As consumers around the U.S. have eased into 2025 with a month-long commitment to refrain from alcoholic beverages, some are contemplating keeping a lack of spirits alive in February and beyond.Among some of the most popular alcohol-free beverages are virgin mojitos and piña coladas, booze-less seltzers and zero-proof canned mocktails.One brand, Modern Alchemist, is taking consumption in the alcohol-free space to a new level by offering THC- and CBD-infused mocktails.LOOK WHO’S EXPERIMENTING WITH MARIJUANA TODAY MORE THAN ANY OTHER AGE GROUP”Being in the beer industry for so long, we are recognizing that everybody’s not one dimensional,” CEO of Modern Alchemist Nathan Kelischek told FOX Business. “Everyone’s not looking to buy alcohol all the time.”Each can is made with 5 mg of both USA-grown hemp derived THC and CBD.Kelischek is also one of the founders of Appalachian Mountain Brewery, a North Carolina-based business.”We don’t think there’s anything wrong with alcohol,” Kelischek added. “I think that the modern person or modern consumer wants to have more options and more control over the day that they have next or how they want to feel.”In 2021, cannabidiol products generated $5.3 billion and by 2026 are projected to increase to $16 billion, according to Statista.
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Gin brand made with sugar kelp from New York State farmers; bottle top made with buffalo bone materials
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A Long Island-based liquor brand drew inspiration from a 1975 crime-ridden New York City to introduce consumers to a dark and gritty yet refined product that was unique among spirits.In a propaganda campaign, plainclothes New York law enforcement officers approached tourists with pamphlets titled “Welcome to Fear City: A Survival Guide for Visitors to the City of New York” as crime ran rampant and police warned visitors to leave.”We were drawn to the old gothic style architecture of New York City,” Christopher Davis, managing member and partner of Fear City Gin, told FOX Business.CBD- AND THC-INFUSED MOCKTAIL BRAND SOLD IN STATES WHERE CANNABIS PRODUCTS ARE LEGAL AS INDUSTRY GROWSThe pamphlet provided unsuspecting visitors with a survival guide advising them to stay off the streets after 6 p.m., avoid public transportation and remain in Manhattan as police protection was “inadequate,” among other guidance.”We wanted something that speaks to the grittiness of New York,” Davis said.Sustainability was top priority for the Fear City Gin team and the deep amber-colored glass is made from recyclable glass bottles.”There’s so much waste product out there that we just wanted to make sure, first and foremost, that we were being as responsible as possible,” Davis said.
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Beer industry in decline as craft breweries face higher costs
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For the first time, more craft beer breweries are shutting down than opening up.Breweries and taprooms are dealing with rising supply costs while demand for beer is slipping, according to the Brewers Association.Bart Watson is the president and chief executive officer of the Brewers Association. Watson said things got worse for many craft breweries during the COVID-19 pandemic.”The pandemic obviously also had secondary ripples for the economy, for supply chains and it changed consumer patterns overall. We are seeing people certainly spend as much at bars and restaurants as they did before, but they are doing so in different ways – more to go and delivery.”BUD LIGHT TO SPEND ‘HEAVILY’ ON MARKETING AFTER DYLAN MULVANEY CONTROVERSYLast year, beer sales dropped 2% nationwide, and in Colorado, beer sales fell by over 3%, according to the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division.AMID CANCER CONCERNS, COULD MORE DRINKERS TURN TO NO- AND LOW-ALCOHOL DRINKS?Even though Colorado has the fourth most breweries of any state, right behind Pennsylvania, New York, and California, it saw some of the highest number of closures last year, according to the National Brewer Association.FOR TAP BEER, THIS ANHEUSER-BUSCH BRAND IS NOW TOPS”Some of the most challenged regions are some of the
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A majority of small businesses are using artificial intelligence
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Many small companies have started to find new and creative ways to save time and money using artificial intelligence. A survey from 2024 found 69% of small businesses are using AI, up from 56% in 2023, according to Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. The Goldman Sachs program helps “small business owners grow their businesses, create jobs and offers business education, financial support, and networking opportunities,” according to their website.OPENAI’S CHATGPT BRIEFLY GOES DOWN FOR USERS ACROSS THE GLOBEAsahi Pompey is the Global Head of Corporate Engagement and Chair of the Urban Investment Group at the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs. Pompey said AI offers two main benefits. “Category 1 is saving small business owners time. You and I know that time is everything to a small business owner. And the second category is saving them money. Our small business owners pay themselves last and so saving money is critical,” Pompey said. AMERICAN FARMERS TURNING TO AI TO AID UNCERTAIN FUTUREPompey said more examples are IT technology companies that use AI to code for their customers, or marketing agencies that use AI to write content for their blogs or websites, and HR small businesses who use AI to screen applications for positions to
