Wednesday, January 21, 2026
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Could Your PCOS Be Linked to the Milk You Are Consuming?

Milk PCOS

Think about your childhood – the daily routine of being told to drink a glass of milk, a symbol of health that has been with us since we were little. We’ve grown up believing in the goodness of milk. However, as we look closely at what’s on our plates today, a concerning truth emerges.

The drink that graced our breakfast tables may not be as pure as we believe. Adulteration, a practice that involves mixing or contaminating a product with harmful substances, has unfortunately become a pervasive issue. From water dilution to the addition of synthetic chemicals, the milk we consume may be far from the wholesome drink we expect. This deceptive tampering not only compromises the nutritional value but, might be linked to chronic health concerns, particularly the rise in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) among girls and women.

Adding to this concern is the commercialisation of dairy production, where cows are injected with hormones to boost output. “The human body absorbs injected oxytocin when it is consumed through milk or any other dairy product, leading to various adverse effects for everyone,” stated Dr. Arvind Vaid in a recent interview, who is Chief Infertility & IVF Specialist at Indira IVF Hospital in New Delhi. While this might seem like a shortcut to meet the ever-growing demand, it comes at a cost – the purity of the milk itself. The injection of hormones into dairy cows can introduce unwanted elements into the supply chain, potentially posing health risks for those who consume it. As we revisit our childhood ritual of drinking milk, it’s essential to rethink these practices and their potential impact on our well-being.

How Can Milk Be Responsible for PCOS

Milk PCOS

We all know that milk is a great source of calcium, but we often forget about the other constituents. It also contains various hormones like prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), Oestrogen, progesterone, oxytocin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. These hormones can potentially disrupt our body’s hormonal balance, leading to fertility issues. Surprisingly, more than 70% of the oestrogen found in humans comes from dairy products. So, it’s worth considering the broader picture when it comes to the effect it has on our hormones and overall health.

Oxytocin is a widely used drug in the dairy industry, and one of its side effects is the early onset of puberty in girls. More women are dealing with PCOS and endometriosis, and some of it might be connected to drinking milk with too much oestrogen. Additionally, in men, it can lead to a decrease in testosterone production, resulting in low sperm movement and concentration.

Many people might also have an invisible allergy to casein, a protein, or an intolerance to lactose, which is a form of sugar, both of which can be found in milk. The most typical symptoms are tiredness, irritable bowel syndrome, and frequent exposure to these allergens, which triggers an immunological response across the body that reduces fertility by impairing egg quality, leading irregular ovulation, irregular periods, and recurrent miscarriages.

Moreover, it is advised that pregnant women should abstain from consuming too much milk since the excess of oxytocin may result in certain unwanted issues and malformed newborns. It can also prevent breastfeeding and raise a mother’s risk of hemorrhaging after giving delivery, Vaid said. If must be consumed, it is important to ensure that it has been boiled to help get rid of oxytocin residue.

Therefore, it’s critical to comprehend how adulteration can seriously harm a person’s health. In order to pay extra precaution, you can opt from the multiple local dairy farmers, and organic dairy farms, who are assured to supply fresh and unadulterated dairy products, instead of mass produced and industrially packaged packets of milk that potentially might be the reason to some serious health concerns.

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Relief for consumers as subsidized pulses, lower onion prices hit the market

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Onion
Onion

Following the government’s ban on onion exports and the permission for free import of yellow peas, there has been a slight decline in the retail prices of these essential commodities. Onion prices have fallen by almost 7% in the past week.

To regulate pulse prices, the government has initiated the sale of moong dal at subsidized rates through the retail outlets operated by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (Nafed).

Nafed is offering moong dal at INR 107 per kg, reflecting a reduction of INR 15 from its procurement cost, available through its outlets. Additionally, subsidized moong dal will soon be accessible through mobile vans operated by the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) and Kendriya Bhandars. In the broader market, the average retail price of moong dal stands at INR 116 per kg.

