BevSource’s Post

Our CCO Dan Macri is joining a powerhouse panel at The Beverage Forum 2026 — "From Studio to Shelf: Celebrity-Led Innovation in RTD Cocktails" — alongside five-time GRAMMY® Award nominee and entrepreneur Robin Thicke and industry leaders from across the beverage world including Ball Corporation, Sensapure Flavors, Gopuff and L.A. Libations! Celebrity-driven RTD brands are redefining the intersection of entertainment and beverage — but the next wave is about more than name recognition. This session goes inside what it actually takes to build a brand from concept to formulation to shelf: product ownership, quality control, scalability, and margin. Dan joins this incredible group of panelists bringing his commercialization and go-to-market perspective to that conversation. Honored to have him on stage. See you in Manhattan Beach! 🗓️ April 28–29 📍 Westdrift Hotel, Manhattan Beach, CA 🌐 beverageforum.com #TheBeverageForum #BeverageIndustry #RTDs

Celebrity power is reshaping the beverage business — but industry leaders say star backing alone won’t guarantee success. 🌟🥂 At last week’s Beverage Forum in L.A., high-profile names including Robin Thicke (launching Mimá Espresso Martini), Travis and Jason Kelce (investors in Garage Beer), Elizabeth Banks (Archer Roose), Patrick Mahomes (Throne Sport Coffee), and Chris Pratt (Jocko Fuel) shared how they approach ownership, investment and retail activation. Panels explored everything from driving 5,000-store appearances to the risks of celebrity disengagement when momentum slows. The takeaway: celebrities may spark awareness and open doors with retailers — but operators stressed that long-term growth hinges on product quality, aligned values and hands-on commitment. As one founder put it, “Celebrities are the toppings on the cake.” Hear what the stars — and the executives behind them — had to say at the link in the comment below ⬇️ #BeverageIndustry #CelebrityBrands #BeverageForum #CPG #RetailStrategy #BrandBuilding

Denny's is entering one of the more pivotal chapters in its 70+ year history...and it’s happening fast. In April 2026, the brand named Christopher Bode as CEO, promoting from COO and putting a longtime operator in charge at a moment that clearly demands execution. But the leadership change is just the headline. Behind it is a full-scale transformation effort: “Project Grand Slam” — a 24-month roadmap focused on: - Menu and culinary innovation - Digital transformation - Restaurant remodels (“America’s Diner 2.0”) - Catering and off-premise expansion - Retail product growth This isn’t incremental change — it’s a reset of how the brand competes. Over the past 18 months: - The company agreed to a ~$620M deal to go private, giving it more flexibility to make long-term moves - Closed ~150 underperforming locations to clean up the system - Saw declining traffic and sales pressure across the family dining category At the same time, they’re still leaning into brand-building moments: - Value-focused menu launches (“Slammin’ Meal Deals”) - Pop culture partnerships (like the recent Masters of the Universe campaign) So what’s the real story? Denny’s isn’t just trying to grow — it’s trying to redefine relevance in a category that’s been losing ground. A brand willing to make hard changes to get back to growth. The question now — can a legacy diner brand modernize fast enough to win again?

No surprise that Taco Bell is winning on value. That’s been their bread and butter basically forever. But it’s not the only factor behind one of the most consistent top performers in fast food right now. The brand is also getting a lift from beverages, digital tools, and a broader innovation pipeline as it pushes toward a $3 million AUV. Catch the full breakdown on how the pieces are fitting together over at QSR. Link in the comments 👇

