figuring out a lot on the way. I love the product. Have you tried Vita Coco? Do you think there is a case to build such a large coconut water brand in India? PS: Thinking of sharing more stories of our global Verlinvest portfolio like this. Thoughts? #business #entrepreneurship #founder

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A deep dive into CAVA... Everything from our full-service origins to our fast-casual founding, Zoes Kitchen acquisition, IPO, current strategic initiatives, and more... Thanks to Danny Klein, Sam Danley, and QSR for the coverage and telling our story. #restaurants #fastcasual #mediterranean #ipo #categorydefining Take a read here 👇 https://lnkd.in/euKkTdbi

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"What truly excites me at Clif Family is creating unforgettable wine and food experiences that connect people to each other and to our planet." Did you catch our interview with Clif Family President Linzi Gay? We are excited to feature Clif Family's delicious mixed nuts in our new Subscription "Coffee Break" Boxes, designed to help remote and hybrid teams connect through the power of food. When you work with Narrative Food and our community of small-batch makers, it shows just how much you care about people and the planet. https://lnkd.in/eqCGwHJT #supportsmallbusinesses #shopsmall #smallbusinessmatters,#bcorp #b1 #climateneutral #1percentfortheplanet #wethechange,#employeeappreciation #employeeengagement #employeeretention #teamappreciation,#giftsthatgiveback #giftwithpurpose #impactfulgiving,#sustainablefood #eatkind,#corporatewellness #workplacewellness,#remoteworkers,#corporategifting,#businessasaforceforgood #consciouscapitalism

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💰VC-Funded vs. Indie Brands in NA💰 I recently wrote a piece that celebrates the pioneers of the non-alcoholic drink industry. My dear friend and colleague, Christopher Marshall, is one of the pioneers I listed. He and I talk about the NA industry regularly—especially the financials, the role privilege plays in business, and why it’s important to support indie brands. We decided to have one of these convos on camera to show folks what it’s like to work in the non-alcoholic drink industry without having VC-funding. Chris Marshall is the founder of Sans Bar (the first NA bar in North America) and Sans Bar Academy (a virtual, 10-week course where people can learn the essentials of launching an NA brand, opening an NA bottleshop or bar, marketing, and much more!). He’s been in the NA scene before the NA scene was even a thing. In fact, I consider Chris Marshall to be the face of the non-alcoholic drink movement. A crown he kindly says belongs to the NA community as a whole. 👑 I’ve reported on the sober curious/mindful drinking movement since 2015. Until recently, my work focused on mental health, sobriety, liquid courage, and how all three intersect with our interpersonal relationships, all while sipping lots of NA drinks. I even wrote a book about research called Dry Humping. Now I’m on the other side of NA as a co-founder and CMO of my very own drink, (parentheses). Grab some tea, get cozy, and watch Chris and I discuss the following topics: 💰How VC-backed brands get different opportunities from indie brands 💰How much money brands (and authors!) are actually spending on publicists 💰The unique experience a customer has in NA bottleshops and NA bars vs buying NA drinks from a chain retailer 💰And most importantly, his adorable dog, Dexter, weighs in on the NA space from a canine perspective. 🔗Watch the convo here: https://rb.gy/0rqjgr

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Invest in Premium Spirits – High-Yield, Leveraged Returns with Full Risk Coverage The market for aged premium spirits is thriving, driven by strong demand and a high premium created through the aging process. We’re offering a unique, leveraged investment opportunity targeting a 331.3% total ROI with up to 66.3% return per year for five years (depending on how much debt financing can be secured). This investment combines $6.5 million in equity with $6.5 million in debt financing to maximize returns, delivering quarterly distributions and principal repayment in tranches over the final installments. We are seeking a total commitment of $13 million from qualified investors. Projected Timeline: Capital is deployed in five equal quarterly tranches, with investor distributions beginning in month 16. Quarterly payments continue over five years, with principal repayment structured over the final five installments to ensure steady cash flow throughout the term. Security You Can Rely On: Our investor's capital and returns are fully protected by surety bonds from a respected A-rated insurance company, backed by one of the largest reinsurers in the world. Coverage is established before any funds are deployed, safeguarding both principal and all projected returns. This opportunity is crafted for high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and industry professionals seeking substantial, surety bond-backed returns in a secure, high-demand market. Interested in learning more? Click here to explore this exclusive opportunity. #AlternativeInvestments #HighNetWorthInvestors #FamilyOffices #PremiumSpirits #AssetBacked #HighYieldReturns #Investing

