"bevnet" news and stories

The editors of BevNET, a beverage industry news and review site, launched their BevBlog a few weeks go. So far, the blog features commentary on beverage marketing, such as the redesigned Sprite can and the POM Tea line. Really, most of the posts focus on what the BevNET editors consider failed attempts and near misses in beverage advertising and packaging. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's a fun read and I look forward to seeing what it turns into in the future.

Wolfgang Puck Self-Heating Latte cans are currently being pulled from shelves after reports of the cans leaking chemicals into the coffee or exploding, according to a recent story from beverage industry publication BevNET. The BevNET story recounts a blame game between licensees, the can's manufacturers, distributors and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc. The latter apparently requested that the cans be pulled after repeated customer complaints and supposed scrutiny from the FDA. The cans were originally released last spring. Some complaints included reports of a white substance, perhaps the calcium oxide used in the can's heating system, floating in the coffee. A Las Vegas woman also claims she was badly burned by a malfunctioning can that exploded. The cans supposedly heat their contents to 140 degrees. According to BevNET, the company that designed the cans marketed them with the slogan "It does what?"

[Photo: BevNET]

I've never been a fan of using energy drinks like Red Bull as a mixer. Sure, I've downed a can here and there to stay awake during long drives, but the idea of prolonging the act of drinking a foul beverage by mixing it with something like vodka is beyond me.

While browsing BevNET, a beverage industry trade site, I noticed a few newly reviewed energy drinks that actually seem designed to play second fiddle to alcohol. A line of soft drinks called Jet Set Energy comes in mixer-like flavors including club soda, ginger ale, tonic water and "original." The latter hasn't been reviewed, but the red can leads me to believe it may be similar to a cola. The silhouette makes me think strip club, but the background is all Merry Melodies. Of the three that BevNET did review, the ginger ale got the highest marks.

Another similar line that fared much better with BevNET's reviewers was HiBall Energy. They too have tonic water, club soda and lemon-lime, as well as a berry flavor and an orange flavor. All are clear, unsweetened and chocked full of caffeine, taurine and, as an added bonus, B vitamins.

[Image: BevNET]