Eric Nakata is an experienced creative brand strategist driving results through innovation and product development for more than two decades. He is the Chief Executive for En-Voke, LLC, a business development company working with food, beverage, and CBD companies. Previously, he served as VP of Innovation for S&D Coffee and Tea, Inc.; Newly Weds Foods, Inc.’s strategic development chef for McDonald’s Corporation; director of R&D for Mont Blanc Gourmet; and senior corporate innovation chef for Nestlé NA. You may reach him directly at enakata.envoke@gmail.com.
Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, next to water. And while it’s not unheard of for some to think of tea as nothing more than flavored water, tea is an incredibly complex beverage category.
With more consumers choosing to prepare their daily ritual beverages at home, the usage of coffee in single serve cups, specialty coffee bean delivery services, and beverage “kits” for flavored cold coffee beverages has grown.