“We expect there will be a significant fall in prices of all major pulses in the next couple of weeks because of free import of yellow peas. We are also confident of onion prices falling further with the arrival of more kharif (summer) crops, which have been harvested,” said an official.

According to government data, the average cost of onions has decreased to INR 56/kg, down from INR 60/kg one week earlier. As for pulses, there has been an average reduction of approximately INR 1 per kilogram. Officials have indicated that increased moong sales by Nafed and NCCF are expected to have a mitigating impact on prices.

Presently, Nafed holds approximately five lakh tonnes of moong dal stock, surpassing the one lakh tonne buffer. This ample “good stock” will enable government cooperatives to persist in offering moong and chana dals in wholesale and retail markets at subsidized rates.

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8 Common Cooking Mistakes That Might Be Harmful for Your Health

Cooking

Our kitchens have changed and evolved over the past few decades to reflect new knowledge and the latest developments in everything from cooking techniques to appliances. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that the kitchen is the center of our homes and where the magic of preparing meals happens. It’s where we play with ingredients and flavours to nourish ourselves and our families. But, in the middle of all the hustle-bustle and daily chaos, there might be some minor errors that go unnoticed, that have an impact on our health. So let me just give you a heads-up on 10 culinary mistakes that can be subtly harming your health.

  1. Making Rotis on Direct Flame

Making Rotis

Roti is a staple on most North Indian dinner tables and has a special place in our hearts. An intriguing discovery has emerged from recent studies: high-temperature cooking techniques, like the traditional direct flame roasting, can produce toxic substances like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. So instead, go for Tawa Rotis!

2. Cooking or storing acidic food in reactive pans

Cooking with aluminum pans can lead to reactive metals like Aluminium to mix with your food at high temperatures. This can pose health risks like dementia, Alzheimer’s, and kidney diseases.

3. Consuming cooked or heated honey

Heating or boiling honey ruins it and eliminates many of its health benefits. Cooked honey consumption causes blood glucose imbalance, respiratory disorders, weight gain, digestive issues, and some skin concerns. Furthermore, pasteurising honey may raise its glycemic index, which is bad for those who have diabetes. Also, as many honey products are heated and fried during processing, extreme caution should be exercised while purchasing them. Therefore, it is always best to purchase raw or organic honey from the market and eat it uncooked.

4. Using damaged non-stick cookware

Tiny fragments may break off from a scratched or damaged nonstick pan manufactured using PFAS and end up in your meal. These chemicals’ coatings cause thousands to millions of microplastics and nanoplastics to be released from these scratched pans. To protect yourself from potentially hazardous chemicals, you should never use a nonstick pan that has been dented or damaged.

5. Overheating healthy oils

Reusing cooking oil, whether it’s vegetable or other, more than twice increases the risk of converting the oil’s fatty acid composition into trans fatty acid if it is heated constantly. Trans fats, commonly known as trans-fatty acids, differ from conventional dietary fats due to the fact that they raise bad cholesterol, while also lowering the good cholestrol.

6. Throwing away leftover rotis

Certain meals, like rotis, can actually grow more nutritious if kept properly for up to as long as 12-15 hours, and are not harmful. Overnight-kept rotis have medicinal values to treat diabetes and also help in weight loss, improving blood pressure and curing bloating.

7. Adding uncooked salt over your food

Salt to Cooking

Consumption of excess uncooked salt in your food is an invitation to multiple health issues, and can impact the nervous as well as circulatory systems, giving rise to heart and kidney issues. The iron structure of the salt is simplified and absorbed more readily by the stomach when it is heated. Uncooked salt causes high blood pressure and hypertension because it retains its iron structure, which puts additional strain on the body.

8. Cooking vegetables for too long

Cooking/ boiling/ steaming vegetables for too long, until they turn soft and soggy, can result in the vegetables losing most of their nutrients. The same happens, when you fry your vegetables.

