As Truly hard seltzer continues to decline double-digits in tracked off-prem, RBC's Nik Modi took a closer look at "What Ails Truly" in latest deep-dive report. Combo of "unfavorable price gaps between hard seltzer and beer," "White Claw spending more money on social media" and "low awareness of the Truly reformulation" are main "issues," Nik toplined. Recall, Truly hard seltzer volume slipped 23% in 2022 IRI multi-outlet + convenience channels, including -27% in Dec. Tho hard seltzer challenges stretch far beyond just Truly.

Since AB ended its 30-year run as exclusive alc advertiser during the big game, distillers are glad to step in. Rémy Martin will have a 60-second spot during the first qtr "that focuses on teamwork and the pursuit of excellence," per Marketing Dive. This is Rémy Cointreau's first national ad, per report. Diageo has a 30-second spot in third qtr for its Crown Royal featuring a "well-known longtime Crown Royal super fan." This is "Diageo's first appearance in the big game," noted Ad Age, tho Diageo used to buy lots of local ad time during game for Smirnoff Ice in early 2000s.

There's been further consolidation in packaged gas biz, with UK giant Linde acquiring remaining 77% stake in $400 mil (sales) nexAir to give it complete ownership. Its Linde Gas & Equipment unit had taken that stake a decade ago, in 2012. Acquisition complements Linde's existing packaged gas biz and expands its footprint in fast-growing Southeast region of US, Chemical Engineering mag noted . . . Even as Group Danone is getting sued over not being aggressive enough in hitting its sustainability goals (BBI, Jan 10), Unilever is getting flayed by key shareholder for putting "virtue signaling" over sales generation. Terry Smith, whose Fundsmith vehicle is 15th-largest Unilever shareholder, once more sunk his talons into Hellmann's mayo brand for ads that positioned it as way to brighten up leftovers and thereby reduce food waste, as Yahoo reported. "Maybe Hellmann's would be growing as fast or even faster without its 'purpose,'" he wrote in letter to his fund's investors. (If it would be g

Ready for a new format? How about "cocktail drops?" That's concept behind newly launched Brella Drops, from Jimmy Semrick, youthful Chicago-based entrepreneur who's had prior runs at SureShot Beverage Marketing and Skeptic Distillery, and George Coyne, who comes from engineering background. Idea is to offer it as adjunct to seltzers, hard or soft - "seltzer's new best friend," as marketing slogan has it. Among initial 2 offerings, Jazz Club "feels like after dinner at an old Chicago club," offering 100 mg of L-theanine against flavor backdrop of "corn crème brulee, orange zest aromatics and a kiss of bitters" with sucralose as sweetener. Garden Party "is a picnic in Lincoln Park," also with 100 mg of L-theanine and with "refreshing splash of wild lavender and juicy citrus with an undertone of botanicals that you know but can't quite pick out." Both are packed in dispenser that's good for 15 servings and runs $10. Jimmy told us co is backed by mix of professional investors and some friends & family and is targeting retail, preferably at checkout locations . . . We noticed the other day that Owl's Brew, which began as a non-alc mixer brand before segueing to canned alcoholic teas, is flogging a mixer again on its website. The culprit: an Espresso Martini non-alc cocktail mixer that's made from cold-brewed coffee, white tea, green rooibos and vanilla and just needs a shot of vodka to get the party going. Packed in a 16-oz multiserve bottle that's good for 8 cocktails, it goes out at $9.99 at website. So does that mean Owl's Brew is headed back to mixers, its core focus before co got investment from Anheuser-Busch InBev and steered toward canned alcoholic teas, lately branded as Boozy Tea? The mixers eventually exited entirely (BBI, Nov 17 2021). Cofounder Jennie Ripps advised us not to get too far ahead of ourselves, as it's a one-off. "We couldn't resist . . . we love mixer," she texted us. "But we are still generally out of it."

Aplós, which plays among new breed of infused alc-alternatives, is ready to make its move to wholesale. Launched strictly as a DTC play, the co has added an adaptogen-infused sku to its existing hemp-infused sku and enlisted Winebow in Calif and Wash State and Boisson in NY for first concerted push into wholesale. New "revelry" oriented entry called Aplós Arise joins existing broad spectrum hemp-infused entry that's been restaged as Aplós Calme, both clad in new custom bottle via agency Pure Magenta. A 19-oz bottle good for 10 servings is priced at $48. Both entries were crafted by veteran mixologist Lynnette Marrero, founder of Speed Rack female bartending competition, and take the co "one step closer to building the bar of the future by crafting an innovative portfolio of functional, non-alcoholic spirits designed to replicate the ritual of cocktail drinking." Co was founded by former Bonobos colleagues David Fudge and Emily Onkey as mainly DTC play with entry into handful of retail stores including Boisson's. With wholesale expansion, they've recruited pair of specialists on sales and ops sides. Cristin "Moxy" Castro, who's had runs at Charbay Distillery and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, is head of sales. In as operations chief is 9-yr Unilever vet Andy Brooks. (Announcement came this week but his LinkedIn indicates he was aboard last Jun; she joined in Nov.)

For those who've followed Vita Coco's road shows en route to its IPO in 2021 and its quarterly earnings calls since then, there's not much about its strategy that's a secret any more. But its 2 top leaders still managed to offer some fresh perspective in discussion at ICR investor conference yesterday, emphasizing the daunting "moat" the co has built around its supply chain over the years as key competitive strength and how big bevcos' waning interest in both coconut water and in mid-scale brands is opening up some important growth opportunities.

Trust busters at Biden administration's revamped Federal Trade Commission are exploring pricing strategies of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, seeking to determine whether they offer better prices to larger retailers than smaller ones in violation of Robinson-Patman Act, per explosive story broken Mon evening by Politico. "For at least the last month the FTC has reached out to large retailers, including Walmart, seeking data and other information on how they purchase and price soft drinks," pair of sources told Politico. Walmart is not currently a target in investigation, one said. Preliminary investigation is in early stages, Politico said, and FTC didn't comment, nor did PepsiCo or Walmart. Coke offered statement saying it's "committed to fair and lawful competition in the marketplace" and that any assertion to contrary "is unfounded and we are prepared to defend any specific accusations accordingly."

In 3 pieces published online in 3 days, the Wall Street Journal painted dour pictures of the US beer biz, especially craft, while highlighting bright prospects for spirits-producers. The gist: liquor cos are investing to keep the pandemic-driven rise in at-home cocktail-making with high-end spirits. Meanwhile, consumers are "balking" at higher-than-avg price increases for beer, WSJ contended a day after repeating old concerns about small brewer saturation and questions about craft quality.