This story was originally published on Food Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Food Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: AB InBev is buying back a minority stake in its U.S. metal container plants for about $3 billion, the company said Tuesday. The Bud Light maker is reacquiring the 49.9% stake from a group of institutional investors led by Apollo Global Management at roughly the same price the company sold it for in 2020. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter. T ...

Core Viewpoint - Phorm Energy, an energy drink that excludes taurine, has achieved record sales in the US 7-Eleven stores within two months of its launch, indicating a shift in consumer preferences towards natural ingredients in energy drinks [3][5]. Product Innovation - Phorm Energy is developed by Anheuser-Busch in collaboration with 1st Phorm International, and it aims to redefine energy drinks by removing taurine and using natural caffeine sourced solely from green tea extract [5][6]. - The drink contains 200mg of natural caffeine per 16 ounces, which is higher than many leading brands that include taurine [11][14]. - Phorm Energy also incorporates electrolytes, combining the functions of energy drinks and electrolyte beverages, which is uncommon in the market [16][17]. Market Dynamics - The energy drink market is dominated by traditional brands like Red Bull and Monster, which hold a combined market share of 91.7% as of 2024 [24][8]. - Phorm Energy's entry into the market, backed by a major beverage company, highlights a trend towards healthier, more natural formulations in energy drinks [22][36]. Competitive Landscape - Previous attempts to create energy drinks without taurine, such as Rowdy Energy, faced challenges despite initial success, indicating the difficulty of competing against established brands [30][33]. - Phorm Energy's unique selling proposition of using only green tea extract for caffeine positions it as a potential disruptor in a market that has traditionally relied on synthetic ingredients [22][36]. Consumer Trends - There is a growing consumer demand for healthier and more natural ingredients in energy drinks, as evidenced by the success of Phorm Energy and the increasing popularity of green tea extract as a caffeine source [29][36]. - The shift towards natural ingredients reflects broader health trends among consumers, who are increasingly concerned about the quality and source of their food and beverages [36][30].

Global brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev is reportedly close to buying US-based hard-punch maker BeatBox Beverages. The Leffe beer maker is in talks to snap up the RTD brand, people familiar with the matter told the The Wall Street Journal yesterday (18 November). The transaction would value BeatBox at roughly $700m and a deal could be on the horizon "soon", the people said, providing negotiations do not break down. Just Drinks has contacted AB InBev and BeatBox for comment. Set up in 2012, Texas-head ...

Group 1: Company Performance - China Resources Beverage reported a revenue decline of 18.52% year-on-year to 6.206 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, with a net profit drop of 28.63% to 805 million yuan [1] - The revenue from packaged drinking water decreased by 23.11% to 5.251 billion yuan, while beverage revenue increased by 21.28% to 955 million yuan [1] - The gross margin for China Resources Beverage was 46.67%, down 2.6 percentage points year-on-year, primarily due to a significant revenue drop and increased channel investments [1] Group 2: Market Trends - The overall beverage market in China is still in a growth cycle, with a 4.7% increase in the domestic beverage market across all channels as of June 2025 [2] - Nongfu Spring reported a revenue increase of 15.6% year-on-year to 25.622 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, with its packaged water business growing by 10.7% [2] - The performance disparity between companies like Nongfu Spring and China Resources Beverage indicates intensifying competition in the beverage market [4] Group 3: Competitor Analysis - Master Kong's beverage revenue declined by 2.6% year-on-year to 26.359 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, with tea beverage sales down 6.3% [3] - The beverage market is experiencing a split in performance, highlighting the competitive landscape where some companies are thriving while others are struggling [4]