While you may choose to take a more familiar route everyday, it is best to keep your health at priority, and be mindful of the way we are preparing our meals everyday. Small changes can go a long way!

Check out some common blunders that are ruining the flavour of your food!

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Bain Capital invests in sports nutrition company 1440 Foods, boosting active lifestyle market

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1440 Foods

US-based sports and active nutrition company, 1440 Foods, has successfully secured investment from private-equity business Bain Capital.

Both parties have officially entered into a “definitive agreement,” wherein Bain Capital will acquire “a substantial stake in the company,” joining forces with the current shareholder, 4×4 Capital.

Specific financial details were not revealed.

Bain Capital stated that the transaction is expected to conclude this month, subject to the fulfillment of “customary closing conditions.”

Adam Nebesar, a partner at Bain Capital, expressed the investment group’s goal of establishing 1440 Foods as a leading force in the active lifestyle nutrition market.

1440 Foods offers a variety of products encompassing Pure Protein RTDs, whey powders, and snack bars, as well as MET-Rx meal replacement supplements and high-protein shakes from Body Fortress.

Previously under the ownership of the US-based supplements group The Bountiful Company, 1440 was acquired by 4×4 Capital in 2021.

After the Bain Capital deal, Alex Medicis, co-founder of 4×4 Capital, will continue to serve as the chairman of the 1440 Foods board.

In a statement, Medicis said, “This achievement is a testament to how we support management teams to create value through top-line growth and operational excellence.

“We look forward to continuing to create value at 1440 Foods, in partnership with Bain Capital, as the 1440 Foods team accelerates its goals of shaping the future of ‘better for you’ snacking and meal replacement.”

Bain Capital stated that the investment will not affect the leadership of the protein bar maker, assuring that CEO Azania Andrews and her management team will persist in guiding the group.

The recent agreement, according to Azania Andrews, CEO of 1440, will empower the company to embark on a “new phase in our journey of growth.”

“Our vision is to become the go-to choice for people seeking flavourful, functional, and convenient nutrition as part of a balanced lifestyle,” she said.

“Bain Capital shares our vision and their deep expertise supporting the growth of global consumer brands will help us to expand our product offerings reaching more consumers in more occasions and channels, building upon our strong momentum as a leading lifestyle nutrition company.”

Within the private-equity firm’s portfolio is the Vietnamese Masan Group, receiving a $200 million investment in October. In the previous year, Bain Capital secured a minority stake in the US sous-vide group Cuisine Solutions and currently possesses Valeo Foods, the manufacturer of Kettle crisps and Jacob’s crackers.

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Frazy unveils ‘world’s first’ robotic beverage machine for an at-home barista experience

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FrazyBot

Frazy, a US-based startup specializing in custom beverages, has unveiled its plans to launch the “world’s first” robotic beverage machine, FrazyBot.

With just a simple press of a button, FrazyBot has the ability to craft personalized specialty drinks right in the comfort of your home. It provides a selection of distinct drink modules, each tailored for coffee, tea, boba, cocktails, or mocktails.

As per Frazy, existing beverage machines face limitations in terms of drink options due to being “too large for countertops” and demanding “numerous ingredients.” FrazyBot, the company clarified, utilizes “Ingredient-Sensing Robotic Technology (InSeRT)” to enable cost-effective and customizable drinks.

The device comprises a foundational module featuring a touch panel and a water reservoir. Users can affix the drink module to the base, insert the ingredient box, and simply press a button to create their preferred beverages. Additionally, consumers have the option to incorporate their favorite milk or alcohol.

Frazy enables customers to place online orders for personalized drinks, providing specific details such as a red velvet latte with an additional espresso shot and oat milk, or a strawberry margarita with a touch of lavender syrup. The fresh ingredients are delivered in a compact, air-tight box.

