Tractor Beverage Official Refreshment of Surfing Event
Tractor Beverage Company, the rapidly expanding North American beverage brand known for its certified organic, non-GMO full-line beverage solutions, announced its partnership as an Official Refreshment of the Wallex US Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico, the fourth stop on the World Surf League Challenger Series and the first stop on the WSL Longboard Tour.
“Tractor Beverage is thrilled to partner with the World Surf League this summer, introducing flavor-forward beverages that will quench the thirst of a generation craving real, refreshing drinks,” stated Justin Herber, chief brand officer at Tractor Beverage. “Our values align perfectly with the WSL’s focus on bringing the surfing community together through authentic experiences and a shared passion for making a positive impact on the world. Tractor’s dedication to protecting the natural world and waterways through organic farm practices, and our delicious flavor combinations make us a natural fit for supporting the WSL and its events.”
“We are so excited to welcome Tractor Beverage Company to the WSL family. Being able to offer our fans sustainably sourced certified organic beverages is important to the league, and we are very well aligned with this company’s mission. We also have a shared goal of creating memorable experiences that bring people together, and the Wallex US Open of Surfing is the perfect opportunity to do so. This will be an event to remember, and Tractor Beverage Company is a big part of that,” said Cherie Cohen, WSL Chief Revenue Officer.
The Wallex US Open of Surfing presented by Pacifico is the fourth stop on the World Surf League Challenger Series and first stop on the WSL Longboard Tour. During this event, Tractor Beverage will offer samples of its deliciously original organic craft refreshers and organic premium craft sodas in recyclable aluminum cans with BPA-free liners, in line with the WSL’s commitment to sustainability and ocean preservation.
Tractor’s Vendor Village booth will showcase some of the brand’s most popular flavors including Hibiscus, Strawberry Dragonfruit, Mango, Kola Cola, and Cherry Cream. Formulated by Tractor co-founder, organic farmer, and beverage chef Travis Potter, each of these drinks captures the unbounded joy of real whole fruit and perfect organic combinations in every sip, creating a uniquely differentiated choice for Tractor Beverage fans nationwide.
To further mark the festivities, Tractor is encouraging event attendees to capture and share their US Open of Surfing moment from the Tractor booth. One lucky winner will receive two VIP passes to the highly anticipated Malibu Longboard Championship in October.
The Wallex US Open of Surfing is one of Southern California’s best summer traditions. Former CT surfers and elite young talents battle at the Huntington Beach Pier in a crucial Challenger Series event. The top longboarders face off for the first time on the WSL Longboard Tour. And on the beach, there’s everything from live music to food and shopping to Nitro Circus performing live. Be there on the sand, or watch the Wallex US Open of Surfing presented by Pacifico live July 29 to Aug. 6 on worldsurfleague.com.
Tractor Beverage Company is revolutionizing the beverage station as the first and only certified organic, non-GMO beverage solution for foodservice. Farmer-founded and employee-owned, the team is on a mission to create a cleaner, healthier planet, one drink at a time.
Proudly served in over 6,000 locations across all 50 states, Tractor’s handcrafted drinks feature clean ingredients that deliver on taste, functionality and experience, without any of the bad stuff. Tractor is the first beverage brand to track and disclose impact data about its ingredients through the Organic Impact Tracker, quantifying the benefit of sourcing organic versus conventional ingredients.
The company’s goal is to encourage farming practices that prevent synthetic pesticides from entering the food system and contaminating the water and land. Tractor has already eliminated more than 46 tons of synthetic pesticides from the food system since 2020 by sourcing organic ingredients, with a goal to eliminate 1,034 tons by 2033. The company was included on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies and on Fast Company’s 2021 list of the world’s most innovative companies.
The World Surf League is the global home of competitive surfing, crowning the undisputed World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves. WSL is comprised of the Tours and Competition division, which oversees and operates more than 180 global competitions each year; Kelly Slater Wave Company, home of the world’s largest high-performance, human-made wave; and WSL Studios, an independent producer of unscripted and scripted projects.
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Community Coffee CEO Belanger to Retire
Community Coffee, based in Baton Rouge, La., announced that CEO David Belanger, a member of its board of directors, intends to retire with a target date of June 28, 2024. Belanger has served as CEO since 2012. He joined as director of operations in 1998.
