Global sales of alternative waters increased by 21 percent in 2016 to more than $2.7 billion, according to a new report from Zenith Global, London.

Previously known for bikini tops and one of Harry Nilsson’s hit songs, coconuts have gained a much more respectable persona in the minds of U.S. consumers within the past several years.

Vita Coco announced the addition of a Lemon Tea flavor to its line of coconut waters. 

New York-based Vita Coco announced the departure of Jeff B. Popkin, the company's president for the U.S. Popkin joined Vita Coco in September 2011 as vice president of sales and was promoted to president for the US in August 2012.

Vita Coco expanded into the sports drink category with its new line of Vita Coco Sport beverages.

New York-based All Market Inc., doing business as Vita Coco, announced that it has sold 25 percent of the company to Reignwood Group, the Beijing-based parent company of Red Bull China, at an enterprise valuation of approximately $665 million.

Ten years ago, U.S. consumers might have thought you were a bit “nutty” if you told them that coconut water would be a multimillion-dollar beverage category one day. In fact, Vita Coco Co-founders Michael Kirban and Ira Liran didn’t even believe it at that time.

The number of recent lemonade beverage launches into the market signals that the beverage industry is ready for warmer weather.

Timed with its 10th anniversary, Vita Coco infused its coconut water with lemonade to create Vita Coco Lemonade.

Although consumers might have classified coconut water as an “exotic” beverage in the past, it’s quickly becoming more mainstream.