The disposable box, accompanied by water or the preferred alcohol, is placed into the machine. With a single press of a button, the beverage is crafted, replicating the preparation process seen in a café or bar – encompassing tasks such as grinding beans, frothing milk, and incorporating artistic touches. Following the preparation, the machine automatically cleans itself, disposing of waste in the single-use box.

Frazy CEO and founder Balaji Krishnan said, “In-home devices have long promised to deliver café and bar quality in a simple way, but nothing has come close – until now. Other in-home beverage machines are unwieldy, drink-specific, usually require users to mix a lengthy list of ingredients manually to make a mess and are often hard to clean. And in the end, it may still not be exactly customised to your taste.”

He continued, “Our proprietary robotic technology disrupts the home beverage market and delivers the most authentic experience, creating users’ favourite drinks at home from fresh ingredients with a simple push of a button. FrazyBot is the first machine that prepares your favourite drink from end to end and delivers everything you want down to the smallest detail, exactly how it was ordered.”

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South Korean food exports soar to record $8.27Bn in 2023, instant noodles lead the charge

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instant noodles

South Korea‘s agricultural and food exports hit a record high in 2023, driven by strong demand for instant noodles, strawberries, and other staple items.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) reported on Friday that exports for the first 11 months of 2023 increased by 2.4% year-on-year, reaching 10.7 trillion won ($8.27 billion). This marks the sector’s highest recorded figure to date.

Leading the way, instant noodles saw a remarkable 25.9% surge in exports, reaching $876.1 million. Other notable gainers in the market included strawberries (increasing by 22.2% to $56.1 million), rice-processed foods (up by 20.7% to $197.5 million), beverages (up by 11.1% to $534 million), and kimchi (experiencing a 9.9% rise to $142.4 million).

South Korean agricultural and food exports continued to find strong demand in China and the US, with shipments to China increasing by 11.1% to $12.88 billion and exports to the US growing by 8.5% to $12.25 billion.

MAFRA is set to include sales from duty-free shops in its export data.

This is attributed to the robust recovery of the duty-free market, which has ensued with the relaxation of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

In the first 11 months of 2023, sales of agricultural and food products in duty-free shops reached $120 million, doubling the level of the same period last year.

Ginseng emerged as a particularly popular item in duty-free shops, experiencing a remarkable 74.6% surge in sales to reach $64 million.

Incorporating duty-free shop sales, agricultural and food exports for the first 11 months of 2023 would show a 3.2% increase, totaling $8.39 billion.

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Uniqlo opens first store in Faridabad, expanding its Indian retail presence

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Uniqlo

Japanese global apparel retailer Uniqlo has launched its first store in Faridabad today. Situated at The Mall of Faridabad, the store marks the brand’s eighth establishment in Delhi-NCR and the thirteenth in India.

“The opening of this new store rounds up a big year for Uniqlo in India, in which we have also opened our first Highway Store in Zirakpur, as well as our first-ever stores in Mumbai,” said Tomohiko Sei, Chief Executive Officer, Uniqlo India.

“Everywhere we have opened stores in India, we have been delighted to receive a warm welcome from customers,” he added.

Prior to the official store opening, a ribbon-cutting ceremony unfolded before an enthusiastic line of customers.

The recently established Faridabad store will showcase the complete array of Uniqlo Fall/Winter products, encompassing Ultra Light Down, HEATTECH, and Recycled Fleece garments. Additionally, the store will feature products crafted from premium fabrics like souffle yarn, lambswool, and merino.

Within the store, patrons can discover a variety of essential items from Uniqlo, including Easy-Care Rayon, AIRism T-shirts, denim, fine cloth shirts, and Smart Ankle Pants. The assortment will also feature the exclusive Uniqlo and KAWS collaboration UT Graphic T-shirt collection.

To celebrate the opening, Uniqlo is offering a series of special promotions, including limited-time offers on its popular core items such as Souffle Yarn Long Sleeve High Neck Sweaters, HEATTECH Ultra Warm Thermals, Ultra Light Down Parka, Flannel Shirts, and more. The first hundred customers will receive a free Round Mini Shoulder Bag (Corduroy) with every purchase. Customers will also enjoy a discount of INR 1,000 on purchases of INR 6,000 and above.

