Red Bull vs. Kroger Is Bigger Than Energy Drinks

We dig into the retailer’s standoff with Red Bull, the removal of Boar’s Head products from select stores and what Kroger’s growing embrace of private label could mean for brands negotiating with major retailers.  We also discuss HopLark’s recent bankruptcy filing, recap our San Francisco meetup and recap our spirited San Francisco meetup.

Show notes:

0:20: S.F. Standouts, Retail Rumble, Hop Trouble, Product Parade – The hosts share highlights from our San Francisco meetup, including the founders, brands and products that stood out, and discuss the value of bringing together founders, investors, retailers and service providers in an informal setting. The conversation then turns to Kroger’s increasingly firm stance on pricing and its decision to stop carrying Red Bull across its stores following a dispute over pricing and trade spending. The team examines the implications for competing brands and retailers, as well as the potential impact on distributors, co-packers and consumers. They also discuss Kroger’s removal of Boar’s Head products from stores in several regional markets and the retailer’s growing emphasis on private label, considering what these moves reveal about the changing balance of power between major retailers and branded suppliers. Next, they turn their attention to HopLark’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing and what it means for the hop-water pioneer and the broader hop-water and non-alcoholic beverage segments. Finally, the hosts sample and discuss a range of new products, including Alec’s Culture Cup probiotic ice cream made with A2 dairy milk in collaboration with Purely Elizabeth; Sodi’s five-calorie sodas; and a lemon olive oil cake protein bar from BTR Nation and Kostarina featuring 15 grams of plant protein and seven grams of fiber.

Brands in this episode: Soupies, Golden Disco, Calligraphy Wine, Mindful Drops, Hero Bread, Nutty Hazel, Rotten, Bakeful, Mammoth Bars, San Diego Bar, Philosopher Foods, Loha, Red Bull, C4, Ghost, Monster, Alani, Bucked Up, Reign, Boar’s Head, Murray’s, HOP WTR, Hoplark, Brooklyn Brewery, ALK’s, Purely Elizabeth, Sodi, BTR Nation, Kostarina