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Joseph Escobar reposted thisJoseph Escobar reposted thisPROUD DAY 1 Founderland.us PARTNER. L.A. Libations is excited to support our good friends Josh Wand & Sean Kelly on the incredible event that they have created! #ShowUp October 1st!! Connect with Joseph Escobar & Dan Weisbach in Malibu, CA!!
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Joseph Escobar shared thisHad the opportunity to walk Walmart stores in Texas with the Walmart Beverage Team and see the new “New & Noteworthy” set firsthand. What really stood out was how Walmart is rethinking the aisle and the way shoppers discover emerging brands. Dedicated cold space, front-of-store visibility and new ways to connect consumers with brands is a big move for the industry. Excited to be part of it and see what comes next! Danny Stepper Patrick Bolden Brian Salmon Steven Litwiller Gabriella Cox Melody Richard Melissa Hagerman Denetrias Charlemagne Hudson Henry Paxon AlexanderJoseph Escobar shared this🚨 ATTN EMERGING BRANDS - BIG NEWS: L.A. Libations has been working with Walmart on Emerging Beverages since we founded the company and I can say with absolute certainty that the current Walmart Beverage Team led by Brian Salmon is by far the most committed and focused to giving their customer what they want than I have ever seen before! It could not be more reflective in the big changes happening that I witnessed yesterday! There are many. Today I am only going to share one of those important initiatives (more later). The “New and Noteworthy” set which will be rolled out in 1200 Walmart stores. Yesterday Joseph Escobar, Patrick Bolden and I were invited to visit stores in Texas with the Brian Salmon and his team of merchants to see it live…and all I can say is WOW! The “New and Noteworthy”set created and managed by Hudson Henry is going to have very large impact on the Beverage Industry! In 1200 stores, a quarterly cohort of emerging brands will enter the “New & Noteworthy” set which is 4 or 8 feet (depending on store size) of Grab & Go COLD SPACE (!) in the front of the store (Yes COLD SPACE). Brands that perform will graduate to other locations in the store (more on that another day!). The brands in the inaugural cohort are 7 Brew Coffee energy drinks and coffee (exclusive to Walmart - and from what I understand have insane velocities, TRIP, Recess (brought in early by Alex Ryals), UPDATE, FLRT from Monster Energy and Free Rein Coffee Company. There will be sampling opportunities (think Costco Roadshows) and other unique “FOUNDER FRIENDLY” elements! This is a massive move for the industry as Walmart wants to be a first destination for emerging brands, and they are taking action steps to make that happen. Brands are encouraged to get set up on Walmart.com (http://walmart.com/) as a first step to be considered. Reach out to Dan Weisbach - dan@lalibations (and L.A. Vibrations) if you need a partner for walmart.com set up. There are other MAJOR moves in motion in Walmart’s Beverage Department which will effect CSD, Energy, Water, Mood which will be revealed and discussed with Walmart in Miami at The Beverage Forum Winter in Miami on November 12-13th! #showup! Big moves! Steven Litwiller, Paxon Alexander, Gabriella Cox, Ibirogba T. Babatunde, Melody Richard, Melissa Hagerman, Denetrias Charlemagne
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Joseph Escobar reposted thisJoseph Escobar reposted thisDressi is hitting shelves at Sprouts on October 10th ⭐️ Moments from an exciting panel at Better Bites Food Forum: New, Now, Next - Supporting What's Next While Scaling What Works with Kendall Toole, Founder of NKO Club and Don Clark, Chief Merchandising Officer at Sprouts Farmers Market, moderated by Patrick Bolden, Co-Founder & COO at L.A. Libations. #LALibations #BetterBitesFoodForum #CPG #SproutsFamersMarket #KendallToole
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Joseph Escobar shared thisDay 1 of the inaugural Better Bites Food Forum is in the books, and I couldn’t be more excited to be here in Austin! What an incredible room of retailers, brands, founders, creators and industry leaders all coming together around one thing — the future of food. There’s something pretty exciting about being part of the first-ever Better Bites Food Forum and seeing the vision come to life. Huge credit to Trevor Drinkwater , Wayne Wu & Danny Stepper for bringing together such an impressive group and creating a forum that feels different from the typical industry conference. And we’re only halfway through. Looking forward to Day 2! Eric Barajas Gianluca Conte Ben Azelart Shaun Neff Alexander Brzozowski Kendall Toole Don Clark Patrick Bolden Brian Winters Buster Houston Mandee Day Elizabeth Carter John Parrish LA Libations Pour Decisions Podcast