Moreover, customers making purchases of INR 6,000 and above will be eligible to receive a personalized Tiffin Bag (subject to availability). By downloading the Uniqlo App, customers can access exclusive offers and have the opportunity to win guaranteed prizes through the Lucky Draw.

Speaking about the new store Abhishek Bansal, Executive Director, Pacific Group said, “With the launch of the first Uniqlo store in Faridabad, we aim to elevate the city’s fashion ethos and cater to the discerning tastes of fashion enthusiasts.”

Uniqlo belongs to Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a prominent Japanese retail holding company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Within the Fast Retailing Group, Uniqlo stands as the largest of eight brands, alongside GU, Theory, PLST, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam, J Brand, and Helmut Lang.

Uniqlo is a brand under Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a prominent Japanese retail holding company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Within the Fast Retailing Group, Uniqlo holds the position as the largest among eight brands, alongside GU, Theory, PLST, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam, J Brand, and Helmut Lang.

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Tiger Shroff partners with Kapiva to champion Ayurveda in the fitness industry

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Tiger Shroff

Kapiva, a pioneer in modern Ayurvedic solutions, has partnered with Bollywood sensation Tiger Shroff to transform the understanding of Shilajit, a mineral-rich resin frequently misinterpreted. This distinctive collaboration seeks to break down stereotypes surrounding Ayurveda, highlighting the multifaceted uses of Shilajit in muscle building, recovery, energy enhancement, metabolism improvement, and joint health. With a focus on the fitness industry, Kapiva and Tiger aspire to redefine the perception of Ayurveda and advocate for its effectiveness over quick fixes, especially in the realm of muscle building.

The newest promotional film confronts the ongoing tendency to turn to steroids for muscle development, pushing back against societal inclinations toward quick fixes. It champions the use of natural products containing clinically tested ingredients, emphasizing that attaining fitness objectives does not necessitate shortcuts. Kapiva’s men’s wellness lineup showcases products driven by Shilajit and featuring ingredients such as Ashwagandha, Swarna Bhasma, Gokshura, and Black Musli – all rigorously tested for their testosterone-boosting, stress-managing, strength-enhancing, metabolism-supporting, and muscle recovery-accelerating properties.

“Tiger, renowned for his athletic prowess and whose fitness journey has been followed by many over the years, has embraced Ayurveda as a key element in his personal health and fitness journey. This signifies the beginning of a perfect partnership, aimed at collaborating and reshaping the narrative surrounding Shilajit, moving towards a more informed and nuanced understanding for our consumers. We are super excited to have him on-board,” stated Shantanu, Co-Founder of Kapiva.

Kapiva’s dedication to advancing modern Ayurveda is unmistakable in their thorough clinical testing, which guarantees the safety and effectiveness of their formulations. By merging age-old Ayurvedic insights with state-of-the-art clinical excellence, Kapiva strives to establish fresh benchmarks for contemporary wellness.

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FAO’s 2023 report reveals 74.1% of Indians struggled for nutritious diet in 2021

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nutritious diet

On Tuesday, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations unveiled the 2023 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition: Statistics and Trends. According to the report, 74.1% of Indians struggled to afford a nutritious diet in 2021, a slight improvement from 76.2% in 2020. In Pakistan, the percentage stood at 82.2%, while in Bangladesh, 66.1% of the population faced challenges in accessing healthy food. The report cautioned that the escalating costs of food, without corresponding increases in income, could result in a growing number of individuals unable to afford a nutritious diet.

“If food costs rise at the same time incomes fall, a compounding effect occurs that can result in even more people unable to afford healthy diets,” the report said.

