White Claw helped make hard seltzer a staple for American drinkers. Now it's getting into the spirit business with its own vodka brand because of new rules passed during the pandemic.
The company's new vodka line was made possible by a change in regulations by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Board (TTB). Previously, the agency required spirits to be "without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color," but that rule was lifted in 2020.
"We believe that quality vodka shouldn't be defined by what it lacks, and we seized the enormous opportunity to create a distinctive spirit," said Anthony von Mandl, O.C., O.B.C., founder & CEO of The Mark Anthony Group of Companies, which owns White Claw.
"We disrupted the industry, creating an entirely new taste in the Hard Seltzer category with White Claw by bringing new thinking, technology breakthroughs, and our unmatched iconic flavors to market."
The company said it uses a high-pressure filtration process that gives the vodka a smooth, aromatic taste.
"We spent almost a decade researching and developing a new way to show drinkers what complexity looks, tastes, and feels like within the minimalist experience of vodka," von Mandl said.
White Claw's venture into spirits comes amid an industry-wide push to innovate alcoholic beverages, with many companies embracing "ready-to-drink," low-calorie, and healthier options.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
