NIQ: THC Beverages Hit $239M in Mainstream Retail as Half of Adults Interested in Trying
THC beverages reached $239 million in the 52 weeks ending April 4 2026, up 135% versus the prior year, and despite a looming ban, there’s thirst for more.
Beyond Beer
Read the latest beyond beer news relating to companies involved with RTD cocktails, hard cider, hard seltzer, hard kombucha, spirits, cannabis, and non-alcoholic products. Take a comprehensive look at developments in these evolving sectors, offering valuable insights into the innovations, trends, and market forces shaping the world of beer and beyond.
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Featured Beyond Beer Content
Jim Koch: Boston Beer ‘Over the Hump’ and Important to Distributors & Retailers; Sun Cruiser Gains; No Twisted Tea Reset
Boston Beer Company has “gotten over the hump as a supplier” and become an “important” part of its wholesalers’ and retailers’ businesses, founder, chairman and CEO Jim Koch told analysts during the company’s Q1 2026 earnings report Thursday evening.
Stateside’s Super Lyte Depletes 120K Cases in 5 Weeks, Targets 1.5M This Year
Super Lyte, a vodka-infused, sports-drink inspired refresher, from the makers of Surfside, has depleted 120,000 cases in its first five weeks in the market, with a forecast to hit 1.5 million cases this year.
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Blake’s Beverage Co. Takes Aim at Fourth Category Innovation Following Merger of Blake’s, Avid and Austin Eastciders
Blake’s Beverage Co. is looking to be a leader in not just hard cider, but all “fruit-forward fourth category innovation,” founder and CEO Andrew Blake told Brewbound.
A Round With… Lone River’s Katie Beal Brown
In the latest installment of Brewbound’s A Round With – a weekly Insider-exclusive Q&A series with industry leaders – Katie Beal Brown chats about the rollercoaster ride of turning a cherished family cocktail recipe into a nationally distributed, ready-to-drink product … and kicking off right before the pandemic turned the bev-alc world upside down.
Spirits Distribution: Mom Water Hits New England; Heritage Grows with Beer Wholesalers
In this latest round of distribution news, we check in with new coconut vodka water, Mother’s Milk and another fruit-infused vodka cocktail named after the same parent, Mom Water, as well as craft distillers Heritage Distilling and Frey Ranch, plus news from rum Coconut Cartel.
Liquid Death Closes $67M Funding Round; Several Distributors Invest
As it looks to scale up to meet fast-rising demand for new innovations, Liquid Death announced this morning it has closed a $67 million funding round at a valuation of $1.4 billion.
Jones Soda Crosses Over into Bev-Alc with New Spiked Sodas
Seattle-based craft soda producer Jones Soda Co. is crossing over into beverage-alcohol with the launch of Spiked Jones Hard Craft Soda, announced Wednesday.
For The Folks: Black-Owned Brands Take on Hard Seltzer
Two brands are positioning themselves as the “first” Black-owned hard seltzer brands hyper-focused on carving out a niche among the Black community.
BWC: Crossover Brands Achieve ‘Rapid Depth’ in Bev-Alc Sales
Non-alcoholic beverage crossover partnerships have created “rapid depth” for beverage-alcohol producers in recent years, according to Bump Williams Consulting’s (BWC) latest monthly report.
JuneShine Acquires Flying Embers in All-Stock Deal
San Diego-based hard kombucha and canned cocktail (RTD) maker JuneShine will acquire beyond beer brand Flying Embers in an all-stock transaction, the company announced today.
Boston Beer: Twisted Tea Braces for Competition; Truly Embraces ‘Light’ Flavors
Boston Beer Company reported its 2023 full-year and fourth-quarter earnings amid a flurry of news, including that CEO Dave Burwick will retire, a Nike exec will supplant him and that its Hard MTN Dew brand will shift to beer wholesalers from PepsiCo’s erstwhile Blue Cloud Distribution.
Stormalong Founder Reflects on 10 Years of Respecting the Apples
After a decade in business, Stormalong Cider is finally creating the taproom of its dreams and that its fans have been requesting.
Iowa’s Big Grove Acquires Majority Stake in Cannabis-Infused Sparkling Water Brand Climbing Kites
Big Grove Brewery has acquired a majority stake in Climbing Kites, an Iowa-based maker of Delta 9 THC- and CBD-infused, non-alcoholic sparkling water.
3 Up 3 Down: Hard Cider C-Store Gains Continue; FMB Subsegments Struggle as Hard Tea Grows
3 Up, 3 Down with 3 Tier Beverages is a quarterly insights series available to Brewbound Insiders, via the Chicago-headquartered, bev-alc-focused consulting and data firm.
What Is The Neo-Prohibition Movement? Separating Fact From Fiction
U.S. government trying to limit your booze intake or access? The short answer is no. So why do we keep hearing rumblings about something called the ‘neo-prohibition’ movement?
Non-Compete and Trade Secrets Lawsuit Dismissed Against Former Boston Beer Employee
A lawsuit filed by Boston Beer against a former employee alleging that he violated a non-compete agreement by working for a competitor has been dismissed. The complaint was “dismissed with prejudice as to as to all claims against Brian Soudant, without costs and fees and without right of appeal,” according to a document filed February 9 in the Massachusetts Superior Court for Suffolk County.