Dessert Holdings Returns to IDDBA
Dessert Holdings, North America’s leading premium dessert company, is excited to make a major return to the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association show in New Orleans June 1-3. At the industry-exclusive event, Dessert Holdings will showcase its dynamic range of premium desserts, including an innovative new suite of artisanal products.
Known for its use of clean ingredients, scratch-made recipes, and thaw and serve format, the company encompasses six premium brands: Steven Charles, The Original Cakerie, Lawler’s Foods, Dianne’s Fine Desserts, Atlanta Cheesecake Company and Kenny’s Great Pies. Dessert Holdings operates nine highly automated, geographically diverse manufacturing facilities across North America.
“Over the last decade, Dessert Holdings has become the largest and fastest growing premium dessert platform in the U.S., and we have positioned ourselves as a ‘one-stop shop’ for retail and foodservice customers,” said Paul Lapadat, Chief Executive Officer. “Our intentional presence at IDDBA allows us to showcase our brands and our expanded innovative product portfolio of premium desserts.”
The Dessert Holdings’ booth (#4625) at IDDBA invites customers to experience the Dessert Holdings “Bakery”, featuring a central culinary island with premium dessert sampling and opportunities to meet Dessert Holdings expert pastry chefs. New product offerings to be unveiled at the show will include Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake and Mango Passion Fruit Cheesecake from the Dianne’s brand, as well as distinctive multi-layer bar cakes from The Original Cakerie, including a Mixed Berry Custard, Chantilly Cake, and Key Lime Cake, along with several other exciting individual desserts.
“We continue to broaden our portfolio of premium desserts made with real ingredients that also cater to consumer demands including portion control, snacking, and gluten-free,” said Susanne Ross, SVP, Culinary | Research & Development.
The company will also showcase a refreshed company logo featuring a new whisk-infused letter “D” standing tall within the new brand identity, signaling a tribute to the company’s pastry-chef-led culinary heritage, and a nod to the layers in its signature Strawberry Shortcake product that helped establish the premium multi-layer bar cake category. The updated brand, featuring new stylized typography and a rich color palette, reflects the same freshness and innovation that defines Dessert Holdings’ products. The updated brand elements will be integrated across the company’s website, social channels, and tradeshow booth.
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BERO Debuts West Coast Style IPA Non-Alcoholic Brew
BERO, the premium non-alcoholic beer co-founded by Tom Holland, is proud to introduce Double Tasty, a West Coast Style IPA that doubles down on exceptional flavor, better living, and authentically crafted beer that brings more to the moment. As the first new SKU to join the original portfolio that launched in October of last year, Double Tasty is poised to become a standout favorite in the brand’s growing portfolio. This release marks a pivotal touchpoint in BERO’s rapid trajectory as a category-defining brand.
The brand proudly debuts its non-alcoholic West Coast IPA as a bold, hop-forward addition that rounds out a lineup currently anchored by a crisp Pils, juicy Hazy IPA, and refreshing Wheat. While the West Coast IPA is widely known for its Californian roots, its lineage traces back to Britain, where pale ales and IPAs first laid the groundwork for hop-centric brewing. BERO’s version bridges these two traditions, honoring the precision of British technique and the unapologetic character of the American West.
Brewed with premium Colorado malts and a trio of standout hops—Mosaic, El Dorado, and Cascade—sourced from the Western U.S., this release delivers signature notes of citrus and pine with a crisp, clean finish. A touch of hop extract amplifies the aromatics, while BERO’s custom brewing method and maltose-negative yeast preserve the style’s true-to-form bitterness, body, and clarity. It’s everything you’d expect from a classic West Coast IPA, minus the alcohol, but never the impact.
Like every BERO brew, Double Tasty holds personal significance for Tom Holland. The name is inspired by a phrase he’s always used with close friends, while the beer style is representative of a place that has become a second home to him: the West Coast. The launch is especially meaningful, as it coincides with Tom’s birthday.
“When we launched BERO, it was about creating something that reflected my own journey and love for beer. A premium option that could seamlessly fit into your lifestyle, show up in any setting and always leave you feeling your best. It just feels right that we would keep bringing people more variety to achieve that,” said Tom Holland, Co-Founder of BERO. “To already be expanding our lineup with Double Tasty feels surreal in the best way, but also really natural for what we set out to achieve. We want to offer people more – not just in the quantity of beers to choose from, but in life.”
