Celsius Holdings continued its strong growth trends, with revenues surging 66% to $10.2 mil in its 2d qtr as Boca Raton, Fla-based marketer of expanding range of fitness bevs drew balanced growth across all its main channels, both domestically and internationally. Domestic revs rose 66% to $6.6 mil and overseas revs rose 62% to $3.6 mil. That domestic growth was compounded of 32% gain at retail, 182% in health & fitness accounts, which were recently buttressed by trainer-grade extension called Celsius Heat, and 109% growth in Internet channel. That "exponential growth," as cfo and interim ceo John Fieldly termed it, stemmed from ongoing efforts to build brand awareness via "Live fit" campaign, broaden distribution and increase product placements. In Q2, operating income moved $509K into the black, reversing $1.4 mil loss a year earlier. Favorable results released at close of trading yesterday afternoon prompted spike in share value in trading so far today. Shares have nearly doubled in value since last fall.

We reported on quiet demise of Koa Olakino co a coupla months ago (BBI, Jun 15). Tho founder Adam Louras didn't get back to us when we checked in at time, turns out he's segued to new role as coo of direct-to-consumer wellness play Dirty Lemon, per BevNet report yesterday on Koa's liquidation. By chance we just profiled popup store that Dirty Lemon has been operating under Drug Store name on NY's Lower East Side as awareness builder (BBI, Jul 28) . . . Robert Case, former cmo of Nestle USA, has signed on with Austin-based Moonshine Sweet Tea as member of advisory board, bringing 30+ years of experience at multinational food/bev giant. His presence "will bring exceptional leadership and strategic direction" to co, said ceo Remmy Castillo. Case lives in Altadena, Calif.

"For fresh iced tea, belly up to the bar," headlined Times food writer Florence Fabrikant a few weeks ago, heralding "city's latest branded tea store," Pure Leaf Tea House, taking a place amid teahouse flock that includes not just chain stores like Argo and David's Tea but branding statements like elegant store operated nearby in Soho by Harney Tea. Soho, of course, is ground zero nexus of superpremium consumption among NY fashionistas, offering in opulent aesthetics what it lacks in cutting edge. (For that, open up in Meatpacking District or on Lower East Side.) And just who might be Pure Leaf? "A company that sells teas meant to be served with ice," offered Fabrikant, giving no hint of its identity as $700 mil Pepsi/Unilever grocery store brand.

Here’s colorful quote from A-B distrib, itching to go after Monster Energy, following A-B acquisition of Hiball Energy a few weeks back:  “If this has any legs, we will be a thorn in Rodney Sacks’ side.  It’s payback time.”  Recall, many AB distribs were really hurt by loss of Monster to Coke system and didn’t like the way they were treated on the way out either.  

Still, “payback”?  Is that any way for mature biz exec to talk?  Actually, payback can be strong motivator.  In fact, there’s good antecedent right in Bud network.  Students of new-age bevs may recall that big break for floundering SoBe brand 15 years back came when entrenched rival AriZona Iced Tea terminated buncha Bud wholesalers in Southern Calif; unused to such treatment (which could never happen in beer, given franchise protections), the distribs took on SoBe as much out of desire to put a hurt on AriZona as enthusiasm for brand itself.  In those revenge-seeking Bud guys’ hands, SoCal proved to be market where NY-based brand ignited, leading to $385 mil sale to PepsiCo.  Some Bud houses, including now-defunct Foothill Bev, did very well both as equity stakeholders and with buyout when Pepsi deal happened – possibly better than much-diluted owners of brand. 

 Will history repeat itself here?  Parallel only goes so far.  It doesn’t seem A-B and conservative Hiball mgrs so far have plans for mad rush to roll out Hiball.  Further, organic brand plays in what is, at least to date, narrower “healthier energy” niche than broadly targeted Monster.  That may limit how much damage Hiball can inflict.  Still, it could be interesting scenario to watch.

Coffee mania has picked up so much momentum that even maker of Vietnamese-style banh mi sandwiches is upping its game: 34-year-old Lee's Sandwich chain is opening first roastery at store in Orange County, Calif. As at Starbucks Roastery in Seattle, setup is claimed to be "interactive," with operation accessible to store visitors. Over years Lee's has been ardent purveyor of Viet-style coffee, with its flagship "cà phê sua đá" moving beyond Lee's stores to Costco Wholesale and Asian supermarket chains in US, Philippines and Vietnam. The roastery, adjacent to store in Bolsa, will employ not just Vietnamese beans but also those sourced from Central and South America, in range of offerings beyond traditional Vietnamese filter coffee, including espresso, pour-over and cold-brew. Founded in 1983 in San Jose as a food truck, Lee's now operates 60+ brick-and-mortar stores, mainly out West but also in Texas and Va.

In crowded juice category, San Diego co called Sol-ti is lookin' to make its mark by opting for glass-bottle line produced via ultraviolet filtering process that yields 65-day shelf life.

Already weak-performing shares of dairy giant Dean Foods got hammered in early trading today, sliding 20% after co turned in disappointing Q2 on earnings front. Revenue rose 4.2% to $1.93 bil, but net income plunged 47.1% to $17.6 mil. At 21 cents per share, earnings were well off analysts' consensus view of 31 cents. Dean ceo Ralph Scozzafava didn't have much in way of answers, citing "volume pressure from both a macro and competitive perspective that impacted our total volume performance." Tho co is delivering on its cost-cutting programs, the worse-than-anticipated dairy climate forced it to back off its full-year earnings and cash flow guidance, prompting the stock slide. Shares exceeded $20 back in Feb, but had eased off to $15 range recently and dropped to $12 range in trading so far today.

Since 1.5-cent-per-ounce tax was imposed in Philadelphia, revenue projections fell well short each month Jan-Jun, per study by Wash-based org The Tax Foundation, right-leaning think tank that's been funded by Koch bros. While city officials had projected an avg of $7.7 mil each month, collections have only hit $7 mil once (in Mar), leading city to "lower the 2017 beverage tax revenue estimate from $46 million to $39.7 million," yet collections "did not even meet that amount," falling around $300K short, per study. "The stated goal of the Philadelphia soda tax as a revenue-raising measure differs from other areas, and it makes the city's underperforming tax collections all the more noteworthy," wrote Tax Foundation. Pre-K programs were touted as the major beneficiary of tax by Mayor Jim Kenney last year but study has found that just 49% of revenues from tax so far have gone towards those programs.