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Joseph Escobar reposted thisJoseph Escobar reposted thisWhat if the people with the greatest power to change how America eats aren’t regulators—but retail buyers? Live from Better Bites Food Forum in Austin, Texas, this episode of Pour Decisions Podcast brings together longtime friends and partners Danny Stepper, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, and Trevor Drinkwater, Founder and CEO of Trusted Influence. Trevor and Danny unpack how a conversation between friends evolved into an industry event bringing retailers, emerging brands and engaged consumers into the same room. They discuss why the food industry needed its own Beverage Forum-style gathering, the retailers showing up to discover what is next and the growing demand for cleaner ingredients and better-for-you products. The conversation also explores the enormous influence individual retail buyers can have on entire categories. From Target’s work in the cereal aisle and the launch of Backflip to Walmart buyers discovering emerging brands on TikTok, Trevor and Danny explain how younger, digitally native merchants are changing what reaches the shelf. If you’re building, scaling or selling a food or beverage brand, this conversation offers a firsthand look at the people, platforms and relationships shaping what reaches the shelf next. New episode out now: 🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gsueAVEb 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/geVxqy5P #PourDecisionsPodcast #LALibations #BetterBitesFoodForum #TrustedInfluence #CPG #RetailBuyers #CPGInnovation
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Joseph Escobar reposted thisJoseph Escobar reposted thisWhat's now, what's new, and what's next in living a healthy lifestyle? We're excited to announce "Now, New, Next" on the Main Stage at the Better Bites Food Forum — September 1–2, 2026, in Austin, Texas. This session pairs a leading retail merchant with a trusted wellness creator to explore how emerging brands move from trend to mainstream — and how retailers and creators together decide what earns a place in shoppers' lives. On stage: ★ Don Clark — Chief Merchandising Officer, Sprouts Farmers Market ★ Kendall Toole — Wellness Advocate, Entrepreneur & Creator Moderated by Patrick Bolden — LA Libations Together they'll dig into how retailers spot tomorrow's category leaders, the growing role of creators in product discovery, and what it takes for an emerging brand to scale without losing what made it special. It's a candid look at the future of health and wellness — from the shelf to the feed. More announcements coming soon. 👇 Better Food. Better Business. Better Together. Bigger Impact. Register today at betterbitesfoodforum.com #BetterBites #FoodForum #Wellness #Retail #Sprouts #CreatorEconomy #FutureOfFood Trevor Drinkwater Danny Stepper LA Libations Dino Sarti
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Joseph Escobar reposted thisJoseph Escobar reposted thisFood and snacking don't sit still. Neither should you. Better Bites Food Forum is happening August 31–September 2, and seats are going fast. Two days. One stage. The retailers, operators, and brands deciding what's next in food — in one room, making moves before the rest of the industry catches on. Seats are capped. Once they're gone, they're gone. Register now and book your hotel at betterbitesfoodforum.com Trevor Drinkwater Danny Stepper Dino Sarti Walmart Albertsons Companies Sprouts Farmers Market Sam's Club H-E-B
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Joseph Escobar reposted thisJoseph Escobar reposted thisIntroducing Pitch Slam at Better Bites Food Forum — in partnership with SKU Ten brands. Sixty seconds each. One main stage. We're bringing the energy of a live pitch competition to Better Bites, and it's being judged from two different angles: Professional's Choice — Buyers, operators, and brand builders pick the brand they'd put on shelf tomorrow. Student's Choice — A panel of student judges picks the brand they'd put in their own basket. If you're building a food or beverage brand and want 60 seconds in front of the people who can move your product forward, this is your shot. 📅 September 1–2, 2026 📍 AT&T Convention Center, Austin, TX Applications close August 20 — apply at BetterBitesFoodForum.com Better Food. Better Business. Better Together. Bigger Impact. #BetterBitesFoodForum #PitchSlam #FoodIndustry #Austin #FoodBrands #SKU Trevor Drinkwater Danny Stepper Dino Sarti The Beverage Forum
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Joseph Escobar reacted on thisJoseph Escobar reacted on thisSlate Milk is hiring a Director of Sales, Mass & Club! If you love Minneapolis, Bentonville, Issaquah, delicious high protein drinks, and a badass sales team, this is the role for you. Email us at careers@slatemilk.com or DM me. Manny Lubin Michael Arnold Kurt Johnson Anne Schinbeckler Chad Brooks Cody Sloniecki Brandon Weaver Claire Martel Mark Esteban David J. Hutchinson
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Joseph Escobar liked thisJoseph Escobar liked thisLooking forward to attending NFRA in a couple of weeks in my new role within Albertsons Companies supporting Frozen Foods: Frozen Meals, Asian, Breakfast, Pasta and Bread!