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Just wrapped up the Wakefern Food Corp. Keynote at Founders' Innovation Day in NYC (ECRM), where Pat Mooney, Vice President of HBC & Non-Foods, shared insightful perspectives on their unique retailer owned cooperative model. Wakefern, with ownership groups like Saker ShopRites, Inc., Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., and Greenfield's ShopRite, runs multiple banners including ShopRite and PriceRite, and has expanded into owning Fairway Markets and Fresh Grocers. 🌟 Key Takeaways: - Supporting Small Businesses: Wakefern’s model is tailored to help small businesses excel in a big business world, challenging the status quo of relying solely on heritage brands. - Fostering Emerging Brands: The importance of nurturing new brands is paramount for keeping the retail experience fresh and engaging. - Supplier Engagement: Wakefern looks for brands that can articulate their customer connection, uniqueness, and collaborative potential. - Strategic Planning: Emphasizing the importance of joint business planning, whether quarterly or annually, to ensure alignment on goals. - Valuing Honest Dialogue: Pat promotes healthy conflict for better outcomes, advocating for directness and transparency over polite superficiality. - Pat also shared exciting updates about Wakefern's expansion plans under new leadership, including potential growth into the continental US and abroad, highlighting wholesale as a significant opportunity. This panel was particularly pertinent for us at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co. since we're one of only 10 finalists chosen to pitch at ShopRite's Local Supplier Summit this Friday out of over 300 applicants! We'll be presenting at their HQ in Edison. I had a chance to chat with Pat for some advice on our pitch, and he emphasized the importance of finding the perfect mix between compelling storytelling and solid sales data. As Wakefern gears up for some big moves, it’s an awesome time for suppliers to jump in and ride the wave with this powerhouse retailer. What’s your take on how Wakefern is shaking up retail and teaming up with suppliers? Let’s chat in the comments! #retail #innovation #cpg #beverage #grocery RangeMe Joseph Tarnowski Wayne Bennett Sarah Davidson

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𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗮-𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗮 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱? Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (KDP) doubles down on energy drinks with a strategic 60% acquisition of GHOST for nearly $1 billion, aiming for full ownership by 2028. This deal not only reinforces KDP’s position in the fast-growing energy space but mirrors trends we’ve seen with PepsiCo's investment in CELSIUS Holdings, Inc. and Monster Energy’s deal with Bang Energy. It reflects the ongoing wave of consolidation as companies scramble for market share and look to capitalize on shifting consumer preferences. At a ~$2 billion valuation, Ghost’s multiple suggests a more aggressive bet compared to Coca-Cola’s initial stake in Monster, signaling how quickly valuations have grown in this sector. As competition heats up, expect to see more moves like this from beverage giants looking to align with up-and-coming brands. #Ghost #EnergyDrinks #BeverageIndustry #MergersAndAcquisitions   https://lnkd.in/gyZNtEEQ

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Last week, I had an insightful conversation with Joshua Schall, MBA where we explored the fast-changing energy drinks market in the U.S. and Canada, the strategic moves we’re making at GURU, and the balance between risk and opportunity. We also discussed the journey of taking GURU public and how we’re navigating investor expectations to drive long-term differentiation. Tune in for a deep dive into the dynamics of strategy, business, and the energy drink industry!

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Chain restaurants and fast-casual dining establishments have notably benefited from RevPASH. For example, brands like Olive Garden and TGI Fridays have used RevPASH to fine-tune their operations, leading to increased efficiency and profitability. So what is RevPASH? The concept of RevPASH was actually inspired by a similar metric used in the airline industry called Revenue per Available Seat Mile (RASM). Was first formally introduced in the hospitality literature by Cornell University’s Quarterly Journal. How it is calculated? The RevPASH is calculated by dividing the total revenue generated by the number of available seat per hours. Why it can be used for? Strategic decision-making in various aspects: Seating Optimization Menu Engineering Staff Scheduling Promotions and Discounts

