Kona Gold Solutions, Fla-based marketer of hemp-infused energy drinks, is expanding portfolio with addition of CBD-infused energy water line in approachable flavors like Tropical Coconut, Georgia Peach, Kiwi-Strawberry, and Watermelon. Co is adding unspecified energy component to existing line of CBD-infused flavored waters, for availability in 2d half of year. Co is publicly traded under KGKG symbol on OTC pink sheets.

Argo Tea has teamed up with another Chicago-area co, Walgreens drug chain, on its first national promo keyed to National Iced Tea Month this month. Starting this past Sun and running thru Jun 24, Walgreens will create special displays for brand's Carolina Honey, Green Tea Ginger and Hibiscus Tea Sangria flavors, with 10% of profits going to young-adult-oriented Stupid Cancer org via Argo's ongoing Chari-Tea initiative. Associated sweepstakes will offer 1K Argo-branded coolers to winners.

"How Cold Brew Changed the Coffee Business," headlined NY Times in an extensive online takeout on phenomenon timed to advent of summer weather. Do we really know yet that it's changed the biz? Even those in biz aren't quite sure yet, and print version today went with less sweeping headline "The Cold-Brew Boom." Still, story offers deep dive into pros and cons of booming sector, debating whether less-bitter cold-brewed coffee renditions are worth the tradeoff of acidic "brightness" that's coveted by some coffee aficionados. Along way, in discussions with coffee pros like Gregory Zamfotis of NY's Gregory's Coffee chain (approaching 24 locations) and Blue Bottle founder James Freeman, article goes into some of challenges of segment, including need to guesstimate how much to brew because replenishment is overnight deal, and great benefit of it taking only 10 seconds to serve, as proprietor of Miami's All Day coffee shop notes. Article makes case that cold-brew is "coffee with both mass-market appeal and indie credibility," available at range of retailers from third-wave indies to Dunkin' Donuts. Among those featured in story are distributor Joyride Coffee, which has built multi-city biz out of kegged cold-brew (BBI, Jul 4 2015), and pastry chef Dominique Ansel, who sells cold-brew soft-serve ice cream at his store in Manhattan. You can read it here:

Mexico caved to demands of US gov't yesterday to settle (for now) longstanding dispute over amounts of refined sugar that cos in Mexico exported to US while limiting amount of raw sugars shipped here, reported Reuters. But it augurs higher sugar - and soda - prices and it's not clear whether US sugar producers will bless deal.

It's no secret that lotsa plants and fleets operated by Coca-Cola's Coca-Cola Refreshments bottling arm have been in need of reinvestment. Latest to step up is Raleigh-based Coca-Cola Consolidated, which announced $10 mil investment in 154K-sq-ft bottling plant it acquired in Baltimore a year ago as part of KO's massive North American refranchising initiative. Among upgrades, COKE has tweaked canning line to handle 7.5-oz cans and 12-oz sleek cans . . . Niagara Bottling is committing $76 mil to new bottling plant in Mesa, Ariz, KJZZ radio station reported. New facility, 450K-sq-ft in size, is anticipated to create 45 jobs once production begins in 2018.

Women empowerment is new theme of PepsiCo's LifeWTR premium water as it embarks on 2d series of artistic labels. Featured female artists are Trudy Benson, Lynnie Z and Adrienne Gaither, and LifeWTR bottles featuring their work will be featured at upcoming Fashion Awards show sponsored by Council of Fashion Designers of America. Also in mix this summer is mentorship program and contributions to acquisitions budget of Brooklyn Museum. "It's important we celebrate women in the arts and provide them with a platform to gain exposure and showcase an inspirational outlook," said Todd Kaplan, vp for water water portfolio at PEP's North America Bevs.

Looking to become a retail as well as an online presence, Soylent marketer Rosa Foods has brought in KeVita vet Bryan Crowley as prexy, responsible for key operational and financial duties at LA-based maker of meal replacement drinks. He'll report to founder Rob Rhinehart. Bryan is seguing from post as chief strategy officer at KeVita after serving as ceo of Veev Spirits and cmo at Pabst Brewing, Food Biz News reported last week. Earlier in career Crowley held exec posts at Conagra and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Rosa Foods has famously brought in oodles of capital behind its frankendrink concept, starting with record $3 mil crowdfunding campaign in 2013 and followed by $20 mil Series A 2 years later and $50 mil last month. Soylent is available as powder, nutrition bar and, most recently, RTD entry, including Coffiest hybrid meal replacement/coffee . . . There are a bunch of departures we've heard about over past week. Cassin Chaisson, who was running Nestle Waters North America's ambitious turnaround of its tea portfolio, has departed for marketing vp job at Chocolove Premium Chocolate. At NWNA, she her portfolio included Nestea, Tradewinds and Sweet Leaf . . . Brian Krumrei, familiar to BBI readers as longtime steward of TSG's investment in Muscle Milk marketer CytoSport, has moved on from TSG, where he was instrumental in partnering with entrepreneur Eugene Kashper in acquisition of Pabst, where he held board seat, at time brewer has encountered continuing declines in scanner data. His Pabst seat has been taken by TSG founder Chuck Esserman, per BBI sibling publication Insights Express, which reported on Brian's departure this week . . . Jackie Harrigan and Alexa Cutler have departed Agua Brands, where they served as marketing team. Jackie, who'd earlier had good run at AriZona Iced Tea, told BBI last week that she's seeking new gig offering more marketing-intensive approach. Agua is using agency to fill those duties now.

"Can Do." It might be shortest marketing slogan we've ever encountered, even in billboard milieu that puts premium on haiku-like brevity. Still, it's operating on multiple levels as High Brew cold-brewed coffee brand seeks to flag the achievers it's targeting as well as the convenience of a canned cold-brew entry that competes vs rivals that are often packed in glass bottles or gabletop cartons, explained field marketing chief Mari Johnson, after BBI spotted Manhattan bus sporting new campaign this past weekend. "Coffee Diem," a riff on "carpe diem," is other execution that's popping up on buses, billboards and other out-of-home ads in NY market - where ads are tagged with reference to crucial new retail account Walgreens/Duane Reade - and in brand's home market of Austin. Move is part of broader push to step up consumer pull efforts now that High Brew has reformulated several entries to eliminate polarizing stevia sweetener, recruited San Diego-based Havas unit Buzzlounge as new pr agency and pulled in $17 mil in new capital (BBI, May 30).

By 7-1 margin, Seattle City Council approved tax of 1.75 cents per ounce on sugared bevs, reported Seattle Times. Tax, proposed by now-lame-duck Mayor Ed Murray, will add $1.18 to price of 2-liter bottle of soda and is to be paid by distributor and likely passed on to consumers. A late push to add diet sodas and artisanal, handcrafted soft drinks to tax fell short. "The tax will be collected starting next year unless opponents put a referendum on the ballot and succeed in blocking the measure," noted report. Weight-loss drinks, 100% juices and baby formulas are also exempt, while energy drinks, sports drinks and syrups used for soda fountains will be included.