Skip to content
MarketScale
Demo
‹ Back to IndustriesFood & Beverage

Revamping Restaurants Beverage Programs with Healthier Options

Food is serious business. Now, on The Main Course, host Barbara Castiglia will invite insiders on the front lines of food to share their expertise, strategies, and forecasts for navigating the ever-changing restaurant industry.   While The Main Course loves to talk about food, there’s another part of the menu that restaurants and consumers are seeing evolve too—beverages. While the…

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Food & Beverage teams put it to work with Customer Stories & Case Studies.

Promoted content from The Main Course on MarketScale.

Share

Food is serious business. Now, on The Main Course, host Barbara Castiglia will invite insiders on the front lines of food to share their expertise, strategies, and forecasts for navigating the ever-changing restaurant industry.

While The Main Course loves to talk about food, there’s another part of the menu that restaurants and consumers are seeing evolve too—beverages. While the beverage industry has seen growth and diversity in the grocery store, restaurants haven’t had as many options. To talk about a better for you line of drinks, host Barbara Castiglia chatted with Luke Emery, CEO of Tractor Beverage Co.

Tractor, launched in 2018 by organic farmers, offers artificial-free, certified organic, and non-GMO sodas and drinks. Emery explained the origin story. “The founder Travis saw family members get sick and looked at the food supply with artificial flavors and chemicals. He wanted to make an impact on the world and partnered with restaurants and foodservice partners aligned with the mission of better for your ingredients.”

Emery also has a personal connection to the Tractor mission. He was a veteran of the traditional beverage industry. Just as he was beginning with the company, his son became ill. “I had conversations with Travis about food is medicine. We changed what goes into his body, and he’s now in remission,” he shared.

The company wants to inspire people to live healthier with organic for all without giving up flavor. Emery shared about the creation process. “We’re seeing the trends toward more functional ingredients like turmeric in our lemonade. Our drinks are made to pair with the food of our pouring partners and elevate the dining experience,” he said.

In addition to delivering a high-quality product, one that consumers can find at Chipotle, Pokeworks, Umami Burger, and more, they also help partners develop a strong beverage program. “Restaurant margins are thin, especially now. A strong beverage program can help. With our self-fill bottle program, we ship in concentrate. Restaurants add the water, saving costs on freight,” Emery noted.

Emery feels good about the future of dining and that consumers will continue to care more about what they put in their bodies. “They deserve better, and that’s what Tractor and our partners are delivering,” he added.

A New Episode is Served Up Every Tuesday and Thursday!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale

Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

The Main Course

Part of this channel

The Main Course

Where restaurant and food industry insiders talk real business.

Visit the channel →

Food & Beverage: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Food & Beverage buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. See how AI describes your company today, and where competitors show up instead.

Free workspace

You just read one expert. Imagine publishing your whole team.

This article was produced through MarketScale. Create a free workspace and turn your own team's expertise into articles, video, and social posts. No credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What you get, free

Your own MarketScale Studio workspace
One video edit a month, on us
AI writing, editing, and publishing tools
In-platform coaching to learn the system

More Food & Beverage Insights

How variable data printing turns shrink sleeves into personalized brand platforms

How variable data printing turns shrink sleeves into personalized brand platforms

The article discusses the use of variable data printing to transform shrink sleeves into personalized brand platforms. This technology allows brands to create unique, customized packaging that can enhance consumer engagement and brand recognition. Variable data printing in shrink sleeves is particularly useful for the food and beverage industry looking to differentiate products in a competitive market.

  • 01Variable data printing enables personalized packaging.
  • 02Shrink sleeves with this technology boost brand recognition.
  • 03It's beneficial for the competitive food and beverage industry.

Jul 10, 2026

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups press for USMCA renewal

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups press for USMCA renewal

The FDA has revised its timeline for phasing out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes, slowing a process it announced in April 2025 with a target end date of 2027. Separately, nearly 160 food and agriculture organizations have signed a coordinated letter urging USMCA renewal before the agreement's July 1 review deadline. Additional regulatory fronts — including a California ultra-processed food labeling bill, a bipartisan FDA import-destruction measure, and a USDA domestic fertilizer push — are compounding compliance demands across the food and agriculture sector.

  • 01FDA has revised its synthetic dye phase-out schedule, slowing a voluntary removal program originally targeting six petroleum-based color additives by end of 2027.
  • 02Nearly 160 food and agriculture groups have urged USMCA renewal before the July 1 joint review deadline, warning that inaction could disrupt cross-border supply chains.
  • 03California's AB 2244 and a bipartisan federal bill targeting unsafe food imports are adding new compliance layers for food manufacturers and retailers.

Jun 17, 2026

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups push to renew USMCA

FDA slows synthetic-dye phase-out as 160 food and ag groups push to renew USMCA

The FDA's April 2025 voluntary initiative to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply has generated a wave of corporate commitments, with major brands targeting 2026–2027 deadlines. However, Consumer Reports found that many large food companies have yet to pledge any changes, even where natural alternatives are already used abroad. Meanwhile, broader regulatory shifts — including a USDA reorganization affecting food assistance programs and new legislative proposals on food labeling and import safety — are reshaping the operating environment for food and beverage manufacturers.

  • 01The FDA is working with industry to eliminate six certified petroleum-based color additives from the U.S. food supply by the end of 2027, after revoking authorization for Red No. 3 earlier in 2025.
  • 02A March 2026 Consumer Reports survey found 72 percent of U.S. adults are at least somewhat concerned about synthetic dyes, and 66 percent say companies should be required to phase them out — yet many major brands have made no commitments.
  • 03Separate regulatory pressures are mounting: California advanced a non-ultra-processed food labeling bill, Congress moved bipartisan legislation to let the FDA destroy unsafe food imports, and the USDA reorganized its food nutrition administration amid leadership changes.

Jun 17, 2026

Explore More Food & Beverage Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Food & Beverage.

Browse Food & Beverage Hub

For Food & Beverage teams

See how Food & Beverage teams use MarketScale →

Customer Stories & Case Studies

Explore Channels

Industry news, analysis, and expert perspectives

Professional AV›Engineering & Construction›Education Technology›Healthcare›Energy›Software & Technology›Retail›Business Services›Industrial IoT›Sports & Entertainment›Transportation›Sciences›Building Management›Food & Beverage›Architecture & Design›Hospitality›
Keep exploring

More from Food & Beverage

Food & Beverage hubMore expert Food & Beverage coverage.Explore →Customer Stories & Case StudiesTurn supply-chain wins into proof.Explore →AMAG Studio DayOne production, 20–30 clips.Explore →State of B2B MarketingWhat is working in B2B marketing now.Explore →