Double Tasty will signify a major step forward in BERO’s growth and momentum in the beverage category. Building on the widely popular reception of its debut trio, the addition of Double Tasty is both a natural evolution and a direct response to the feedback BERO has received from its community. The launch underscores the brand’s dedication to listening—to its drinkers, its partners, and to the broader market, as the portfolio grows thoughtfully with purpose. Having created the gold standard where non-alcoholic beer is a trophy, rather than a consolation prize, BERO is on a mission to remain the curators of what beer should be.
“Since launch, consumers have been responding to both Tom’s story as well as the premium positioning of the brand. However, what has been making us stand out the most is the taste and quality of the beer,” said John Herman, Co-Founder & CEO of BERO. “Double Tasty is a big milestone— not just our first new release, but something we believe will be a defining style for us as we look to attract sophisticated beer drinkers and expand the NA space. We are committed to giving our consumers more of what they love, with flavors that have not been met in the current NA offering. Every time we step into the brewery, we do so with inspiration and intention to create something with a soul. Our goal since day 1 was to create a great beer, not solely a great NA Beer. We believe Double Tasty will be a category defining product not just for BERO but for the total beer space.”
In celebration of the launch and to further bring Double Tasty to life, BERO will be rolling out a series of events across NYC, LA, and London, partnering with top food, beverage, lifestyle, and sports brands to meet drinkers where they are.
Double Tasty is available now on BERObrewing.com in a single-flavor 6-pack and will join the rest of the portfolio in an updated 4-flavor variety 12-pack, marking the first refresh to BERO’s flagship offering. Target will be the first national retailer to carry Double Tasty, featuring it on endcap displays in select stores across the country. The flavor will continue rolling out to retailers nationwide in the coming months, including Amazon, Sprouts, BevMo, Erewhon, Total Wine, and more.
To learn more about BERO, visit BERObrewing.com, follow @berobrewing on Instagram and TikTok, and subscribe to the brand’s email newsletter for updates and exclusive content.
About BERO
Born in London, crafted in America, and enjoyed worldwide, BERO is the most premium non-alcoholic beer on the market and is co-created by Tom Holland and John Herman for those who never settle. With supreme ingredients and remarkable taste, our beer makes sure nothing gets in the way of savoring every moment. Because you’re already chasing a life enriched – we’re simply here to make it exceptional. Expect Nothing Less.
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Aldi Promotes Hart to Global Office, McGrath to US CEO
Aldi U.S. has promoted Jason Hart, Aldi U.S. Chief Executive Officer to join the Executive Board of Aldi South as Group Chief Operating Officer. Hart will help oversee the company’s global operations in Salzburg, Austria, effective Sept. 1. Atty McGrath, currently Chief Operating Officer, will assume the U.S. Chief Executive role.
During his decade-long leadership as CEO, Hart has led the rapid expansion and development of the brand, overseeing the store count nearly double from 1,300 in 32 states to 2,500 across 39 states. Aldi has become the fastest-growing grocer in America, renowned for its employee-first mentality, industry leading sustainability commitments and pledge to serving customers with the lowest prices of any national grocery store.
“I am honored to take on this new role with Aldi supporting our global business,” said Hart. “The growth and positive development of the Aldi brand we’ve achieved together in the U.S. is a tribute to our incredible teams across the business. I look forward to working with Aldi teams around the globe to drive our growth and success.”
McGrath brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this critical role, serving most recently as Chief Operating Officer. McGrath has spent her entire 20-year career with Aldi, holding a variety of positions ranging from district manager, director of operations, division vice president and most recently chief operating officer.
“On behalf of the entire Aldi U.S. team, I extend heartfelt thanks to Jason for his unwavering dedication and remarkable leadership,” said McGrath. “I am excited to build upon our momentum, expand our footprint and continue adapting to serve our customers.”
As part of its aggressive growth strategy, Aldi U.S. plans to open 800 new stores over the next five years, with a target of more than 225 locations opening this year alone, a record for the retailer. Already this year, It has opened 55 stores with 75 more locations set to open this summer in key growth markets such as Arizona, California, Florida and South Carolina as well as established markets like the Midwest and Northeast.
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