Latest news with #AnheuserBusch
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
UFC's Dana White On His Latest Business Venture And Why He's Investing In Phorm Energy
TORONTO, ONTARIO - JANUARY 18: UFC CEO Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 297 press ... More conference at The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre on January 18, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Dana White may be known as the CEO and president of UFC, but he's looking to make an impact in the energy drink business world. The 55-year-old is investing in the partnership between Anheuser-Busch and 1st Phorm. The two Missouri-based companies are releasing Phorm Energy, with the prominent alcohol brand (Anheuser-Busch) getting involved in the energy drink world. 1st Phorm is a nutrition and supplment company led by CEO Sal Frisella White details how talks began after Anheuser-Busch became the official beer sponsor of UFC in 2024. 'It began with our new beer sponsorship,' says White in a one-on-one interview. "With that, we started talking, I flew out here (to St. Louis), walked the halls, met a lot of people, and I'm at a point in my life and in my career where I only want to be with people that I'm aligned with and I'm very aligned with Anheuser-Busch. 'He – Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth – hit me up with this opportunity for the energy drink and I was like, 'I'm an energy drink guy, I drink it literally every day.' That was exciting for me and I love building brands. So perfect, perfect fit for me.' There are four flavors that are on shelves, which includes Screamin' Freedom, Orange Fury, Grape Smash and Blue Blitz. It's no secret that the energy drink marketplace is a packed one, with the United States being the largest market for the beverage. Red Bull has the largest global market share with Monster not far behind. Other energy drinks such as Rockstar Energy, Amp and NOS follow with much smaller shares. Frisella details what will make Phorm Energy stand out from the other energy drinks in the marketplace. 'It's a combination of the skill set, we have over 20 years of experience in the sports nutrition business and we combined with America's best brewer,' says Frisella of partnering with Anheuser-Busch. "The innovation and the ability for us to bring a tremendous product to the market -- a superior product -- to market was just a natural fit. 'It tastes fantastic, the innovation team put almost 400 different flavors of different renditions of this drink to the market,' Frisella continues to say. 'We all got the opportunity to taste it. We now have a tremendous formula, tremendous flavor lineup. We have a tremendous network being able to push things into the market.' Phorm Energy — the UFC's Dana White is an owner in the brand — has four different flavors. White details how there's more 'natural caffeine' in the drink, which is one of the big traits that makes Phorm Energy stand out from other drinks that they're competing with. Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth details how everything came together late last year when he reached out to Frisella and then a day after that, reached out to White about partnering up to release this energy drink. 'What we saw was an opportunity,' says Whitworth. "We had a much better chance of being successful by becoming partners. I reached out to Sal, who's the founder and CEO of 1st Phorm, the country's largest private sports nutrition company and talked to him about wanting to do this thing. 'That was 207 days ago and then a day after that, I called Dana and said, 'Hey man, this is what we're thinking about doing. You want to be a part of it?' And he said, 'Hell Yeah,'" Whitworth continues to say. "Then we just put it together over the last 207 days and here we are." Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth is partnering with UFC's Dana White and 1st Phorm's Sal ... More Frisella to release Phorm Energy. (Photo by LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP) (Photo by LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images) Whitworth makes it clear that White , who is a prominent figure due to UFC's popularity, is not a brand ambassador and Phorm Energy is not sponsoring him. White is an owner and an investor in the brand. 'Dana and I first met around Anheuser-Busch and our beer brands and sponsoring his business with the UFC with Bud Light,' says Whitworth. 'That's how our relationship started and that's how our partnership started. This is different. Dana is an owner in Phorm Energy. We're not sponsoring Dana White. Dana White is a partner in our business as well as 1st Phorm.' Anheuser-Busch previously engaged in partnerships and distribution of energy drinks such as Hiball Energy and Alta Palla. Whitworth details how that previous experience has prepared them for the release of Phorm Energy as they fully dip into the energy drink market. 