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Why I’m Investing and am Bullish on the Future of Tea ☕📈 Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world (after water), and its popularity continues to grow, especially here in the U.S. 🌍➡️🇺🇸 Here’s why I believe tea is poised for a massive leap forward: 📊 Consumer Trends are Shifting Over 60% of Americans drink tea daily, and the market has seen consistent growth year over year. Consumers are increasingly moving toward health-conscious beverages. Tea, with its natural antioxidants and versatility (hot, iced, sparkling, caffeinated, or herbal), checks every box. 💡 Tea is Under-Innovated While coffee has seen exponential growth and innovation (think Starbucks, cold brews, and canned options), tea is ripe for disruption. Ready-to-drink tea and premium tea options are growing rapidly, with the U.S. tea market projected to hit $16.7 billion by 2027 (up from $12.3 billion in 2022). 🌱 Sustainability Meets Transparency Modern consumers demand more than just a product; they want ethical sourcing, sustainability, and transparency. By leaning into farm-to-cup storytelling and compostable packaging, tea brands have an incredible opportunity to win customer loyalty. 🔥 The Starbucks Effect Coffee’s success wasn’t just about the product—it was about creating an experience. Tea can be the next frontier of that movement, tapping into the premiumization and internationalization that redefined the coffee industry. At Revival Tea Company, we’re positioning ourselves at the forefront of this exciting evolution. With a bold vision to make tea the new face of beverages, we're innovating across ready-to-drink products, chai concentrates, and high-quality loose-leaf teas. The tea industry is brewing something big, and I’m here for it. Whether you’re a tea enthusiast, an entrepreneur, or an investor, this is a space worth watching. Let’s raise a glass (or a cup) to the future of tea! ☕✨ #Tea #Innovation #FutureOfTea #Sustainability #Investing #FoodAndBeverage

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I think consumer feedback is often under used by emerging CPG brands… Coming from a Kraft Foods general management upbringing and then experiencing start-ups for many years, I’m often thinking about which “big company” practices could bring value to young emerging companies while not screwing up their great entrepreneurial culture and founder brilliance. The one area I continue to see a gap in is “entrepreneurial” consumer feedback/market research—the lack of fast/low cost consumer research options (or even confirmation research) discussed to prevent a low velocity SKU to get delisted, to maximize brand communication, and avoid wasted spend or lost opportunity on the back end. There are some great research companies out there, but their costs (while valid and worth it) are just not in the ballpark for what many founders want to spend for or go through the time on. Sometimes it’s a lot more natural for founders to go with their gut and not get bogged down by research. And I totally get this, and it does work in many instances.   I just wish there were more options out there to efficiently confirm purchase interest between two packages or between new innovation ideas to complement founder gut. In the end, it could save the emerging brand money…. Thought I’d reach out to the linkedin community, PLEASE not from research companies selling their research, but from founders/emerging brand marketers who have been through this dilemma and have found some consumer feedback very helpful and fitting for emerging brand bootstrap budget and speed (even if their own tools or alternative ways they’ve brought in consumers more)?  This sharing might help more companies maximize their moves in the future…so hope it helps… thanks! #ConsumerFeedback #jcbgrowth

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A simple quote from Mike Tyson and one of my favorites of all time: "Everybody has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." It rings true in the day to day battles of business, especially in CPG. Here are some examples many CPG founders go through or ones I've personally battled: 🥴 You launch a product, did all the research for R&D, focus group testing, and reviewed the packaging thousands of times before launching, but still something went wrong either with shelf life, negative consumer/retailer feedback, or weak sales on shelf 💰 You had cash flow projections in place and expected that with X amount raised, it would last you for Y Months, but ran short of runway and were scrambling to raise more cash to keep the company going in difficult times 🤝 Formed partnerships, only disappointed to find out the partner backed out, or it wasn't the partnership you envisioned and now you are doing damage control and it's causing emotional pain to be with this person 🚛 Brought on a distributor thinking they would push the brand and it would be an estimated cost, but they didn't do their job, and the costs ended up sky-rocketing from chargebacks, thus losing money on every unit 😲You release a great product, and then a competitor comes up with a version of yours that is a lower price point and they have all the marketing dollars in the world to out-compete you. I can go on and on, but in this business, like any business, you have intentions when you go into it, and many times, it doesn't turn out the way you envisioned. What's your story of getting punched in the mouth?

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🍾 NEW WEBINAR for non-alcoholic beverage + #CPG brands: Breaking into Retail: A Roadmap for Emerging Brands w/ SPINS and the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA). For a growing brand, succeeding in physical retail stores is the key to scale. In the USA, there are over 2,500 natural grocery stores, 110,000 conventional grocery, mass, drug and club outlets, and over 100,000 convenience stores. In this webinar, Benji Fitts from SPINS will teach you strategies on how to pick the perfect retail partner that aligns with your needs and mission, and divulge tips and tricks to craft a smartly tailored pitch to curious category managers. If your goal in 2025 is succeeding in the retail marketplace, don't miss this important webinar. RSVP & REGISTER AT: https://lnkd.in/eekgh59s ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ♻️ #Repost if you like this content and follow me, Marcos Salazar 🍺🍷🥃 , for more content like this. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Who will be the next supply chain consolidator? From 2011 to 2021, XPO scaled up from $70M to $20B, fueled by a combination of organic growth and 18 acquisitions. The model was extremely successful. But the supply chain ecosystem remains extremely fragmented. There is plenty of room for new consolidators to emerge as winners. In the food supply chain software arena, one emerging acquiror is GrubMarket Inc. They have built a network model to help food suppliers automate their relationships with their customers. GrubMarket has acquired over 100 companies to date. They are expecting to exceed $2B in annualized revenue. And they just announced their latest purchase: Butter 🧈, a SaaS platform to automate food distribution. Kudos to Mike Xu, Winston C., and all involved! #logistics #supplychain #consolidation https://lnkd.in/emY4wpsy