The FAO report provides an insight into the advancements made toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals and global nutrition targets set by the World Health Assembly (WHA).

vThe report highlighted distressing statistics in the region during the COVID-19 pandemic and the “5Fs” crisis—Food, Feed, Fuel, Fertilizers, and Finance.

“Even to date, the region is still suffering from some protracted effects. The latest statistics indicate that the region, with 370.7 million undernourished people, continues to represent half of the global total. Similarly, the Asia and the Pacific region accounts for half of the world’s severe food insecurity, with more women than men being food insecure. Prevalence rates on stunting, wasting, and overweight among children under 5 years of age, as well as anaemia among women of reproductive age, are still off the marks in terms of World Health Assembly global nutrition targets,” the report said.

The report said 16.6% of the country’s population is undernourished. “The impacts of undernourishment extend beyond health and nutritional well-being to include economic and social costs,” it said. According to the report, the region exhibited lower rates of both moderate or severe and severe food insecurity compared to global prevalence since 2015.

“Southern Asia showed higher prevalence of severe food insecurity compared with the other subregions, and it is in Eastern Asia where the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity was observed. Compared with the world, Southern Asia had higher percentages for both moderate or severe and severe food insecurity since 2015,” the report said.

Stunted growth affected 31.7% of children under the age of five in the country. “Stunted growth and development are the result of poor maternal health and nutrition, inadequate infant and young child feeding practices, and repeated infections interacting with a variety of other factors over a sustained period,” the report said.

India had the highest rate in the region for wasting (low weight for height), affecting 18.7% of children under the age of five, representing a significant health concern. “Reducing and maintaining childhood wasting to less than 5% is the WHA global nutrition target,” the report noted. 2.8% of the children below five years were overweight, another health risk.

53% of the country’s women aged between 15 to 49 had anaemia, which was the largest prevalence rate in the region in 2019. “It (anaemia) impairs health and well-being in women and increases the risk for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes,” the report warned.

According to the FAO, the percentage of obese adults in the country was 1.6% in 2000, and this figure rose to 3.9% by 2016. In terms of exclusive breastfeeding among infants aged 0–5 months, India has made progress with a prevalence of 63.7%, surpassing the global prevalence of 47.7%. Additionally, India has the highest prevalence of low birthweight in the region at 27.4%, followed by Bangladesh and Nepal.

Similar figures were previously highlighted by the Global Hunger Index. The Center dismissed that data, asserting that the methodology was flawed. FAO collaborates closely with the governments of its member countries.

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US alcohol brand Jiant secures $6 Million in Series A funding for product expansion

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Jiant

Jiant, a US-based ready-to-drink alcohol brand, secured $6 million in a Series A funding round, with Natureza Growth Partners taking the lead.

Participating in the funding round were G5 Capital, Sage Venture Partners, AIR Ventures, Semillero Partners, Brown Angel Group, Freedom Trail Capital, and Michael Silverstein.

Established in 2019, Jiant specializes in creating freshly brewed hard tea, kombucha, and cocktail-inspired beverages made with authentic tea, fruit, and botanical ingredients.

The funding will be utilized to improve production, expand distribution, facilitate entry into new sales channels, and expedite the growth of Jiant’s well-received hard tea product line.

Larry Haertel, co-founder of Jiant, said, “We are thrilled to have the support of investors who share our vision for redefining stale categories of alcoholic beverage and pushing the boundary of what beyond-beer products can deliver on taste and quality. This capital raise marks a pivotal moment in our journey, putting us in a position to amplify our reach, enhance our offerings, and connect more deeply with our consumers and retail partners.”

Aaron Telch, co-founder of Jiant, added, “We built a great business around our hard kombucha line, and our liquid is one of a kind. However, we saw a much bigger opportunity with hard tea to service more retailers, consumers and occasions and moved quickly”.

He continued, “We have a proven and unmatched prowess in creating delicious beyond-beer liquid using only simple, real ingredients. We believe this is showcased in our exceptional Junk-Free hard tea line and will continue to serve us well as a platform for innovation.”

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