Brad Avery
Senior Reporter • BevNET CPG Media
As consumers rethink traditional beverage alcohol, where should founders look for the next big opportunity? And what separates a promising brand from one that investors are eager to back?
In this episode, explore the rapid growth of RTD cocktails, what's driving demand, where opportunities remain, and why convenience and affordability alone may not be enough to differentiate brands in an increasingly crowded market.
We also examine the emerging market for alcohol alternatives featuring functional ingredients like kratom, kava and kanna, and whether these products could gain traction amid uncertainty surrounding cannabis-based beverages.
Plus, we revisit three conversations from Taste Radio’s London meetup, featuring TRIP co-founder Liv Ferdi and investors Robin Longes, co-founder of Culture & Commerce Partners, and Elysia Kleine Deters of Media for Growth. From celebrity partnerships and U.S. expansion to building brands that attract investment, they share insights on what it takes to turn emerging CPG businesses into lasting brands.
Show notes:
0:20: Craving L.A. Jet Set. RTD Revolution. Functional Fragmentation. Cannabis Crunch. – The episode opens with a preview of upcoming BevNET, Nosh and Brewbound events in Los Angeles, including Ray’s live Taste Radio interview with Cravings founder Chrissy Teigen at Nosh Live. The hosts also revisit last week’s discussion about Jetty, before the conversation shifts to the growing RTD cocktail category, exploring how convenience, affordability and expanding flavor options are driving consumer interest. The hosts debate whether the surge represents a lasting shift in drinking habits and examine the challenges facing brands such as Minute Maid Spiked, particularly around brand authenticity and consumer expectations. The hosts then explore the emerging market for functional beverages featuring THC, kratom, kava and kanna. They discuss consumer education, regulatory uncertainty and the challenges of building mainstream appeal around unfamiliar ingredients, while considering whether these products could benefit from restrictions on hemp-derived THC beverages. Finally, the hosts compare the long-term potential of cannabis beverages with traditional alcohol and other functional alternatives, examining generational shifts in drinking habits and the evolving definition of social drinking.
32:02: Interviews from Taste Radio’s London Meetup – Olivia Ferdi, co-founder of TRIP, discusses the brand’s rapid growth, U.S. expansion and partnership with Kendall Jenner, exploring celebrity equity partnerships, consumer loyalty and the challenges of building awareness for the emerging calm beverage category. She also shares lessons on entrepreneurship, ambitious thinking and maintaining balance. The conversation then turns to funding, as Robin Longes of Culture & Commerce Partners explains what makes brands investable, when to raise capital and how to find aligned investors. Finally, Elysia Kleine Deters of Media for Growth breaks down how brands can exchange equity for media and the key metrics her firm looks for, from repeat purchase and retail velocity to product-market fit.
Brands in this episode: Cravings by Chrissy Teigen, Snackish, SmartSweets, Elavi, Carbone Fine Food, Jetty, Poppi, Tip Top Cocktails, Straightaway Cocktails, Post Meridiem, Whitebox Cocktails, White Claw, Hellbent, Minute Maid, Myce, Numuti, Louie Louie, Coca-Cola, TRIP, Moju
