How K-Pop went from niche to global phenomenon: Inside the pandemic-proof empire of BTS

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Nikkei reports Hybe, the sprawling entertainment giant behind K-pop phenomenon BTS, is proving more adept than most in taking its business global, after companies for years stumbled in their attempts to find durable popularity outside of Asia. The company's cultivation of a sophisticated online fan base has paid off, particularly during the pandemic. It saw year-on-year sales jump 36% between 2019 and 2020, a period when the entertainment industry was hampered by the inability to tour artists or host theatrical releases.

Ben & Jerry's with CBD?

Bloomberg reports Ben & Jerry's made a bold new flavor announcement in May 2019: CBD ice cream was coming ... "as soon as it's legalized at the federal level." Two years later, the "groovy" treat still isn't available to the public, as snack makers continue to wait for a green light from US officials for cannabis-infused foods. But as demand for edibles continues to rise and the market tops the billion-dollar mark, Big Food is getting ready.

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'It's going to be a big summer for hard seltzer'

Sales exploded to $4 billion last year, from about $500 million in 2018. Dozens of brands will compete to be the boozy, bubbly drink of the season. The NYT reports while White Claw and Truly — the Coca-Cola and Pepsi of hard seltzer — capture about 70 percent of the market, everyone wants in on the action, drawn by the staggering growth. Old-school beer companies, spirits giants, winemakers, and others are fermenting sugar solutions and adding seasonal flavors like watermelon, black cherry, and strawberry lemonade to create their own buzzy concoctions.

How flavored bubbly water with alcohol became a national phenomenon is partly due to social media videos that went viral and clever marketing that sold hard seltzers as a "healthier" alcohol choice.

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