Good Morning, friends. Who’s excited for Only Murders in the Building coming back tonight? 🙋♀️🙋♀️🙋♀️
Synthetic Alcohol, the New Zero Proof?
UK-based GABA labs is developing an alcohol alternative that will emulate the feeling of being tipsy without paying the price with a hangover. The company got its name from Gaba, the main brain receptor responsible for the chilled out feeling one gets when drinking. Its product, claimed to enhance sociability without the harmful health effects, is cleverly called Alcarelle. The product has only been lab-tested and has not been tested thoroughly on humans, so don’t start planning the weeknight binges yet. For now, stick with a non-alcoholic beer, even Kristen Bell’s kids prefer it.
Fish Wife Went From Smoky Fish to a Smoky Lager
The tinned fish company partnered with Brooklyn-based Talea Beer Co. to make a beer. I’m not sure I’ve ever sipped a lager and wished it were smoky, but I am sure that the packaging is one I’d reach for. This collab is just after the brand partnered with East Fork on a picnic bundle announced on August 3rd. Who’s next? Good things come in threes.
Anheuser-Busch Sells Craft Beer Brands and Hi Ball
The beverage giant is restructuring via a sale of eight craft beer and energy drink brands including 10 Barrell, Widmer Brothers, Shock Top, and Hi Ball to cannabis CPG company Tilray in an all cash deal expected to close in 2023. The sale will bump Tilray’s craft market share to 5% making it the 5th largest craft brewer in the U.S. According to a press release, the transaction includes current employees, breweries and brewpubs associated with these brands. Big beer brands are now pivoting away from the craft beer market they aggressively pursued just a decade ago. Some of these brands were purchased as recently as 2020 when Anheuser-Busch acquired Craft Brew Alliance, home to Widmer Brothers, RedHook, Square Mile Cider, Omission gluten-reduced beers, and Kona Brewing among others. There was speculation at the time of the acquisition that Kona was all AB wanted from the deal and this sale proves that theory right. Calling it now, these brands will start launching FMBs (hard teas, hard juices) and RTDs (canned cocktails) soon.
Hard Juice is the New Hard Seltzer
Companies are realizing people buy juice not to drink with breakfast, but to use as a mixer so they’re helping consumers streamline the drink making process. Brands to know include SunnyD Vodka Seltzer, Two Robbers hard juice, Simply Spiked lemonade, and Ocean Spray x Absolut Vodka cranberry canned cocktail launching 2024. Breweries are joining juice brands expand into this category as New Belgium released its first hard juice, Wild Nectar, earlier this year. As I mentioned last week, RTDs and FMBs have outperformed hard seltzers from July 2022 to July 2023.
Cambell’s is Buying Rao’s
The CPG company is adding pasta to its portfolio with acquisition of Sovos Brands for $2.7 billion. Its flagship brand Rao’s accounts for 69% of their sales and grew organic net sales by 16.3% in its most recent quarter. This sale should signal other notable restaurants to expand their brand beyond the dining room since Rao’s proved there is demand for restaurant quality at home. Someone tell Chrissy Teigen to stock up on frozen lasagna now before any big changes are made.
The NYT is Just Now Noticing Diamond Crystal’s Rebrand
Kosher salt brand, Diamond Crystal rebranded February of this year to better position itself as the top choice among the aspiring home chef. The new alignment makes sense since food writers with large social media followings (think Ina Garten, Molly Baz and Allison Roman) swear by the superior crystals. When Ina says Diamond Crystal is the only salt to use, we say “Yes, Chef.”
Enjoy this lovely Tuesday. Ciao ciao!