Food & Drink

Beverly Hills, Calif. – September 18, 2026 -- Beverage entrepreneur Lance Collins has launched ZenWTR, a vapor-distilled alkaline water brand with a pH of 9.5, now sold at Whole Foods Market, Walmart, Amazon, QuikTrip, Kwik Trip, Bristol Farms and Erewhon, with H-E-B locations adding it starting October 5.

Collins, who previously founded FUZE, NOS, BODYARMOR and CORE Hydration, built ZenWTR through vapor distillation followed by ionization via electrolysis to hit the 9.5 pH mark. A proprietary blend of calcium, potassium and magnesium is added afterward for taste.

The flagship bottle is made entirely from recycled ocean-bound plastic

ZenWTR's signature 20-ounce bottle uses 100% recycled, certified ocean-bound plastic collected from coastal areas with limited recycling infrastructure. The company says this approach creates income opportunities for local collectors while diverting material from the ocean.

September 18, 2026 – Appleton, WI – -- Natural Grocers is opening a new store in Appleton, Wisconsin, on Sept. 30, giving the first 150 customers mystery gift cards worth $5 to $500 and the first 500 shoppers a free hand-crafted Ecuadorian drawstring backpack normally valued at $30.

The good4u Crew will kick off the day at 8:15 a.m. with a $2,500 donation to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, followed by a ribbon-cutting with the Fox City Chamber. Doors open at 8:27 a.m.

A prize wheel and sweepstakes run through mid-October

Shoppers can spin a prize wheel between noon and 5 p.m. on opening day. From Sept. 30 through Oct. 14, customers can enter a sweepstakes for prizes including a $1,400 Aventon e-bike and a $500 Natural Grocers gift card, with entry forms available in-store.

Miami – September 18, 2026 -- Protein bar brand TRUBAR and matcha café chain Cha Cha Matcha have launched a joint collaboration bringing a new limited-edition matcha protein bar, a custom café drink and a protein-boosted cold foam to stores and select café locations.

The Love You So Cha Cha Matcha bar pairs white chocolate with matcha notes.

Bran, Romania – September 18, 2026 -- Flying Fish, the flavored beer brand owned by AB InBev, is inviting drinkers in six countries to compete for a trip to Bran Castle in Romania for a Halloween party on November 7, 2026.

The promotion, called "Do You Dare to Party at Dracula's Castle?", runs across South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium, Peru and Canada. Entries open through October 20, 2026, with four winners selected from each of the six markets.

Winners get an all-inclusive trip and access to a DJ lineup

Winning entrants receive an all-inclusive trip to Romania and entry to the November 7 event at Bran Castle. International DJs Sickick, Dubdogz and Miro will headline the celebration, with additional special guest appearances still to be announced.

Iron Ridge, Wis. – September 18, 2026 -- PS Seasoning has launched four new meat processing kits aimed at home cooks who want to make sausage, bacon or jerky without guessing on ingredients or ratios. The lineup includes a Fresh Italian Sausage Kit, Pepperoni Snack Stick Kit, Smoked Maple Bacon Kit and Jerky Kit - Candied Jalapeño, each with pre-portioned seasoning and step-by-step instructions.

Kits target the sourcing and measuring hurdles that stop beginners

The Fresh Italian Sausage Kit costs $24.99 and includes black pepper, fennel, crushed red chili, garlic and natural hog casings for a 25-pound batch. The Pepperoni Snack Stick Kit, priced at $29.99, comes with pepperoni seasoning, cure and 21mm collagen casings for a 25-pound batch of beef-and-pork or venison-and-pork sticks.

Purchase, N.Y. – September 18, 2026 -- Pepsi is marking the Buffalo Bills' first regular-season home game at the new Highmark Stadium with a free fan tailgate and thousands of limited-edition commemorative cans, the company announced.

The celebration lands on the Bills' season opener at their new venue

On September 17, Pepsi will host a free "Tailgating Deserves Pepsi" event outside Highmark Stadium, offering ice-cold Pepsi, gameday food from Wegmans, premium giveaways and a meet-and-greet with a Bills legend.

The cans carry Josh Allen's signature and the team's rallying cry

Each limited-edition can features exclusive Pepsi and Buffalo Bills artwork, Josh Allen's printed signature, and Bills Mafia's "BILLIEVE" slogan. Fans can grab one at the tailgate or as they exit the stadium after the game, while supplies last.

London – September 18, 2026 -- Icelandic Glacial has signed on for a second consecutive year as the Official Water of Laver Cup, supplying players and VIP guests when the tournament returns to The O2 arena in London from September 25 to 27, 2026.

The water comes from a single protected source in Iceland

Sourced from the Ölfus Spring and filtered naturally through Icelandic lava rock, the water carries a pH of 8.4. It will be available to players during practices, in locker rooms and courtside, and served to VIP guests at the Laver Cup Opening Night Gala. The brand will also appear on courtside sidewalls and event website banners throughout the three days.

New York – September 18, 2026 -- Ollie, the human-grade fresh dog food brand, is rolling out a seasonal recipe called Holiday Feast, giving dog owners an alternative to sneaking table scraps to their pets this year.

The recipe combines turkey and turkey liver, sweet potatoes, cranberries, butternut squash, green beans, and spinach, gently cooked and formulated by the brand's veterinarians, chefs, and food scientists. It meets AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, including large-breed growth for dogs over 70 pounds as adults.

Holiday leftovers can be risky for dogs, Ollie says

Common holiday staples like turkey skin, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and pumpkin pie can be harmful to dogs, according to the brand. Holiday Feast is positioned as a safer, dog-specific substitute rather than handing over plate scraps.

Needham, Mass. – September 17, 2026 -- Tripadvisor has released its 2026 Travelers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best Restaurants, ranking eateries and culinary experiences that fall among the top one percent of listings on the platform based on diner reviews collected between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.

Fogón Asado in Buenos Aires tops the global Fine Dining list.

The Argentine restaurant, known for its interactive open-fire asado tasting experience, claims the No. 1 worldwide spot. In the U.S., Ristorante Paoletti in Highlands, North Carolina, takes the top title for its Northern Italian menu and wine cellar.

Four new categories track how travelers eat while exploring.

Alongside longstanding lists like Casual, Date Night, Hidden Gems and Vegan & Vegetarian, Tripadvisor added Food Tours, Cooking Classes, Wine & Beer Tours, and a "Viral Right Now" category for socially trending food spots.

Bethlehem – September 17, 2026 -- BHU Foods has relaunched its snack bar lineup with an all-organic, plant-based formula now sold on Amazon and directly through bhufoods.com.

The brand is expanding its shelf presence on both coasts

BHU Foods products are now stocked at Sprouts and Erewhon on the West Coast, with a new East Coast push into Mom's Organic Market. Founded in 2015 to create a better keto snack bar, the company says it is now shifting its focus toward protein- and fiber-forward snacking to match changing consumer habits.

Every product now carries a full clean-label certification set

The entire lineup -- full-size refrigerated bars, mini snack bars, and Superfood Bites -- is USDA Organic certified, Non-GMO Verified, gluten-free, soy-free, and free of seed oils and sugar alcohols. BHU Foods replaced dairy and whey with plant-based pea protein, making all of its refrigerated bars vegan.