Headlines

Nielsen Numbers Show Significant Drop in Diet CSD Sales

While overall sales of carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) remain weak, plummeting sales of diet CSDs represented perhaps the most intriguing revelation from a rather gloomy Wells Fargo Securities report covering Nielsen xAOC (expanded all outlets combined) sales data over a four-week period ending on Aug. 13.

Ventura Leaves Coba to Join PepsiCo Emerging Brands Unit

Arnold Ventura, the Stanford Business School-trained MBA who started the Coba line of Mexican themed drinks, has left the business to join PepsiCo's Naked Emerging Brands group as a natural product channel strategist.

Energy Drinks Conference — Widely Spread, Hardly Understood

Scientists have been meeting during The Use and Biology of Energy Drinks: Current Knowledge and Critical Gaps, a conference held Thursday and Friday at the Neuroscience Center Building in Rockville, Md. to try to determine the extent of research into these products, which have come under increasing regulatory scrutiny.

“All you gotta do is act naturally”

It seems that Ringo and the Beatles were well ahead of their time, beverage wise. Using a little poetic license, I assume they meant things should be natural. Yes, I know they didn’t really mean that, but I wanted a lead-in to the theme of natural, and I love the Beatles.

Coke Defends Safety of Aspartame in New Ads

Amid growing concerns about the safety of artificial sweeteners, and faced with declining sales of its diet carbonated soft drinks (CSD) The Coca-Cola Co. has launched a series of new ads defending the company’s use of aspartame.

Channel Check: Energy Drinks

Line extensions are officially the name of the game here, as we see why the combination of Coke distribution and Monster Energy is so potent: look what it’s done with Monster Rehab. It’s now bigger than Rockstar, according to IRI. Meanwhile, Java Monster and Red Bull Total Zero are also huge products in their own right, filling out strong market niches.

Enhanced Water’s Second Wave

Enhanced water. The segment carries quite a bit of resonance among beverage people because of the heady run of Vitaminwater in the early 2000s, and the outsize sum that Coca-Cola ultimately paid to buy it in 2007. Then things kind of went flat.

Video: To Reach Key Influencers, Golazo Gets Memorable

With significant retail placement in hand, Golazo is now looking to expand awareness and trial of its products through unique interactions aimed at consumers whose interests are aligned with that of the brand.

Mix1 Assets Sold

Securities and Exchange Commission documents show that on July 5, PDK Energy bought the assets of Mix1 for $120,000 and 2.5 million shares of stock. PDK is a Mississippi-based public company formed for the purpose of "developing, marketing and distributing unique beverage brands for the youth and energy drink markets," according to financial statements.

Honestly, It’s a Good Story

In our most recent issue of BevNET Magazine, we’re pleased to be able to include an excerpt from Mission in a Bottle, a new book by the co-founders of Honest…

For Teas, It’s Zero or Bust

Sweet teas drove the growth of the category, and non-caloric sweetener technology is improving. Nevertheless, any product with the whiff of artificiality, be it in taste or formulation, runs the risk of being seen as inauthentic.

Monster Earnings Miss — And Create Buy-In

Earnings per share missed expectations, sales were pumped via promotion, and a series of expenses resulting from changes to distribution, lobbying and other legal costs resulting in a brief after-hours roller coaster ride for Monster Beverage Corp stock, but buyers took advantage of the dip to send the price right back up this morning.