'We had a brand that we probably had since 2018 and good partners of ours, and it turned out it was a good opportunity for them to to exit that business,' says Whitworth. 'That was fine for us, and we were excited to kind of use what we learned. We made it here, we made spirits and that was the first foray. We learned a lot, and we're using those capabilities, that knowledge, that expertise for our team and pointed it towards what we think is a really cool opportunity for Phorm Energy.' UFC has a well-known partnership with Monster which began in 2015. They recently announced their third consecutive partnership renewal, with the latest agreement being the largest sponsorship deal in the history of both companies. White says Monster remains the energy drink sponsor of UFC and says they are "cool" with him becoming an owner in Phorm Energy. 'Monster is our sponsor with the UFC,' says White when asked if Phorm Energy will be involved with UFC. 'They've been an incredible sponsor to us for a very long time. They're great to do business with. To show you how great they are to do business with, they were cool with me owning my own energy drink.' The partnership between these three prominent figures will also include a multi-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports, which is considered the No. 1 team in NASCAR. William Byron – who won the Dayton 500 for the second consecutive year and is near the top of NASCAR Cup Series standings – will sport Phorm Energy for six races across the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Phorm Energy branding will be seen on fire suits, helmets and fueler gear across Hendrick's top teams and there will also be brand integration into Hendrick Motorsports' new 35,000 square foot facility, which will open next year. Hendrick Motorsports also features its former longtime driver and NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon as its vice chairman. Whitworth's connection with Gordon resulted in the partnership between Anheuser-Busch and NASCAR. 'We also wanted to make sure that we struck some pretty interesting sponsorships, ones that we thought would be relevant to our consumers, our future consumers, and that put us into the world of NASCAR,' details Whitowrth. 'They're an amazing team, one of the most winning teams in NASCAR is Hendrick Motorsports. Jeff Gordon is a friend of mine. Called him up, I said, 'What do you think about doing a sponsorship?' He said, 'Love to do it.' We kind of put the relationship together that way, and it will be with William Byron.' Whitworth further details that the partnership will showcase the pit crew of Hendrick Motorsports, which is an often overlooked component of the success of a NASCAR driver. 'What we think is a very interesting way in is also be very clear in telling the stories with the pit crew,' says Whitworth. 'One of the first-ever NASCAR races I went to was with Jeff and he introduced me to his pit crew. These guys are athletes and that's where the idea generation started. We're partnering across Hendrick Motorsports with William Byron, but also across all of their pit crews. They have an amazing athletic training facility down in Charlotte. We'll be a part of that, which really is a nice fit for Phorm Energy.' Whitworth says the long-term objective of Phorm Energy is to 'compete' in the energy drink marketplace. White says it's to 'get up every day and win.' 'Get out every day and win,' says White of the objective. 'That's what we all like to do. I'm not one of these guys that just looks at the brand and says, 'Oh, let's get this region.' I like to take things global. Everything that I'm involved in is global." White points towards the long history of Anheuser-Busch – it started in the 1850s – and how its emerged as one of the most iconic brands in American history. 'These are the type of business people that I like to be aligned with,' says White. 'When you think about the history of Anheuser-Busch and how big it is – this thing doesn't move like an old, stuffy company. These guys move like this, they get s*** done. Those are the kind of people that I like to be in business with. This is going to be fun. If you look at what has happened in 207 days, wait to see what happens in three years.'
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Companies Are Ditching Pride Based on Vibes, Not Facts
Save In business as in politics, one of the worst things you can do is expose yourself as a flip-flopper. And this Pride Month is shaping up to reveal a record number of corporate wafflers. A long list of companies, including Mastercard Inc., Citigroup Inc., PepsiCo Inc., Nissan Motor Co Ltd., Deloitte, Comcast Corp., Diageo Plc., Anheuser-Busch and Booz Allen Hamilton have all declined to renew or scaled back their corporate sponsorships of Pride events and marches this year. Some companies have even opted out of the relatively benign and inexpensive move of rainbow-ifying their corporate logos.
