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Weekly Sip is Food Dive’s column focusing on the latest news from the fast-changing and growing beverage sector. From the first product lines to major investments and controversial topics, this column aims to quench your thirst for development in the category.
Take care, Shirley Temple 7UP
Classic Lemon Lime Soda brings back childhood memories with a retro drink flavor just in time for the holidays.
Keurig Dr Pepper has announced its newest 7UP limited edition flavor, Shirley Temple, available in standard and sugar-free varieties. The drink includes 7UP’s signature citrus flavor with notes of pomegranate and cherry that pays homage to the classic mocktail, the company said.
“Our team loves the challenge of developing and marketing beverages that evoke deep nostalgia with a modern twist, and 7UP Shirley Temple does just that,” Andrew Springate, chief marketing officer of Keurig Dr Pepper, said in a statement. “I’m doing it,” he said.
The drink will be available in major grocery stores by 2024.
Shirley Temple is named after the famous child actress and was created in the 1930s. According to popular lore, the drink was created by a Los Angeles bartender who wanted to create a drink that young stars could drink and that did not contain alcohol. His cocktail combines ginger ale, grenadine, and cherries.
It quickly grew in popularity as a fun, casual cocktail that anyone could enjoy, providing an escape from the harsh realities of the Great Depression and World War II.
7UP’s history dates back to the first half of the 20th century, when it was first released in 1929. Merged with Dr Pepper in 1986. The drink currently competes with a variety of lemon-lime sodas, including Coca-Cola’s Sprite and PepsiCo’s recently launched Starry. .
Constellation shakes up the C-suite with CPG veterans
The brewer behind Corona and Modelo has a new face to help the company navigate the next phase of its business strategy.
E. Yuri Hermida will serve as Constellation’s Executive Vice President and Chief Growth and Strategy Officer. The role will oversee consumer insights, media, new business ventures and analytics, the company said in a press release. Hermida will report directly to President and CEO Bill Newlands.
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Provided by Constellation Brands
“His extensive experience and diverse perspectives across the CPG sector will help our company continue to explore ways to evolve our business to meet changing consumer and category trends to ensure long-term, sustainable, industry-leading growth. “It will,” Newlands said. said in a statement.
Hermida most recently served as Chief Growth Officer and President at Sovos Brands. The maker of Rao’s pasta sauce was acquired by Campbell Soup when the deal ended earlier this year.
Originally from Mexico City, Hermida previously spent 22 years at Procter & Gamble. He managed brands for a large CPG food and beverage portfolio in Venezuela before taking on leadership roles in the global business.
Hermida will replace Mallika Monteiro, who has been promoted to vice president of Constellation’s beer portfolio.
The appointment comes as the company doubles down on its beer business and the rest of its portfolio struggles.
In the most recent quarter, beer sales rose 6%, while Constellation’s wine and spirits fell 12% year-on-year, Newlands said in the company’s earnings call last week. The CEO attributed the non-beer losses to a more difficult macroeconomic environment and said the company is not currently focused on M&A activity in the spirits sector as it works to improve the performance of its portfolio.
“We are always putting our energy and effort into driving operational improvements at the end of the year, including engaging more directly and more frequently with our distribution partners,” Newlands told analysts.
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Courtesy of Mary Dowling Whiskey Company
A brand based on the ‘Mother of Bourbon’ launches winter whiskey
A new player in the whiskey sector hopes to stand out with the help of a bourbon pioneer.
Mary Dowling Whiskey Company has unveiled its newest bourbon, Winter Wheat. The spirit is aged for four years in oak barrels and contains notes of vanilla, caramel, roasted nuts and spices, the brand said in a press release. The flavor profile includes notes of cherry, honey, and cinnamon.
“By leveraging the complexity of a unique wheat mash bill and the influence of toasted barrel aging, Winter Mill Bourbon delivers a rich, depth of flavor that sets it apart,” said Kaveh Zamanian, co-founder of Mary Dowling, in a statement. “The representation is not only a testament to Mary’s important role in sustaining the Kentucky bourbon industry during Prohibition, but it is also a celebration of the artistry that defined our craft.”
Zamanian, a whiskey maker inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, launched the brand earlier this year. They sell two different varieties: Double Oak Barrel and Tequila Barrel, the latter combining the flavors of whiskey and agave-based spirits.
The brand is named after Mary Dowling, the “mother of bourbon.” She made a name for herself in the pre-Prohibition era after taking over her husband’s whiskey distillery, and faced discrimination along the way, according to the brand. The company’s whiskey is currently available in select stores.
Mary Dowling Whiskey Company joins more than 700 other bourbon distilleries in the U.S., according to IBIS World data. This figure has increased by 11.6% annually between 2018 and 2023.
