The first few weeks of 2025 has brought significant developments across the CPG landscape, from strategic acquisitions to innovative product launches. Here’s our comprehensive analysis of the key stories shaping the industry’s future.
Preme Relaunches With New Gut Hydration Platform
In a strategic pivot targeting the growing functional beverage market, Preme is completely reimagining its brand position with a focus on gut health and hydration benefits. This relaunch represents a significant shift from traditional hydration messaging to a more specialized functional benefit proposition, aligning with increasing consumer demand for beverages that deliver specific health outcomes.
SURFSIDE #1 FASTEST GROWING ALCOHOL BRAND IN 2024
Emerging as the breakout success story in alcohol, Surfside achieved an extraordinary +360% dollar sales growth versus the previous year. The brand is capitalizing on this momentum with an aggressive expansion strategy, launching new Green Tea line extensions and introducing a 700ml “Longboard” format specifically designed for stadium venues and convenience stores. Their growth trajectory has been supported by strategic partnerships with 11 professional sports teams across MLB, NHL, and NBA.
Public Coast Brewing Co. Announces New Non-Alcoholic Beverage in Collaboration with Smith Teamaker
In a sophisticated play for the booming non-alcoholic beverage market, Public Coast Brewing has partnered with premium tea brand Smith Teamaker to launch Lord Citra Hop Tea. This collaboration combines Smith’s acclaimed Lord Bergamot tea with Public Coast’s Citra-Drop Hop Water, creating a unique zero-proof offering that delivers both sophistication and flavor complexity. The timing aligns perfectly with growing consumer demand for elevated non-alcoholic options.
InvestBev Closes Multi-Million Dollar Financing Agreement with Saga Spirits Group
This significant investment deal marks InvestBev’s milestone of lending over $30 million in 2024, with ambitious plans to reach $100 million in 2025. The partnership will fuel Saga Spirits’ True Story whiskey brand and expand their Kentucky bourbon tourism ventures, including development of The Kentucky Castle property and a 150-acre parcel in Versailles, KY for distillery operations and consumer experiences.
Santa Margherita Wine Group acquires US-based Marsh Estate
The Italian wine powerhouse has strategically expanded its American portfolio through the acquisition of Marsh Estate via its Roco Winery business. This move strengthens Santa Margherita’s position in Oregon’s prestigious Willamette Valley, demonstrating growing international confidence in American premium wine regions and the potential for luxury wine market growth.
Black Rifle Coffee Company Announces Long-Range Financial Targets and Reaffirms 2024 Guidance
The veteran-founded lifestyle brand has unveiled ambitious growth plans, projecting a 3-year revenue CAGR of 10-15% through 2027 and adjusted EBITDA CAGR of 15-25%. The company’s 2025 launch of Black Rifle Energy marks a bold expansion into the energy drink category, though they acknowledge this may temporarily impact margins as they establish distribution networks.
Consortium Brand Partners acquires Jonathan Adler
Marking their third major acquisition in just 18 months, Consortium Brand Partners has added luxury lifestyle brand Jonathan Adler to a portfolio that includes Draper James and Outdoor Voices. The deal, which closed at the end of 2024, maintains Jonathan Adler as Chief Creative Officer and aims to expand the brand’s wholesale offerings and international presence through strategic partnerships with American Exchange Group.
Industry Implications & Analysis
The past week’s developments reveal several transformative trends reshaping the CPG landscape. Most notably, we’re seeing a sophisticated convergence of wellness and premium experiences across categories. Preme’s gut health platform and Public Coast’s non-alcoholic innovation demonstrate how functional benefits are becoming central to product development, not just marketing claims.
The beverage alcohol sector is experiencing particularly interesting dynamics. Surfside’s remarkable growth in the RTD category suggests a fundamental shift in consumer preferences toward convenient premium offerings. Meanwhile, InvestBev’s investment in bourbon tourism through Saga Spirits reflects an industry-wide move toward experiential marketing and direct consumer engagement.
The M&A landscape is equally telling. Santa Margherita’s strategic move into Oregon wine country and Consortium’s lifestyle brand acquisitions indicate that companies are building comprehensive brand portfolios rather than simply acquiring product lines. This approach acknowledges that modern consumers invest in brand stories and lifestyle propositions rather than just products.
Black Rifle’s ambitious expansion plans, particularly into energy drinks, showcase how strong brand identity can facilitate category expansion. Their projected growth targets suggest confidence in their ability to leverage their core audience across multiple categories, a strategy we’re likely to see more brands adopt.
Looking Forward
The week’s developments demonstrate that the CPG industry is entering a new phase of sophisticated brand building. Success increasingly depends on understanding and adapting to complex consumer expectations while maintaining authentic brand narratives across multiple touchpoints.
The continued flow of investment capital into the sector, evidenced by multiple major deals this week, suggests strong confidence in these evolved business models. As we progress through 2025, expect to see more brands adopting holistic approaches to growth, combining product innovation with experiential marketing and lifestyle integration.