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🚀 The rise of functional beverages is more than just a trend—it's a movement reshaping how we think about what we drink. 📖 Great piece by Keren Landman at Vox on why the better-for-you beverage category is surging, with the market set to surpass $200 billion by 2027. Millennials are leading the charge, consuming these beverages at twice the rate of other age groups.   🌱 This is just the beginning. The rapid innovation and demand we’re seeing are a testament to consumers seeking healthier, more mindful alternatives to traditional drinks.   🌵 We look forward to continuing to pave our own unique path forward for MAGIC CACTUS and provide consumers with a refreshing, healthier beverage that can be enjoyed by a broad base of drinkers nationwide. ✨   Link to full article below:

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Roundup of All Things CPG This Week: (Follow for weekly roundups like these every Friday) 💼 Mergers & Acquisitions → Kirin Completes Fancl Buyout: Kirin finalizes the purchase of Fancl for $1.4B, continuing its strategic shift from beer (WSJ). → Newport Craft Distilling Acquires KEEL Vodka: Newport Craft adds KEEL Vodka to its portfolio (PR Newswire). → Walmart Acquires Vizio: Walmart buys Vizio for $2.3B, expanding into electronics (Intellizence). → Paramount Global Merges with Skydance: Paramount Global partners with Skydance in a $22.26B deal (Inside Arbitrage). 💰 Fundraising Highlights → Funding for UK’s Common Beverage: Secures six-figure investment led by James Watt (The Drinks Business). → InvestBev’s Ambitious Goal: Launches its fifth fund, aiming to raise $150M for beverage brands (Axios). → Emma Watson’s Renais Gin: Raises $2.3M to fuel growth in the luxury gin market (SEC). → ZeroFox Holdings Raises Funds: Secures investment from Haveli Investments to enhance digital risk protection services (Stock Analysis). → Agiliti Secures Funding: Thomas H. Lee Partners invest in Agiliti for growth in medical equipment services (Stock Analysis). 💄 Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness Updates → Briogeo Expands Product Line: Introduces new hair styling products at Ulta and Sephora (Glossy). → Unilever Prestige CEO Resigns: Vasiliki Petrou resigns to start a new investment fund (Business of Fashion). → Care/of Closes Operations: The personalized vitamin brand shuts down (Twitter). → Goop Launches Mascara: Gwyneth Paltrow’s brand expands its makeup line with a new mascara (WWD). → GlaxoSmithKline Acquires Aiolos Bio: GSK enhances its respiratory care portfolio (Stock Analysis). → Amgen Launches New Wellness Initiative: Focuses on personalized health and wellness products (Inside Arbitrage). 🍽️ Food, Beverage, and Alcohol News → Liquid Death’s New “Death Dust”: Enhanced flavors now available on Amazon (Instagram). → SCiFi Foods Shuts Down: Cultivated meat startup ceases operations after raising $40M (AgFunder). → DAVIDsTEA Introduces Sparkling Iced Teas: Launches its first ready-to-drink product (Instagram). → Mondelez Collaborates with Lotus Bakeries: New cookie and chocolate products in the works (Food Dive). → Top of the Mornin’ Coffee’s New Flavor: Introduces French Toast Flavored Coffee (Instagram). → Hulk Hogan’s Beer Launch: Debuts Real American Beer (Brewbound). 📊 Data and Distribution Developments → MERIT’s Financial Success: On track to reach $100M in sales this year (Business of Fashion). → Verb Energy Debuts at Earth Fare: Available in Earth Fare stores. → Burnt Faith Brandy at Tesco: Expands to the UK market. → Pioneer Natural Resources Partners with ExxonMobil: Focuses on sustainable energy solutions (Stock Analysis). → Alpine Immune Sciences Teams with Vertex: Enhances its immunotherapy offerings (Stock Analysis). Enjoyed this? Follow James Ball for roundups every Friday.

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