ON TOP
- BevNET Live Winter 10 “Mini Expo” and Early Registration Pricing have been announced. Link
ON THE SHELVES
- WILD Flavors showcased its new Enhanced Water for Inside Beauty at IFT 2010. The product contains the GRAS-certified Lutein Esters. Link
- Whole Foods has added its first almond milk line and introduced light soymilk in Original and Vanilla varieties under its 365 label Link
- Frontier Beverage Co. launched its second low-calorie, low-sugar relaxation drink, Bulldozer. The company will be offering one free sample per American household via its web site. Link
IN THE MEDIA
- An article in the Miami Herald looked at how Electric Beverage Company’s answer to Gatorade – called “Title – is trying to enter the sports beverage market.
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BRAND MARKETING & PROMOTION
- Peace Tea will donate beverages for the upcoming Lexington Homes BIG BUILD 2010 for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition which will be taking place in northwest Wisconsin. The episode will air in Fall 2010 and Peace Tea Brand Manager Steve Jugan will be volunteering with the team. Link
- Give Water has launched new packaging to enhance its philanthropic mission. The revamp was prompted by a new partnership between Little Big Brands and Give Water’s parent company, PurBlu Beverages. Link
TRENDS AND STUDIES
- New research from Mintel indicates that energy drink manufacturers are having difficulty in appealing to wider consumer audiences. Currently, these drinks are mainly being purchased by a core group of consumers. Link
- A new report from Food and Water Watch indicates that more bottled water in the U.S. is coming from municipal water supplies. From 2005, to 2006, the volume of tap water bottled increased by 66 percent. The report suggests that bottling companies can more easily access municipal water supplies. Link
FINANCIALS
- REED’s Inc increased its second quarter sales by 16 percent to $4.9 million. The company also achieved its fourth private label agreement with a national wholesale grocer and expanded Canadian product sales with Quality Foods over this time. Link
- Glacier Water reported decreased revenues of 0.4 percent to approximately $25.4 million for its second quarter 2010. However, across the first half of the year, Glacier’s total sales were up to $48.4 million. Link
- Jones Soda has reported decreased sales of 28 percent to $5.4 million for the second quarter 2010. It has also experienced a net loss of $1.6 million over this time and the company’s gross profit decreased to $1.3 million. Link
- Zipfizz has experienced a rise in sales after the implementation of its most recent ad campaign that features Josie Bisset. The product has moved into new stores including Rite Aid, Target and Vitamin Shoppe. Link
- Celsius has reported record revenue figures for the second quarter of 2010. It has experienced a 252 percent increase in revenue with $4.1 million reported this year, as opposed to $1.2 million last. Link
RELIEF EFFORTS
- Atlas Sales Inc. distributed more than 24,000 cans of water to cleanup crews in Michigan working at the site of the Kalamazoo River oil spill. Link
SUPPLIER SIDE
- Virginia Dare launched new tea flavors during IFT 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Link
- Solbar has launched a new isolated soy protein that is fortified with calcium. It is intended for use in beverages and will dissolve after stirring even into cold water. Link
INTERNATIONAL
- Gatorade will launch its G Series line of products in Canada in Spring 2011. Link
PEOPLE
- Arlene S. Kobos has become the new Vice President of Sales at Symrise. Prior to this, Ms. Kobos was the company’s National Sales Director. Link