It's with HPP's evolving role in mind that BevNET is pleased to announce that HPP consultant Joyce Longfield, the CEO of JL Nutrition and Food Regulatory Consulting, will be speaking at BevNET Live in June. At a time when flavor, ingredient, package and function technology are helping to significantly alter the brandscape of the beverage industry, BevNET Live will offer an unprecedented, unvarnished look at one its most eye-catching change agents.
A new report from the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) states that in 2012, overall consumption of bottled water jumped by 6.2 percent to 9.67 billion gallons, while sales increased by 6.7 percent, totaling $11.8 billion. The statistics were compiled by beverage consulting firm Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC).
New Leaf Brands, which earlier this year announced plans to expand business operations via strategic acquisitions, has purchased Beverage Network of Maryland, a distributor in the Mid-Atlantic market with 20 brands and over 200 SKUs in its portfolio. New Leaf acquired Beverage Network for $2.9 million in cash and stock, and will retain Morris Stodard as its president.
Go Energy is a new energy drink that attempts to differentiate itself from competing products via the addition of coconut water and resveratrol (a popular anti-aging ingredient). Unfortunately, the product is pretty underwhelming from a flavor and visual perspective.
A new study by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Information Resources, Inc, (IRI) lists TalkingRain as the top performer among small companies ($100 million to $1 billion in retail sales) in 2012. The study, which analyzed 400 CPG manufacturers with annual revenues of at least $100 million, compared public and private CPG companies through dollar sales growth, volume sales growth and market share gains.
BevNET's 2013 Natural Beverage Guide is the beverage industry's largest guide to beverages targeting the natural channel, including juices, teas, bottled waters, CSDs, concentrates, powders, and other natural beverage enhancers. This key resource will be aimed at beverage retailers and distributors who are looking to include additional natural products.
For a company that counts 18-30 year old consumers as its “sweet spot,” the Coca-Cola Co., Inc. is a bit long in the tooth when it comes to its board of directors. That’s changing, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal which reports a slow, but steady, changing of the guard.
Three months after Carl Sweat stepped down as CEO of the company, FRS continues to reorganize its executive team and has brought back a familiar face to head up its sales department. Richard Libonate, who held the position of General Manager, Retail Sales for FRS from March 2008 to June 2010 has returned to the company as its Senior Vice President of Sales.
Sneakz Organic is a new brand of health-oriented milkshake drinks designed for kids. The first SKU is a chocolate flavor made with a full serving of vegetables, including sweet potatoes, carrots and broccoli and is packaged in an 8 oz. Tetra Pak. Overall, we really like what Sneakz' concept and its initial variety, which is a nice starting point for additional flavors.
Ginkgo biloba is back in the spotlight – and for all the wrong reasons. Commonly sold as a dietary supplement and frequently used as an additive in a range of beverages, Ginkgo has been found to cause cancer in mice and rats, according to a two-year study by researchers at the National Toxicology Program (NTP), an interagency program tied to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health.
No, it’s not a digitized psychedelic trip, it’s Coca-Cola’s first all-digital advertising campaign. And after rounds of studying the kiddies, it’s apparently what they want.
Since our first review of the brand, A Game has made a few significant changes to its formulation (dropped sucralose as a sweetener) and packaging (smaller bottle and labeling tweaks). Combined with a new Cherry Pomegranate variety, we think A Game is definitely headed in the right direction.
Brewbound, BevNET’s site dedicated to craft beer, has released the preliminary agenda for its upcoming business conference for craft brewers. The Brewbound Session will be held on May 2 at the Revere Hotel in Boston and provides an excellent opportunity to learn marketing, investment, and distribution strategies, as well as hear case studies of successful brands in a highly collaborative atmosphere.
Orgain's Healthy Kids is a new line of USDA Organic certified nutritional shakes that are made with smorgasbord of fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals. And as the formulation of the drinks will definitely appeal to parents, the flavor profile and packaging are certain to find fans among young consumers.