Belanger will work with the board of directors to ensure a seamless transition and will remain CEO and member of the board until his successor is onboarded. The Board has initiated a search process to identify Belanger’s successor.
Matt Saurage, chairman of the board of directors stated, “On behalf of the Saurage family and the board of directors, I want to thank David for his 25+ years of service to Community Coffee Company, to our customers and to our employee-family. Under David’s leadership, the company has more than doubled in size and our brand is stronger than ever. David has an unwavering commitment to our values and has instilled a culture of excellence in everyone, both personally and professionally. As a result, we are well positioned for continued growth and expansion.”
Belanger said to employees, “I’ve been blessed to be part of this incredible company and it has been an honor serving you since joining the company in 1998. Together, we have expanded on the company’s history of success while positioning for an even brighter future. I believe that now is the right time to begin the search for a new CEO who will continue that journey with you all. While the search for my successor is underway, I remain committed to working alongside you and our board of directors to further our strategy while ensuring a seamless transition.”
Founded in 1919, Community Coffee, is the nation’s #1 family-owned premium retail coffee brand. The company is an importer, roaster and distributor of premium coffee products available online and in retail stores and businesses nationwide. Community Coffee offers whole-bean, ground, single-serve, freshly brewed and ready-to-drink options. Founded in Baton Rouge, the company remains true to its purpose of bringing joy to those who help communities thrive with programs supporting teachers, military service members, first responders and farmers, among others.
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Ferrara Candy to Acquire Dori Alimentos
Ferrara Candy Company, a Ferrero related company and the largest sugar confections company in the United States, has reached an agreement to acquire Dori Alimentos, one of Brazil’s leading manufacturers and distributors of sweets and snacks. The acquisition will be made through CTH, which is the lead holding company of Ferrara. Dori is a family-controlled company backed by an affiliate of ACON Investments. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Since its founding in 1967, Dori has built strong and recognized brands that are loved by millions of consumers across Brazil including Dori, Pettiz, Jubes, Gomets, Deliket, Disqueti, Yogurte 100, and Bolete. Dori’s strong portfolio, consistent performance and multi-channel nationwide distribution capabilities have allowed it to enjoy double-digit revenue growth over the last several years.
Headquartered in Chicago for more than 115 years and privately owned, Ferrara is the top-selling U.S. sugar confections company and the manufacturer of 20 beloved brands such as Black Forest, Brach’s, NERDS, SweeTARTS and Trolli.
“We are thrilled to join Ferrara, who we are confident is the right partner for this next step of Dori’s incredible story,” said Pedro Lobo, chief executive officer of Dori. “Like us, Ferrara puts the consumer at the center of all they do, shares our spirit of innovation and believes in the emotional power of candies and snacks. This pairing reflects the outstanding company that the Dori team has built over 56 years and our standing as industry pioneers in Brazil. We are thrilled to preserve that valued heritage.”
“Dori is a great fit with Ferrara, with a complementary portfolio of candies, similar heritage and a values-driven internal culture,” said Marco Capurso, chief executive officer of Ferrara. “We have deep admiration for Dori’s products and extraordinary team. We are excited to enter the fast-growing Brazilian market and create tremendous opportunity ahead for both Dori and Ferrara.”
“For many years, Ferrara has been a great inspiration for building Dori’s product portfolio and, perhaps because of this, they are similar and aligned companies. I am happy to see that Dori will be instrumental to the official expansion of Ferrara into Brazil, which will certainly provide the best path for the success of the business we have built,” said Vitor Barion, chairman of the board of directors of Dori.
“We have seen Dori evolve tremendously since our initial investment in 2016 and are excited for Dori to be embarking on a new phase in its history. We believe that Dori and Ferrara will form a strong partnership that will create value for all stakeholders,” said Rodrigo Galvão, partner at ACON Investments in Brazil.
Once the transaction is closed, Dori’s over 3,100 employees will join Ferrara’s 4,600 team members to advance a shared vision and strategy and bring additional sweetness to consumers around the world.
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023 and is subject to certain closing conditions.
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