In a new report on opportunities within the global beverage market, MarketResearch.com forecasts that sales of bottled water will reach $125 billion by 2015, and that short-term growth in beverages will come from China. The report, titled “Growth Opportunities in Soft Drinks," estimates that the market for bottled waters will grow by 4.8 percent annually over the next three years, and become the second fastest growing category behind functional beverages.

Taking its first crack at the ever-expanding health and wellness market, H2M Beverages recently introduced 989 On Demand, a new cap-activated enhanced water. The product boasts an innovative and proprietary twist cap that contains a reservoir of liquid ingredients, a key point of differentiation from competitors like Activate and Karma, whose caps contain a powder-based mix.

Chaleo Yoovidhya, the co-creator of Red Bull who rose from impoverished beginnings to become one of the founders of the global energy drink market, died on Saturday. The self-made Thai billionaire passed away in Bangkok and was believed to be in his 80s. Chaleo’s death was first reported by Thailand’s state broadcasting service MCOT, which cited the Thai Beverage Industry Association.

Larry Trachtenbroit is nearly two decades into a career in the beverage industry that has brought him cash from Coke – twice – and the respect of his peers. He’s demonstrated a near-legendary ability to produce wildly innovative products on a regular basis. But, while his talent as an innovator has translated into a long and profitable career, his products have struggled to find solid footing in the market.

Even if we could make this stuff up, we wouldn’t… Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, the oft-mocked and ever-tanned star of MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” has launched her own soda. Yup. You read that right. In collaboration with Rocket Fizz, a chain of franchise-owned soda and candy shops, Polizzi introduced Snooki Wild Cherry Soda, a cherry-flavored drink made with cane sugar as well as natural flavors and – much like her spray-on orange tan – artificial colors.

It’s a small category, but one that has always been large when it comes to innovation. And a look at the world of gourmet CSD offerings and their ongoing evolution continues to generate excitement, if not big checks from the beverage giants. Now, brands in the category are going even further into emerging areas like fermentation, botanical ingredients, seasonal offerings, and an increasingly array of flavors and effects.

In yet another report linking sugary drinks to potential health risks, a Harvard-backed long-term study found that the consumption of sugary drinks increased the risk of heart disease in men by 20 percent, as compared to men who abstained from drinking sugar-sweetened beverages. The American Beverage Association (ABA) promptly issued a statement refuting the findings of the study.