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Trump praises Treasury Department's move to suspend enforcement of BOI requirements
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President Donald Trump praised the Treasury Department on Truth Social on Sunday for announcing it was suspending enforcement of the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirement for U.S. citizens and domestic companies.The Biden-era initiative says you may be required to report certain information on your beneficial owners to the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), according to the IRS.Trump called the requirement “outrageous and invasive.”TREASURY DEPARTMENT SAYS DOGE WILL HAVE ‘READ ONLY’ ACCESS TO PAYMENT SYSTEMS IN LETTER TO CONGRESS”Exciting news! The Treasury Department has announced that they are suspending all enforcement of the outrageous and invasive Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirement for U.S. Citizens,” Trump wrote. “This Biden rule has been an absolute disaster for Small Businesses Nationwide. Furthermore, Treasury is now finalizing an Emergency Regulation to formally suspend this rule for American businesses. The economic menace of BOI reporting will soon be no more.”The Treasury Department announced in a series of posts on X that penalties or fines associated with BOI will not be enforced, and neither will penalties against U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners.TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT OFFERS ZELENSKYY AN ECONOMIC INVESTMENT DEALInstead, the focus will turn to foreign
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Veteran-owned Flags of Valor believes in American-made products: 'The foundation of everything we stand for'
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For Flags of Valor — a veteran-owned and operated business that has shipped more than 96,000 flags to doorsteps nationwide — the phrase “made in America” lies at the foundation of everything it stands for.”For over 10 years, we’ve been saying the same thing — we build American products, on American wood, with American tools, made by American hands,” Flags of Valor founder and military veteran Brian Steorts told FOX Business. “And we do it while giving back to the causes that matter — supporting veterans, educating youth, and honoring service and sacrifice at every step.”VETERANS SHARE PATRIOTISM, PRIDE AND PRODUCTIVITY WHILE ALSO PROMOTING ‘MILITARY WORK ETHIC’Founded in Virginia in 2015, Flags of Valor is known for its handcrafted, wooden U.S. flags, as well as military and first responder flags. The business currently has 10 employees, the majority of whom are veterans and military spouses.Each material used by the Flags of Valor team — from the woodworking tools to the tape for the shipping boxes — is sourced from American companies, according to Steorts.FROM BOMB SQUAD TO BAKER AND COFFEE MAKER: FORMER DEPUTY CRUSHES A NEW BUSINESS”We believe that’s the only way it should be done,” Steorts said.Steorts, a combat
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Father-daughter duo sells American-grown coffee using 'innovative' technique
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When 6-year-old Charli Johnson suggested starting a coffee business to her dad, T. Shane Johnson, he thought it would be a valuable teaching opportunity and a “great way” for them to spend time together.”It was just one of those kind of ‘aha moments’ as a dad,” T. Shane Johnson, a Marine Corps veteran, told FOX Business. “A lot of kids come up to you and say, ‘I want to do dance or football or baseball.’ We jumped right into it together.”The father-daughter duo launched Big Guns Coffee in 2021, which today sells 38 coffee blends, as well as soaps and candles, both online and at a brick-and-mortar store in Tryon, North Carolina. Its products are available in stores across the country, according to T. Shane Johnson.”At the same time, we are franchising our farms to Montana, Kentucky, California and other different places,” Charli Johnson added.SMALL FAMILY FARMS MAKE AMERICAN-GROWN ROASTED COFFEE THE WORLD’S BEST BREWBig Guns Coffee’s most popular products are its Charli’s Blend, a bold dark roast, and The Motivator, a medium roast.BOY SWEETLY PRETENDS TO SERVE COFFEE TO HIS OLDER SISTERSAmerican-grown coffee is not common in areas outside California, Hawaii, Florida and Puerto Rico, according to T. Shane Johnson.
