An Indiana congressman has proposed legislation to push back the upcoming hemp ban for three years, allowing more time to carve out a regulatory framework for hemp products.

As alcohol sales have remained strained for years on end, the emergence of mainstream, legal hemp-based beverages has been a major boon for adult beverage retailers. Jon Halper, owner and CEO of retail chain Top Ten Liquors, is one of them.

A proposed consumer antitrust class action lawsuit was filed against PepsiCo and Walmart after a now-dismissed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint against them was unsealed. At issue is the allegation that Pepsi gave Walmart exclusive discounts not offered to other retailers. 

Pennsylvania-based contract manufacturer Lion Beverages, LLC has closed a $150 million investment as it prepares to expand capacity in the new year.

Beverage packaging manufacturer Ball Corporation will acquire an 80% stake in Benepack’s European can manufacturing businesses, including two production facilities in Belgium and Hungary, the company announced Wednesday.

Thrive Market is going dry. The online grocery retailer announced today it is adding more than 100 SKUs across 20 brands to its adult non-alcoholic (ANA) beverage set, while simultaneously dropping all of its existing alcoholic offerings.

The past year saw some major M&A deals, and day one of BevNET Live Winter 2025 in Marina Del Rey, Calif., served as the perfect platform to sit down with the leaders of Poppi and Health-Ade Kombucha to learn how they steered their businesses to an exit. The annual beverage industry conference also featured no shortage of panels covering investment trends, startup strategy and the ongoing issues in the space from a looming hemp ban to rising costs.

A subsidiary of AriZona Beverages USA subsidiary has acquired Manna Beverages’ facility in Anaheim, California. 

Canned water brand Liquid Death has signed with four mostly craft-centric distributors in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest. Liquid Death, which is preparing to launch an energy drink line in early 2026, has signed with Hand Family Companies’ subsidiary Sunset Distributing (California), The Odom Corporation (Washington), Bigfoot Beverages and Summit Beverage Distribution Co. (both Oregon).

Global rap star Future and Ohza founder Ryan Ayotte want consumers to drink in style with Roué, a new brand of fine wines and RTD cocktails launching this month.

Robert Hendrickson, interim CEO and president of Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), has died.

A week after California drinks manufacturer Manna Beverages shuttered operations and terminated the entire on-site staff, the company’s West Sacramento and Anaheim production facilities are up for sale.

British mixer brand Fever-Tree is feeling good about its collaboration with Molson Coors as it posted 4% revenue growth in the U.S. in its first half 2025 earnings results last week.

Texas governor Greg Abbott has signed an executive order mandating age restrictions on the sale of hemp-derived THC products, roughly three months after he vetoed a bill that would have outlawed the intoxicant entirely in the Lone Star State.