The Weekly Sip is Food Dive’s column focused on the latest news in the rapidly changing and growing beverage sector. From inaugural product lines to big investments and controversial topics, this column aims to quench the thirst for developments in the category.
Heads up, Shirley Temple 7UP
A classic lemon-lime soda is channeling childhood memories with a retro drink flavor ahead of the holiday season.
Keurig Dr Pepper announced its latest 7UP limited-edition flavor, Shirley Temple, which is available in standard and zero-sugar varieties. The company said the beverage contains 7UP’s signature citrus flavor with notes of pomegranate and cherry that pay homage to the classic nonalcoholic cocktail.
“Our team loves the challenge of developing and marketing a beverage that evokes a deep sense of nostalgia with a modern twist, and the 7UP Shirley Temple does just that,” Andrew Springate, Keurig Dr Pepper’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement.
The drink will be available through 2024 at major grocery stores.
The Shirley Temple was named after the famous child actress and crafted in the 1930s. According to popular folklore, the drink was created by a bartender in Los Angeles who wanted to make something the young star could drink that did not contain alcohol. His concoction combined ginger ale, grenadine syrup and a cherry.
It quickly grew in popularity as a fun, carefree cocktail anyone could enjoy, offering escapism amid the harsh realities of the Great Depression and World War II.
7UP also dates back to the first half of the 20th century, first launching in 1929. It merged with Dr Pepper in 1986. The drink now competes with a variety of other lemon-lime sodas, including Coca-Cola’s Sprite and PepsiCo’s recently launched Starry.
Constellation shakes up C-suite with CPG veteran
The brewer behind Corona and Modelo has a new face to help the company navigate the next phase of its business strategy.
E. Yuri Hermida will serve as Constellation’s executive vice president and chief growth and strategy officer. In the role, he will oversee consumer insights, media, new business ventures and analytics, the company said in the press release. Hermida will report directly to President and CEO Bill Newlands.
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Courtesy of Constellation Brands
“His extensive experience across the CPG sector and diverse perspective will benefit our company as we continue to look for ways to evolve our business in line with shifting consumer and category trends to seek to ensure long-term, sustainable industry-leading growth,” Newlands said in a statement.
Hermida most recently worked at Sovos Brands as its chief growth officer and then president. The Rao’s pasta sauce manufacturer was purchased by Campbell Soup, a deal which closed earlier this year.
Originally hailing from Mexico City, Hermida previously spent 22 years at Procter & Gamble. He managed brands in the CPG giant’s food and beverage portfolio in Venezuela, before advancing to leadership roles in its global business.
Hermida is taking over for Mallika Monteiro who is being elevated to executive vice president of Constellation’s beer portfolio.
The appointment comes as the company doubles down on its beer business while the rest of its portfolio struggles.
In its most recent quarter, beer sales grew 6%, while Constellation’s wine and spirits fell 12% year-over-year, Newlands said on the company’s earnings call last week. The CEO attributed the losses beyond beer to a tougher macroeconomic environment and said the company is not focused on M&A activity in the spirits category as it works to improve the performance of its current portfolio.
“All the time, energy and efforts are being put [into] seeing that operational improvement play out in the back half of the year, including engaging more directly and more often with our distributor partners,” Newlands told analysts.
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Courtesy of Mary Dowling Whiskey Company
Brand based on ‘Mother of Bourbon’ debuts winter whiskey
A new player in the whiskey category hopes to stand out with the help of a bourbon trailblazer.
Mary Dowling Whiskey Company unveiled its latest bourbon, Winter Wheat. The spirit was aged for four years in oak barrels and contains notes of vanilla, caramel, roasted nuts and spices, the brand said in the press release. The taste profile includes cherry, honey and cinnamon flavors.
“By leveraging the complexity of our unique Wheated Mash Bill and the influence of toasted barrel aging, Winter Wheat Bourbon delivers a rich depth of flavor that sets it apart,” said Kaveh Zamanian, Mary Dowling’s co-founder, in a statement. “This expression is not only a testament to Mary’s instrumental role in keeping the Kentucky bourbon industry alive during Prohibition but is also a celebration of the artistry that defines our craft.”
Zamanian, a Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame-inducted whiskey maker, launched the brand earlier this year. It sells two other varieties, Double Oak Barrel and Tequila Barrel, the latter of which merges whiskey with notes of the agave-based spirit.
The brand is named after and is a tribute to “Mother of Bourbon” Mary Dowling. She made a name for herself in the pre-Prohibition era after she inherited her husband’s whiskey distillery, facing discrimination in the process, according to the brand. The company’s whiskey is available now in select stores.
Mary Dowling Whiskey Company joins more than 700 other bourbon distilleries in the U.S., a figure which jumped 11.6% annually between 2018 and 2023, according to IBIS World data.