ON TOP
- PACK EXPO 2009 took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Oct 5-7. Beverage specific technologies at the show included the following: biodegradable PET bottles, dispensing caps, straw-in-pouch children’s beverages, and shrink wrapped six packs. Link
- PepsiCo to tinker with beverage brands: executives recently told bottlers its plans for SoBe, Gatorade, Amp, canned coffee and more. Link
- Beverage Spectrum Magazine: Celsius Rising – Steve Haley, creator of Celsius, didn’t get the same running start on the big beverage brands that many start-ups get. But he survived anyway. Link
ON THE SHELVES
- Minute Maid debuted its new Minute Maid Enhanced Strawberry Kiwi flavored juice drink. The drink combines an extract from Yerba Mate with fruit juice. Link
- New Leaf Brands announced their newest flavor, Sweet Tea. Link
- Hydro One Premium Beverages announced the addition of Böde Heart Health to their line of health-targeted beverages. Böde Heart Health was introduced into all Fresh Markets during the last week of September. Link
- Elations now offers its joint health formula in a powder-pack form. Link
DISTRIBUTION
- Skinny Nutritional Corp. announced that Skinny Water is now available at all Fairway Market grocery stores. Link
- Sweet Leaf Tea added deals with distributors in Michigan, Colorado, Ohio, Texas and Florida. Link
- Delta Blues Iced Tea Company announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Tree of Life, Inc. Link
IN THE COURTS
- Hansen Natural filed a lawsuit against a Vermont brewery for calling a beer “Vermonster.” Link
LAW, POLICY, AND ADVOCACY
- New regulations in New York City schools limit drinks in vending machines to no more than 25 calories per 8 ounces, with no artificial sweeteners, caffeine or carbonation. Link
- After that, Dr Pepper Snapple Group lost its vending contract for New York City schools. Link
BRAND MARKETING & PROMOTION
- Alcohol Killer commissioned a new commercial focused on college-aged consumers. Link
- An iPhone app for PepsiCo‘s Amp energy drink gives users tips on how to seduce women and brag about they’re successes. It’s also only available to consumers who are at least 17 years old. Link
- New Leaf Brands announced that the Company will sponsor a participating team in the Multiple Sclerosis/Tappan Zee Bike Ride taking place on Sunday, October 18, 2009 in Tarrytown, New York.
- Dr Pepper Snapple Group is launching its first new ad push for 7UP in more than three years, BrandWeek reports. Link
- Celsius Holdings, Inc. presented a fifth clinical study that found the drink enhances the benefits of moderate exercise, by enhancing body composition and improving cardiovascular health. The study was funded by Celsius Holdings, Inc. Link
TRENDS AND STUDIES
- IRI released report highlighting the continued success of private label programs in the United States and throughout Europe. Link
- Increased intakes of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of developing age-related blindness by 30 per cent, according to a new study from the US National Eye Institute. Link
- A recent study in Canada found that pregnant women who consumed more antioxidants enjoyed a lower risk of giving birth prematurely. Link
- Probiotics may help prevent a skin condition known as eczema in children with a family history of allergies, Dutch researchers report. Link
IN THE MEDIA
- The New York Times published an article on Mexican Coca-Cola and its cult following. Link
- Fox Business reporter Alexis Glick wrote a column about her day with Coca-Cola Co. CEO Muhtar Kent. Link
- Sugar is taking a beating on a much larger scale these days, as public health and nutrition experts and politicians fight against what some are calling the single largest source of the country’s collective weight problem, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Link
- BrandingStrategy Insider published an article examining why big companies (like Coca-Cola) buy existing brands in new categories rather than build their own. Link
- Mix1‘s protein drinks are gaining favor in health-conscious world, the Denver Business Journal reports. Link
- Coca-Cola is among the brands doing the best job of connecting with consumers via Facebook, according to AdWeek. Link
INTERNATIONAL
- Red Bull does indeed improve your emotional status and stimulate your metabolism, according to an African Advertising Standards Authority. Link
- The Coca-Cola Co. launched its first dairy drink in China. Link
- Red Bull says the recent rejection of taurine-based energy health claims by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) won’t have any bearing on its functional claims, Beverage Daily reports. Link
PEOPLE
- Function Drinks announced that its Co-Founder & President, Dr. Alex Hughes, has signed with the faculty of the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Weill Cornell/New York Presbyterian Hospital as a clinical instructor and attending in spinal surgery. Link
ETC.
- The Boston Red Sox taught us something this weekend: eating 10 strips of bacon with a Red Bull as your pre-game meal doesn’t seem to help you beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Link