Suja Juice offered its own take on cleanse segment with product grouping it calls One Day Renewal that proved to be big sellers during Target test. Line included Daybreak Probiotic as step 1 for morning daypart; Noon Greens as step 2, and Twilight Protein as step 3. Twilight Protein contains 10 g of vegan protein sourced from almonds and peas, and is offered in Strawberry Almond flavor. Jody Cnossen, sales vp for conventional retailers in Southeast region, said items had tested at Target chain in variety of names and formulations and proved to be brisk sellers, leading to green light for broader rollout. At Publix chain, in early days those 3 sku's are among brand's top 4 in velocity, he indicated. Where retailers allow, the co employs shelf merchandising units to make it clear that the 3 items are intended to be purchased as a set.

Meanwhile, San Diego-based co continues to build out its sales staff as it deepens penetration of conventional grocers out east, with ranks of former Bolthouse Farms execs continuing to be fertile hunting ground. Ex-Bolthouser Cnossen, who joined Suja 2 years ago and has handled entire East Coast, said co last week recruited Melinda Richardson to pick up Northeast oversight duties, allowing him to focus on Southeast. Another ex-Bolthouse exec, Jason Domenico, who came aboard a year ago, handles Western region for Suja.  

 Fairlawn, NJ-based Best of Farms LLC used NY Produce Show to debut new raw and organic kombucha brand, Latta, that's claimed to carry 2 years' shelf life. New line, produced in Czech Republic, is from co that's familiar with probiotic space from history with yogurt and Russian kefir, said Best of Farms managing dir Felix Belferman. He said line is formulated from same water used to brew Czech Republic's famous Pilsner Urquell beer, is naturally carbonated and makes the tea base more than an afterthought. It employs Japanese organic bancha green tea for its Green Tea, Green Tea Aloe Vera and Green Tea Lemon Balm sku's and Darjeeling tea for Black Tea sku. It's launching in 8-oz bottles used in Europe, at $1.99-2.49 retail price, tho in concession to American preferences Felix said he's also readying 16-oz bottle. It's not clear how co manages tricky feat of attaining such extended shelf life without pasteurization, tho some show exhibitors in space noted that kombucha is listed well along on ingredient list, suggesting maybe it's added later. But, as Felix noted, kombucha aficionados won't fail to notice that bottle contains defining SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria & yeast). Of course, shelf-stable version of raw kombucha greatly opens up distribution options for product, offering advantage over refrigerated entries that don't have access to conventional beer and soda distributors without refrigerated fleets. Info at LattaUSA.com.

Noble Juice, juice brand controlled by Florida's Seminole Nation, has begun to turn its innovation activities toward more closely targeted subgroups of consumers so as to open more paths to diverse range of refrigerated items it offers. Recall, co represents coming together of Seminoles, with their Seminole Pride brand, and Roe family of Noble Juice, and concomitant step-up in innovation and marketing (BBI, Sep 12 2014). Operation recently hired social media agency and is also prepping shift of advertising emphasis from print to digital, said Bridgett Roode, marketing dir for Seminole Brand Development, which manages these and related businesses, including Hard Rock energy brand using equity from hotel chain that Seminoles own.

Idea of latest innovation wave, Bridgett told BBI, is to "aim for target demographics and not just add new flavors" in quest for relevance among broad range of consumers. Thus, this past spring, looking to reel in more millennials, Seminole Brand Development rolled out line of organic blends in Greens, Carrot Ginseng, Aloe Mint and Chia Beet recipes. That's been followed with organic line aimed more at Gen X females called Generations that contains no more than 100 calories per 12-oz bottle thanks to use of organic stevia. That bowed in recent weeks, in Flaxseed Kale, Aloe Lemonade, Ginseng Mango and Chia Berry flavors. And brand new, targeting males, is a caffeinated juice line called Juice Zing that debuts in Lemonade and Tangerine flavors. Each 12-oz bottle contains 120 mg of caffeine sourced from natural green coffee extract. All the entries continue Seminole Pride mandate of offering ingredient statements that contain nothing but ingredients that will be fully recognizable to shoppers - in the case of Zing, just 2 ingredients, the juice and the coffee extract.