A couple of weeks ago, I asked: What’s the 𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗧 of restaurant chains that started in SoCal? The answer was overwhelmingly 𝗜𝗻-𝗡-𝗢𝘂𝘁. This map backs that up. But the more interesting question is why. In-N-Out is a rare restaurant brand that has scaled demand without scaling complexity. That’s harder than it sounds. No bloated menu. No rushed national expansion. No constant reinvention to chase trends. No dilution of the guest experience in pursuit of growth. Just consistency, culture, training, operational restraint, and a brand promise that still means something. Restaurant leaders know how difficult that is to protect. Growth exposes every weakness in a concept. If the food, service model, hiring standards, leadership pipeline, or guest experience are not built to scale, expansion does not create brand equity. It erodes it. That’s what makes In-N-Out such a strong case study. The lesson is not just “people love the burgers.” The lesson is that disciplined operators build brands that customers can trust across markets, teams, and generations. In restaurants, the GOATs are not always the fastest-growing brands. They are the ones who know exactly what not to change. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗻-𝗡-𝗢𝘂𝘁? 𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴? ♻️ Repost for your network 🔔 Tap the bell to get notified of future posts 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄/𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸! #InNOut #FastFood #SoCalRestaurants

CARL’S JR.: REBRANDING, TRANSFORMATION, AND INTERNATIONAL GROWTH • Carl’s Jr. (under CKE Restaurants Holdings, which also owns Hardee’s) is undergoing a $500 million brand transformation across both chains. The plan includes remodeling restaurants, upgrading digital menu boards, streamlining menus, new equipment, and efficiency improvements. • Most of the locations are franchise-operated (94% franchisee model), meaning these upgrades require alignment with many owners. • The brand is also expanding internationally: a master license was signed with Boparan Restaurant Group to roll out Carl’s Jr. in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland. • Leadership is being restructured to treat Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s more independently, giving each brand more strategic focus.

Cool times are scaling. Don Gato Tequila just added three key leaders to fuel its national expansion, and was named one of the Top 10 Fastest Growing Tequila Brands by The Tequila Report. The team behind the growth includes executives who scaled St-Germain to nearly 100,000 cases before its Bacardi acquisition, grew LALO Tequila from 100 to 1,500+ accounts in a single state, and led brand building at Tequila Komos during its rise to one of the most awarded ultra-premium tequilas in the U.S. Our hometown of Charleston proved the model. Now we're taking it national. Welcome to the team Chad W., Lee Reeves CC, WSET II Certified Educator, and Jamie Soriano. Read the full story at the link below. Made good. For cool times. https://lnkd.in/e6KhKVgR

Most QSR news tells you 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥. Very few explain what it actually means. This week: – One brand is growing +5.8% while another in the same portfolio is down -6.5% – A CEO role sits vacant while 300+ stores are set to close – Private equity just paid a premium for a dessert brand in a declining market 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀. They’re signals showing where capital, operators, and performance are separating fast. I broke down how to read them and what to watch next. Read this week's signals: https://lnkd.in/gwtP4nce

The most powerful thing you can do for a customer costs almost nothing. Not a discount. Not a loyalty card. Not a flashy marketing campaign. Just make them feel like they matter. Will Guidara one of the best restaurants in the world. But what made it legendary wasn't the food. It was the moments nobody saw coming. A table of guests mentioned in passing they were from out of town and hadn't tried a proper New York hot dog. So Guidara sent a runner out, bought hot dogs from a street vendor, and served them on a silver platter between courses. That table never forgot it. They told everyone. They came back. That's unreasonable hospitality. Doing something so unexpectedly thoughtful it stops people in their tracks. Here's the thing though. You don't need a Michelin star restaurant to do this. You need a team that's paying attention. And a culture that gives them permission to act on what they notice. Because people don't remember what you sold them. They remember how you made them feel. So what's your silver platter moment this week? #Leadership #Management #Retail #CustomerExperience #Hospitality #RetailLeadership #Success

Primo Brands Chief Customer Officer, Joe Wiggetman, spoke at The Beverage Forum in Manhattan Beach, Calif. this week. He was joined by industry leaders and provided insights into the ever-evolving world of beverage distribution. With so much change – from consolidation to new retailer demands – it’s clear that success depends on how well manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers work together, especially when bringing new beverages to market.