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Fruit tree gifting company has humble roots: 'Grit of the American Dream'
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Prior to launching PlantOGram – an American-made fruit tree gifting company – nearly two decades ago, gardening was solely a backyard hobby for husband-and-wife duo Mickey and Vicky Popat.The newlyweds at the time had purchased their first home, and developed a passion for growing fruit trees in their garden, according to Mickey Popat.”Being able to walk into your own yard and pick something and say, ‘I grew this, and I ate it’ – I think that’s amazing,” Vicky Popat told FOX Business.AMERICAN-MADE PRODUCTS YOU CAN SHOP FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON FOR LOVED ONESThe Popats, upon sharing their harvest with friends and family, realized fruit tree gifting could be a successful business model. They quit their jobs in finance and education to pursue their passion full-time.In 2007, the couple used their savings to launch PlantOGram. They purchased a used, $1,500 work van and began selling fruit trees door-to-door across the Sunshine State.SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SHOWCASE AMERICAN-MADE PRODUCTS”I want to say the entire state of Florida has probably seen us [door-knocking],” Vicky Popat said. “I feel that is the grit of the American dream… When we first started, we actually budgeted a $5 bill for lunch because we were so lean.”Based out
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Business owner facing steep tariffs tests whether people will pay for 'Made in USA'
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An entrepreneur facing skyrocketing costs due to tariffs conducted an experiment to see whether customers would voluntarily pay more for a product made in America.”The result was, unfortunately, disappointing,” Ramon van Meer told Fox News Digital. “We sold zero ‘Made in the USA’ shower heads.”Van Meer, a self-described “serial entrepreneur,” is the founder of Afina, which sells a shower head that filters chemicals and heavy metals out of tap water. The shower head, manufactured in China and Vietnam, currently sells for $129.But van Meer said as the cost of tariffs jumped to 170%, he wanted to test whether the company could successfully reshore manufacturing to the U.S.US ECONOMY SLOWS SHARPLY IN THE FIRST QUARTER AS TRUMP’S TARIFFS WEIGH HEAVILYHe found a U.S.-based company that could produce the shower heads — but at nearly triple the cost. To maintain Afina’s current profit margins, he listed the U.S. version side-by-side with the original with a brief explanation of the price difference, and gave customers the choice.”I wanted to really test what [customers will] do if it comes down to it. How would they vote with their wallets?” he said, adding that he anticipated customers would gravitate toward the cheaper option, but not
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Walmart supports small businesses, American-made products through new 'Grow With US' initiative
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Walmart is showing increased support for American-made products through its “Grow With US” initiative, a new program aimed at providing U.S. small business owners with the training, mentorship and resources they need to succeed.”Walmart is making it easier for U.S.-based entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of retail and bring their products to a national stage,” the world’s largest retailer said in an announcement.WALMART LEANING INTO TARIFF UNCERTAINTY: ‘POSITIONED TO PLAY OFFENSE’Grow With US consists of a four-step program that offers American small business owners access to financial assistance, e-learning modules with several different learning paths, opportunities to showcase their products and the ability to connect with an experienced mentor. The initiative is part of the company’s “expanding commitment to small business development,” according to the announcement.Grow With Us aligns with similar Walmart programs around the world, including Vriddhi in India and Crece con Walmart in Mexico.WALMART, TARGET CEOS DISCUSS ‘PATH FORWARD’ WITH TRUMP AS TARIFF CONCERNS WEIGH ON CONSUMERSIn fiscal year 2024, more than two-thirds of Walmart’s total product spend was on items grown, made or assembled in America. Small businesses, which account for more than 60% of Walmart’s U.S. suppliers, play a “powerful role in bringing unique products to