What makes a brand worth betting on?

Ken Sadowsky, affectionately known as "The Beverage Whisperer," returns to Taste Radio with a sharp look at where the biggest opportunities — and potential pitfalls — are emerging across the beverage category.

A senior advisor at Verlinvest, board director at Vita Coco and Icelandic Glacial, and early-stage investor in several emerging beverage brands, Ken explains why coconut water still has plenty of runway, what founders can learn from playing the long game, and why he believes colostrum could represent the next big functional beverage opportunity.

Ken also shares his perspective on the rise of caffeine-free energy, hydration, matcha, protein and functional beverages. He also offers candid takes on celebrity-backed brands, flavor versus function, packaging, category positioning and the question he asks when evaluating any new beverage.

Show notes:

0:20: Ken Sadowsky, Sr. Advisor, Verlinvest – Ken kicks things off by praising his beloved Red Sox before sharing his perspective on why coconut water has quietly become one of beverage's fastest-growing categories. He explains how strategic decisions by major beverage companies can temporarily shape retailer perceptions of an entire category, and why occasion- and benefit-based shopping may increasingly blur traditional category lines, particularly in smaller-format stores. Ken also discusses several emerging brands in his investment portfolio, including Rite, a caffeine-free energy drink powered by ketones and paraxanthine, and Leisure Hydration, which he sees as a function-first product with a more relaxed approach to hydration. He and Ray also evaluate products from Stillers, Yass, Gimber, Fizzin Protein and Grind. At the heart of Ken's philosophy is a simple question: Why will a consumer buy the product again? While functional benefits can drive trial, he argues that taste remains critical to repeat purchase in most categories. For founders, he emphasizes the importance of spending time in stores, studying the competitive set and allowing consumers to determine where a product belongs rather than relying too heavily on conventional category definitions. Ken also weighs in on celebrity-backed brands, arguing that celebrity involvement can drive discovery but is far more powerful when the celebrity genuinely invests in and believes in the business. He reflects on the extraordinary velocity of beverages compared with other CPG categories and explains why he often asks if a brand has the potential to sell a billion cans.

Brands in this episode: Vita Coco, Harmless Harvest, Zico, Gatorade, Red Bull, Monster Energy, Celsius, Rite Energy, Parch, Subourbon Life, Ponyboy Slings, MOTH Cocktails, Spikedade, Super Lyte, Yass, Orange Toucan, Leisure Hydration, Spindrift, Coca-Cola, Neau Water, Eatyx, Oshee, Stiller's, Gimber, Vitaminwater, Pirate's Booty, AriZona Beverages, Ancient Nutrition, Fair Life, Fizzen Protein, Protein Pop, Grind, Onyx Coffee, Donpon Energy