Chobani has entered shelf-stable milk segment but - at least for now - without commercial considerations at the forefront. Instead, the line was devised as high-protein, high-fiber but lowfat offering that can deployed by American Red Cross at disaster sites. Greek yogurt giant plans to produce avg 145,000 lbs of Chobani Super Milk monthly, some of it also headed to local partners in central New York and southern Idaho, where co has production bases. A truckload went to those struggling with wildfires in NM last week, co noted.

New hydration brand unusually is trying to change narrative on salt content, runnin' with aluminum cans as its core format and offering sparkling spring water base. LA-based Cadence launched in UK in Apr and now is expanding in US, targeting running clubs, gyms and boutique hotels rather than retail at this stage. The salt-infused drinks are packed in 8.5-oz sleek cans containing 500 mg of sodium, 295 mg of magnesium lactate and 190 mg of potassium chloride, with sweetening via Reb M variant of stevia. For now they're offered in single flavor, Citrus, priced online at $68 per 24-pk (20% off to subscribers). Co-founder Ross Mackay had previously operated plant-based meat player Daring Foods while his partner George Heaton is creative director, co-owner and cofounder of British luxury fashion brand Represent.

Trio of bev plays are among 8 early-stage brands selected to participate in PepsiCo's Hispanic-oriented Juntos Crecemos incubation program, which is part of soda maker's broader Greenhouse Accelerator Program. The bev winners, who get $20K plus 5-month mentorship, are Dallas-based JAS, a maker of alc-free cocktails crafted with adaptogens, botanicals and real ingredients; Austin-based Mayawell, which offers agave-sweetened prebiotic sodas inspired by Mayahuel Aztec deity associated with maguey plant, and NY-based Pricklee, which makes hydration drinks using prickly pear cactus.

Hard to believe that 15 years has slipped by so fast, But Mikaila Ulmer, who started selling honey-sweetened lemonade with her parents at age 4 to help save the bees, is 19 now and heading off to college. What's the company been up to? Local paper Austin Biz Jnl looked in to find that what's now a multimillion-dollar biz is expanding 12-oz core line to 6 sku's with addition of Passion Fruit and Very Berry this month, and has been offering a lemonade stand kit thru Walmart. It's also developing powdered entries.

At recent Fancy Food Show in NY, local player Bub Luv was sampling lower-sugar, glass-bottle boba teas that, unlike some, incorporate the pearls right in the liquid rather than requiring that they be added. Based in Long Island City nabe across East River from Manhattan, Bub Luv is made in Taiwan and offered in wrapped 9.5-oz widemouth glass bottles in 3 versions: Black Milk Tea, Matcha Soy Latte and Passionfruit Oolong Guava, which a staffer said proved most popular at show. Items use real-brewed tea and contain just 1 g of sugar to come in at 50 calories (and the Passionfruit entry at 20 cals). "Boba tea you can feel good about," as website assures. Prices range from $3.99-5.49 at retail. Classed as female- and minority-owned, the co is building out patiently, focusing so far on Northeast, entering banners like Wegmans, Shop Rite, Fairway, Gourmet Garage and Union Market via broadliners KeHe and UNFI. It's also available via ecomm on Faire and Amazon.

For many wholesalers, retailers and craft brewers, hemp-based intoxicating bevs have been something of a golden goose, with high margins and brisk growth in conventional channels outside the dispensary ghetto. Lately, tho, many states are attempting to regulate them, with some crafting rules akin to those in place for alcohol, including allowing alc bev licensees to participate in the market. Passed by NJ lawmakers in late June, a bill awaiting the gov's signature in that state would limit sales of intoxicating hemp bevs to existing licensed cannabis dispensaries and liquor stores. The allowance for alc bev bizzes to also apply for licenses to sell cannabis products was a late addition to the bill that not all folks in the cannabis industry supported, the New Jersey Monitor reported last wk. Then again, plenty of folks in hemp aren't exactly excited about other aspects of the potential new law, which not only require licensing but product testing, bringing hemp-based products fully within the state's existing cannabis regulatory scheme. In a further parallel to alc bev policy concerns, some critics of the law claim that mandatory in-state production violates the dormant Commerce Clause, unconstitutionally hindering interstate trade. (This roundup is adapted from our sibling publication Craft Brew News.)

Stan Jacot, who stewarded tilt of Arcadia Biosciences into consumer segment, including via Zola Coconut Water pickup, has left the co, succeeded by CFO Thomas Schaefer. No reason was given for departure, nor whether he has an immediate new destination, tho RKDA chmn Kevin Comcowich was effusive in citing exec's contributions at Dallas-based co and offered no indication that change in strategy is afoot. "Under his leadership, Arcadia expanded the GoodWheat brand into three categories, sold the brand to Above Food, monetized a portion of our wheat IP, revamped Zola coconut water and divested or exited several unprofitable businesses. We wish him all the best in the next phase of his career," he said. Among relevant experience he brings, Schaefer served as finance dir at Flavor Producers before joining Arcadia in 2020. He's being succeeded in CFO job by svp finance Mark Kawakami . . . Nestle Waters vet Christopher Link has signed on with oatmilk power Oatly in newly created role of chief customer officer as well as evp for retail. His resume is dominated by 25 years at Nestle Waters North America thru its transition to Blue Triton ownership in 2021. Since departing Blue Triton in Jan, he's kept his hand in bevs as board member of East Coast Kombucha Co in Conn.