The Weekly Sip is Food Dive’s column focused on the latest news in the rapidly changing and growing beverage sector. From inaugural product lines to big investments and controversial topics, this column aims to quench the thirst for developments in the category.
L.A. Libations plans a joint venture to get young beverage brands to market faster
L.A. Libations is planning to partner with sales and marketing firm Advantage Solutions to help beverage startups get their products to store shelves more quickly.
The companies said the proposed joint venture would combine Advantage’s scale, insights, talent and retail industry expertise with L.A. Libations’ relationships with entrepreneurs and product innovators, connectivity with retailers and track record building and scaling emerging brands.
Danny Stepper, co-founder and CEO of L.A. Libations.
“With so much of the growth in the CPG industry coming from innovation, insurgent brands are in high demand, and they face incredible challenges to scale with speed,” Dave Peacock, CEO of Advantage Solutions, said in a statement. This partnership would “ensure that these brands not only earn distribution in retailers around the country but have a seamless route to shelf and into shoppers’ baskets.”
The deal calls for L.A. Libations’ retail solutions subsidiary to combine its coverage of select West Coast retailers with Advantage’s operations that work with stores nationally. This would allow the new entity to expand services for emerging brands nationwide.
Advantage, which said it works with more than 3,500 CPG companies across 250,000 North American retail outlets, will enable L.A. Libations-affiliated brands to expand with greater speed and gain distribution and shelf space faster than they would have before. L.A. Libations also would gain access to Advantage’s full suite of services, including its sampling and demonstration capabilities.
The new entity, expected to be called Relentless Advantage, would work with young brands such as natural soda product Poppi; Michelle Obama’s Plezi Nutrition, a line of kid-focused beverages with lower sugar content; and Abbot’s, a line of plant-based protein products.
Danny Stepper, co-founder and CEO of L.A. Libations, said the proposed partnership would help solve emerging brands’ biggest hurdle as they attempt to grow their businesses. “That last mile from a retailer’s backroom to the shelf is a massive pain point for the industry, and brands are constantly asking for us to help,” he said.
Advantage and L.A. Libations said they expect their agreement to be finalized “in the coming months.”
— Christopher Doering
Optional Caption
Courtesy of Accolade Wines
Dolly Parton hits a new note with wine
Dolly Parton’s latest single is bringing the beloved country singer from the recording studio to the vineyard.
The music superstar introduced her first collection of Dolly Wines in collaboration with Parton Family Cellars and one of the largest wine companies, Accolade Wines. The entertainer reportedly was heavily involved in the process, offering her input on taste, look and feel.
The Dolly Wines California Chardonnay 2023 goes on sale in the U.S. in July. The alcohol offers a blend of white peach, sweet cream and toasty oak for a perfectly balanced sweetness.
Other wine varieties include Rosé and Prosecco, with a fourth varietal, Sparkling, launching in Australia in September under the Dolly Parton label. The Rosé and Prosecco will be released in the fall to retailers across the U.K.
“We are beyond excited to bring Dolly Wines to the world,” Sandy Mayo, Accolade Wines’ chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Like the lady herself, we think everyone, everywhere will love it. Go ahead, pour yourself a cup of ambition!”
Parton is no stranger to the food and beverage space. In January, she announced she was working with Conagra Brands to develop a new line of food products. The items will include frozen, refrigerated, grocery and snacks inspired by down-home comfort cuisine.
— Christopher Doering
Optional Caption
Courtesy of 19 Crimes
Snoop Dogg, 19 Crimes brings the West Coast into RTD cocktails
This summer, Snoop Dogg is delivering a California creation in the alcohol category.
The rapper and entrepreneur has launched Cali Cocktails, a ready-to-drink cocktail brand in collaboration with 19 Crimes. The product arrives in two varieties: Smokin’ Strawberry Margarita and Long Beach Lemonade.
Snoop sought to create a canned cocktail with a heavier pour — the drinks contain 9% alcohol-by-volume, according to a press release. Cali Cocktails are made with an agave wine base, according to the company, and were designed to be consumed in the can or over ice at parties and events.
“It took a while to perfect this one, but it’s just on time. California has always been home, so it only made sense to celebrate that California state of mind as my next ‘Cali’ creation,” Snoop Dogg said in the press release.
Cali Cocktails is Snoop Dogg’s fifth collaborative product with 19 Crimes, following wines like Cali Red and Cali Rose. The wine maker, based on Australia’s history of rebellion, has grown in popularity in recent years as a mid-tier priced offering. In 2022, 19 Crimes Cali Red was named the #1 selling single wine in the history of Circana’s New Product Pacesetter, an annual report detailing new product launches.
The famous rapper has broadened the reach of his brand, with a flurry of product launches in the alcohol and cannabis space since his first collaboration with 19 Crimes in 2019. Earlier this year, the rapper launched Gin & Juice RTD cocktails with Dr. Dre, named after their hit song together. Also this year, in a nod to his reputation as a marijuana afficionado, Snoop debuted Do It Fluid, a hemp-based beverage, in four flavors in collaboration with Hill Beverage Co.
— Chris Casey