At yesterday's NY Produce Show at city's Javits Center, Campbell Soup's Bolthouse Farms unit was pouring newly launched 1915 organic cold-pressed juice line, so-named for co's founding year, and promising substantial array of extensions in 2016 for 5-sku line. Among them, per booth staffers: protein entry, debuting in Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla and Strawberry flavors. That will make 1915 among few cos to offer broad range of protein entries using high-pressure processing (HPP). Of course, core Bolthouse Farms refrigerated juice line boasts protein subline dubbed Protein Plus in Chocolate, Coffee, Mango and Vanilla Bean flavors, but those aren't produced via more cutting-edge HPP process, which does better job of retaining nutritional efficacy and flavor. Details of 1915 protein entries were scarce tho it's believed co will employ plant-based protein in recipes. Recall that Campbell Soup ceo Denise Morrison has been promising raft of innovation from unit for spring, tho some believe 1915 extensions could hit earlier in new year. Initial entries are in Romaine, Pineapple, Beet, Carrot and Blueberry flavors.

Jeff Popkin, longtime beer and bev exec whose latest runs included running distribution at Red Bull North America and serving as prexy at Vita Coco Coconut Water, has landed at Jagermeister marketer Sidney Frank Importing as CEO. Co is wholly owned unit of Mast-Jagermeister . . . Adagio Tea, primarily online purveyor of loose tea that has had well-regarded organic bottled line in market for better part of a decade, has withdrawn it for now as it segues to non-organic status. "We had trouble maintaining the product as an organic offering," explained ceo Michael Cramer via email. "So we're presently reformulating our iced tea line and will bring it back as conventional products in the spring" . . . Zenith International is getting into the game of aiding startup food/bevcos with new unit called Zenith Springboard that will offer such services as market data, biz planning and product formulation, from base in UK that will work via consultancy's network across 70 countries. Unit will be headed by Paul Martin, who'd served as ceo of Harrowgate Spring Water and sales/mktg dir of Macaw Soft Drinks . . . Heisman Trophy winner and former Ohio State QB Troy Smith has signed on as endorser of Life Support hangover-relief bev, Columbus Dispatch reported. Alliance calls for Smith to make appearances in Ohio and be part of radio advertising for brand for rest year. Privately held co is owned by prexy Cheryl Krueger and other investors who include AJ Hawk, former Ohio State and current Cincinnati Bengals linebacker, paper noted.  

Center for Science in Public Interest has issued release today crowing about decision by Applebee's chain to become latest restaurant to drop soda from its children's menus and urging rivals to follow suit. Applebee's is first "family-dining" restaurant chain, per CSPI, to join fast food cos such as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Subway, Panera and Dairy Queen in dropping sugared bevs from those menus. Release exhorts other "sit-down chains such as Chili's" to do the same.

Alkaline water brand Aquahydrate, which counts Diddy and Mark Wahlberg among its investors and advisors, has added pair of big houses in its core Southern Calif market. In LA metro, it's going to Haralambos Beverage, with coverage in most of LA, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Kern and San Bernardino counties. And in San Diego County, Aquahydrate has gone with John Lenore & Co.  

At time protein drinks are hot, WheyUp founder Erik Rothchild is lookin' to relaunch his caffeinated protein entry, lately controlled by food/bev incubator Shadow Snacks & Beverages, which appears to have been forced into Chapter 7 liquidation a coupla weeks ago when judge denied bid for Chapter 11 reorg status. Shadow, recall, had been quietly funded by indie Pepsi bottlers as means of stoking innovation; in summer 2014 the troubled co hived off much of its personnel and brand portfolio, including No Fear energy line, to Mix1 Beverages. Rothchild had launched WheyUp in 06 and brought brand to Shadow after 08 economic crash made raising capital difficult, then moved on as Shadow took complete control of brand. Brand never got to point of national rollout as Shadow focused more intently on other brands like No Fear and a short-lived GNC functional line. Still, it seems to have retained loyal following in pockets of core Southwest region at retailers like Quik Trip c-store chain. The Shadow entity that's in bankruptcy now seems to claim as assets little more than the IP associated with WheyUp.