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Levi's looked to an early symbol of LGBTQ+ liberation for its 2025 Pride collection
We've become accustomed to seeing rainbows as a symbol of Pride. But for Levi's 2025 Pride collection, the brand's LGBTQ+ designers wanted to shake up the status quo. They've delved into their history, tapping into another well-known icon of gay liberation—the inverted triangle. The rainbow flag was created in 1978 as a symbol of freedom and dignity. But in the 1970s, the gay liberation movement often deployed the pink triangle—which the Nazis used to brand homosexual men and trans women in concentration camps. Activists recast the triangle as a symbol of resistance and resilience, despite efforts to exterminate them. This year's Levi's Pride collection incorporates the pink triangle and a new riff that creates a single triangle from six smaller ones using colors from the Pride flag. Today, the LBGTQ+ community continues to be under attack. The Trump administration has defunded gender-affirming care for youth, moved trans women into men's prisons, and denied requests for gender markers on passports. It also cut funding for studies related to HIV/AIDS, a disease that disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ people. Brands have also been walking back their visible support for the community. Many companies—including Anheuser-Busch, Comcast, Citi, PepsiCo, Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, Visa, and Mastercard— have chosen to discontinue sponsorship of Pride celebrations this year. In a recent survey from risk management firm Gravity Research, 39% of the 200 corporate executives surveyed said they were scaling back on public Pride Month engagements this year. That brand landscape is why Cristobal Aleman—a global menswear designer at Levi's who was lead researcher for this Pride collection—says resistance is more important than ever. 'We're not stepping away from the rainbow, because it makes people feel supported,' Aleman says. 'But by reflecting back on other symbols of resistance, we remember that the fight is not over yet. We still need to carry the torch.' Paying Homage To create this collection, the Levi's designers, led by Aleman, conducted extensive research in the company's own archives as well as the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. This is how they decided to lean into the triangle rather than the rainbow. In the early 1970s, you could see many people at protest marches wearing pins and T-shirts featuring the inverted pink triangle, which organizers in the nascent gay liberation movement used to evoke the memory of those who died in Nazi concentration camps, as well as to protest ongoing discrimination. In the years that followed, it became a symbol of resilience. In a well-known photo, gay rights activist Harvey Milk is seen wearing it on an armband. As the AIDS crisis deepened, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) began using a point-up pink triangle in its messaging, starting with its 'Silence=Death' campaign. With this collection, Levi's is working to honor the symbol's history. One T-shirt features an inverted pink triangle that contains the words 'United for Freedom.' But the designers also want to evolve this symbology—hence the new inverted triangle featuring the smaller triangles in all the colors of the Pride flag. 'We're not just slapping rainbows on existing products,' says Janine Chilton-Faust, VP of men's design, who led the creation of this collection. 'We bring together designers from many teams to create a line with meaning. The magic happens when you bring people who are passionate and who really understand how it feels to be in this community right now.' The Fight Isn't Over The team also wanted to incorporate other powerful symbols of resistance. They created a handkerchief to pay homage to the 'hanky code,' which is how people reflected their sexual orientation and preferences when it was not safe to do so overtly. The fabric features historic iconography related to the LBGTQ+ community, including a raised fist and a butterfly, with the motto 'Out of the closet, into the streets' in the center. 'We were listening to the community and there was a sense that 'rainbow-washing' was happening,' Aleman says, referring to the way that corporations have used the rainbow so ubiquitously that it has lost its meaning. 'We thought the triangle was a very courageous symbol of resilience and protest against homophobia, which is something we need in our world right now.' The brand's deep dive into historical LGBTQ+ symbols also reflects Levi's long-standing support for the community. The 172-year-old company was supporting the LGBTQ+ community before doing so became more widespread in corporate America. This year, Levi's is showing its support by continuing to fund San Francisco Pride, as well as Pride events in Poland. It also empowered its LGBTQ+ designers to come up with a Pride Collection that meets the moment. In the brand's archives, there are photos of its lesbian and gay employee association marching in a protest for LGBTQ+ rights in the 1980s bearing a 'Levi Strauss & Co.' sign. In 1992, Levi's was the first Fortune 500 company to offer health benefits to the domestic partners of LGBTQ+ employees. 'This was the height of the AIDS crisis,' Aleman says. Pride and Joy One of the hero pieces in the collection brings all of these symbols together. On the back of a classic Levi's trucker jacket, there's a gorgeous patchwork that features the new triangle symbol, along with butterfly wings. The words 'I know you know' are embroidered onto it—a phrase LGBTQ+ people used to identify each other before it was safe to be open about their identity. The motto also appears on a baseball cap in the collection. While this collection is about the ongoing fight for liberation, it is also meant to be joyful. Aleman says one of the most radical ways we can show the LBGTQ+ community support right now is to give them safe spaces. As the team was developing this collection, they were thinking about places where people from the community can be themselves. Historically, this has often been in nightlife spots, including gay and lesbian clubs. The various pieces in the collection are meant to give people outfits for a fun night on the town. There's a little black mini skirt (modeled by people of both genders), cutoff shorts, and moto jackets. 'These are pieces you would wear with your friends to have fun and experience joy,' Aleman says. 'Joy is also an act of resistance.' The final deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is Friday, June 20, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Brewers donate drinking water to support Tremont Fire Dept