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Joseph Escobar reacted on thisJoseph Escobar reacted on thisSo blessed and pumped for The Beverage Forum at Abbey Road Studios here in London tomorrow!! Europe is showing up!! Rohan Oza, Nick Giannuzzi, Dino Sarti, Christine Phan, KENNETH SHEPHERD, Daniel Khoury,L.A. Libations. Overwhelmed with the momentum of this little project!!! Can’t wait!
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Joseph Escobar reacted on thisJoseph Escobar reacted on thisMoments like this signal a brand’s move into mainstream culture. SkyPop Protein Soda featured on The Price is Right, in front of more than 4 million viewers. An iconic show, a massive audience, and another meaningful step in building and leading an emerging category. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. Walmart Publix Super Markets Kroger Albertsons Companies CVS Pharmacy Dave Cohen Solyco Capital Chad Cunningham Christian (Tovar) Moreno, MBA Adam Beier Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. Taste Tomorrow Ventures
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Joseph Escobar reacted on thisJoseph Escobar reacted on thisThis month, new and returning members came together to launch MMAC's newest CEO Roundtable. While every roundtable follows the same framework, no two groups are the same. Each develops its own identity, shaped by the leaders around the table and the trust they build over time. MMAC facilitates the experience, but the members create the culture. We're excited to see the relationships, insights and candid conversations that emerge as this group begins its journey together. Thank you to our program partners, National Exchange Bank & Trust and von Briesen & Roper, s.c..
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Joseph Escobar reacted on thisNew category for Carbone Fine Food . Excited about this one!Joseph Escobar reacted on thisCarbone Fine Foods is moving beyond pasta sauce with its first permanent condiment launch. 🌶️🍝 Available exclusively at Whole Foods Market, the new Italian chili crisp comes in Calabrian and Aglio e Peperoncino varieties for $13.99. Made with 100% olive oil, the chef-driven launch aims to bring an Italian perspective to a fast-growing condiment format while creating new at-home occasions for the brand. 🛒 Learn what inspired the product and how it fits into Carbone’s broader portfolio strategy at the link in the first comment below 👇 #CPG #FoodAndBeverage #ChiliCrisp #ItalianFood #Condiments #ProductInnovation #WholeFoodsMarket
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Food Tech Notion
Molson Coors Beverage Company owner of Coors Light and Miller Lite, announced plans to cut 400 jobs across its Americas division by December 2025. This reduction represents about 9% of the salaried workforce as part of a company-wide restructuring to accelerate transformation and focus on sustainable growth. CEO Rahul Goyal emphasized making bolder decisions to win with customers and return to profit growth. The company expects severance costs of £26m to £37m in Q4. Heineken has also announced job cuts amid similar restructuring efforts. #MolsonCoors #JobCuts #FMCG #Restructuring #BeverageIndustry
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David Giusti
The 2026 protein market is shifting fast—beef prices remain high, pork and poultry offer stronger value, and egg costs are finally stabilizing. At the same time, operators are navigating evolving tariffs, freight uncertainty, and strong consumer demand for value‑driven, labor‑efficient menu items. One standout solution for the year ahead: Philly steaks—versatile, portion‑controlled, and perfectly aligned with 2026 menu trends. We broke down the full outlook, including pricing forecasts, tariff impacts, and menu strategies to help operators stay ahead this year. 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eEsQ4GQY
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