This month, Erik has been assuring WheyUp's Facebook followers that he's determined to extricate entry from Shadow morass - or else relaunch concept under new brand. In posting a coupla weeks ago, about time judge denied Shadow's bid to try to reorg co under Chapter 11, Rothchild said he's "in the process of either acquiring the WheyUp name from the current ownership and relaunching the brand or launching a similar product under a new brand name. The goal is to have inventory by mid to late February." WheyUp, recall, was first caffeinated protein entry, concept that's since been validated by launch of protein energy lines like Muscle Monster, albeit in vastly different formulations. WheyUp's water-based recipe is intended to appeal broadly to range of users, including women alienated by conventional entries like Muscle Milk.

In brief conversation today, Erik told BBI he's retained attorney to try to regain control of brand, for which he claims to have "solid guaranteed distribution" in best-performing Arizona market, and funds already raised. If court doesn't accept his offer, he said, he'll try again under new brand name. "I'll be starting from scratch with an 8-year head start," he joked. As of late summer, brand was only available in some Quik Trip c-stores in Ariz. Erik noted that he's both small investor in and creditor to Shadow, tho that's not particularly relevant to trustee moving to generate some cash from remaining assets.  

Fast-Growing Water Adds Organic Fruit Infusion Line; Builds Celeb Investor Roster for Main Line with Perry, Lovato, Levine in Mix Core Water, "perfect pH" bottled water brand that's been on growth tear the past 6 months or so, is about to extend into entirely new platform: Core Organic fruit infusions. USDA-certified organic line launching on West Coast in coupla weeks and migrating East for spring is positioned on-pack as "Organic Fruit Infused Beverage with Antioxidants" and heralds calorie count of only 5 per serving thanks to erythritol/stevia blend. What looks to be proprietary PET bottle that bows gracefully in middle contains white background and fruit imagery to herald initial 6-flavor range of Coconut, Pomegranate Blue Acai, Peach Mango, Clementine, Watermelon Lemonade and Pear. Line is aseptically filled and apparently will go out in $2.49-2.79 price range depending on channel. LA-based brand creator Lance Collins, who earlier created Fuze, NOS and Body Armor brands, among others, confirmed basic details gleaned by BBI but said it was still a bit premature to say much more about formulation or launch strategy. But he emphasized that Core Organic should viewed as completely new platform, buttressing existing Core Hydration platform, with more on way in future under brand name that can stretch into lotsa segments.

Among some who've seen mockups of launch, Core Organic drew comparison to fast-growing Bai Antioxidant Infusion Water as approachable functional line, tho Core entry doesn't employ coffee fruit as Bai does and musters different branding cues. But Lance pointed to much earlier antecedent: 5-calorie Slenderize line he launched at Fuze years earlier. (For its part, Bai plays in Core's bottled water realm with Bai Antiwater brand, so there's bit of overlap from both sides.)

Core Adds to Roster of Celeb Investor/Endorsers: Diplo, Lovato, Levine Core Water, which Collins launched with songwriter/producer Dr Luke as partner, offers 7.4 pH that's positioned as "perfect" vs highly alkaline entries that are enjoying a vogue these days. Whether it's that message or striking package with luminescent blue overcap, Core Water seems to be developing uncommonly broad base of consumers. It launched on West Coast and hit Big Geyser in NY in Mar, Canada Dry in Apr and Polar in May as it tackled East Coast. But it's already moving beyond $10 mil at wholesale, Lance said. In NY, BBI editor sees it in consumers' hands in range of neighborhoods, from affluent to poor. As brand grows, Collins and team keep adding to roster of investor/endorsers and riding their social media. Latest aboard include likes of Katy Perry, Diplo, Demi Lovato, Becky G, Juicy J, Max Martin and Adam Levine, whose featured role in R. City's "Locked Away" video garnered prominent placement for Core Water. That video's been viewed 175 mil times so far.