TREMONT, Ill (WMBD) — Water came pouring in from a major brewing company today to help Tremont's volunteer fire district. Representatives from Anheuser-Busch distributor Brewers, delivered drinking water to the Tremont Fire District Friday afternoon as part of their effort to support first responders and disaster relief. Typically, Brewers delivers water when local fire departments are in emergency scenarios. Tommy Jocob from Brewers said that they are happy to help in any way they can. 'Yeah, we're always here to help. We've, done it in the past and hopefully that kind of shines some light on the first responders because we know how important they are to us and to the community that they're responding to,' Jacob said While there has not been a disaster in Tremont since 2014, the guys at Brewers are doing this in order to ensure that the volunteer firefighters have plenty of drinking water. 'But if an emergency scenario is brought up, we are willing and want to provide to the town that is struggling or in need of emergency supplies,' he said A pallet of 98 total cases was delivered to the Tremont Fire District. According to Fire Chief Chad Hancock, the amount delivered Friday is expected to be enough to hydrate the volunteer force in Tremont until this time next year. 'To be able to have it in-house and enough to get us through for sure a calendar year is great and to have it donated and not cost the district any money is very, very nice,' Hancock said. Typically, the Tremont Fire District often buys its drinking water from local vendors. Having it donated from Brewers saves the village of Tremont and the district lots of money. The Fire District got the donation by applying for a grant through the National Volunteer Fire Council, a program that works with Brewers's parent company Anheuser-Busch. When the Chief found out that the district was awarded the grant, excitement filled the air. 'We were pretty for we were pretty excited to get the grant,' he said. With the district only having enough drinking water to last through next year, they will have to reapply for the grant again before the supply runs out. 'So we would definitely be trying to get it again because it's a great help,' he said Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
10-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Equipment Upgrades Drive the Food and Beverage New Industrial Planned Projects Growth in May 2025
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 10, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Industrial SalesLeads released its May 2025 report on new planned capital project spending within the Food and Beverage industry. The Firm monitors planned industrial activity across North America, including facility expansions, new plant construction, and major equipment modernization projects. Research for the month confirms 43 new projects in the Food and Beverage sector, with equipment upgrades leading the way. The following are selected highlights on new Food and Beverage industry construction news. Food and Beverage Project Type Processing Facilities – 31 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 15 New Projects Food and Beverage Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 18 New Projects Expansion – 9 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 15 New Projects Plant Closing – 5 New Projects Food and Beverage Project Location (Top 10 States) California – 8 Florida – 3 Illinois – 3 Michigan – 3 New York – 3 Kentucky – 2 Missouri – 2 Ohio – 2 Pennsylvania – 2 South Carolina – 2 LARGEST PLANNED PROJECT During the month of May, our research team identified 1 new Food and Beverage facility construction project with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, who is planning for the expansion, renovations, and equipment upgrades on their production facility in COLUMBUS, OH. They are currently seeking approval for the project. TOP 10 TRACKED FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROJECTS CALIFORNIA: Specialty snack food mfr. is planning to invest $70 million for an expansion of their processing facilities in SANTA MONICA, CA and BELL, CA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. NEW YORK: Food service distributor is planning for the construction of a 921,000 sf cold storage and distribution complex in ISLANDIA, NY. They are currently seeking approval for the project. ILLINOIS: Food and beverage company is considering the renovation and equipment upgrades on their processing facility at 1701 W. Bradley Ave. in CHAMPAIGN, IL. MISSOURI: Diversified food products mfr. is planning to invest $30 million for equipment upgrades on their processing facility at 204 Vine St. in MACON, MO. They are currently seeking approval for the project. CALIFORNIA: Specialty meat product mfr. is investing $30 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 140,000 sf processing and warehouse facility in VERNON, CA. Construction has recently started, with completion slated for Fall 2025. TEXAS: Beverage company is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a 500,000 sf distribution center at 4407 E. Grand Pkwy. S. in BAYTOWN, TX. They are currently seeking approval for the project. WASHINGTON: Beverage distributor is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently leased 250,000 sf of warehouse space in SUMNER, WA. They will relocate their operations in early 2026. KANSAS: Nutritional supplement mfr. is planning for the construction of a 100,000 sf processing facility in DE SOTO, KS. They are currently seeking approval for the project. WISCONSIN: Specialty food ingredient mfr. is planning for the renovation and equipment upgrades on a recently acquired 99,000 sf processing facility at 427 E. Wisconsin St. in SPARTA, WI. They are currently seeking approval for the project. FLORIDA: Seed distributor is planning for the construction of a 37,000 sf warehouse, office, institutional, and research facility in SEBRING, FL. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction will occur in two phases. About Industrial SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, Industrial SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team. Visit us at Each month, our team provides hundreds of industrial reports within a variety of industries, including: Learn more: NEWS SOURCE: Industrial SalesLeads Inc Keywords: Food and Beverage, Industrial SalesLeads, warehouse, material handling, logistics, distribution center, manufacturing, industrial, food and beverage, transportation, powder, JACKSONVILLE, Fla. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Industrial SalesLeads Inc) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P126823 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. 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