With over 170 exhibitors showcasing their wares, beverage companies were represented in full force as the 2011 NACS show stormed into Chicago. Packed to the walls with energy shots, juices, teas and sodas, this year’s show featured the usual outrageous promotions (“Meet Snooki from Jersey Shore!”) and over-the-top booths (scantily clad models, immense media screens, a waterslide – yes, a waterslide. You read it right).
Evident within the hoopla is that there is a growing trend toward functional beverage brands and products crossing over from the natural channel into convenience stores. The NACS show featured dozens of the same enhanced waters, superfruit juices and coconut waters seen less than two weeks ago at the Natural Products Expo East show in Baltimore.
In this video, John Craven, the founder and CEO of BevNET.com, and Andrew Guard, a beverage specialist at BevNET, examine this continuing trend and take a detailed look at several emerging beverage categories and the debut of several new products and packaging revamps seen at the NACS show.
For photos from the show, view our NACS 2011 Photo Gallery >>
Video editing by Joshua Pratt.