Fresh off its recent $30 million acquisition of super-premium juice brand Evolution Fresh, Starbucks made another major move this week as the coffee giant announced plans to relocate its Tazo Tea business from Portland, Ore. to Kent, Wash. With the move, Starbucks will improve production efficiencies and streamline operations as the company consolidates and upgrades its manufacturing plant in Kent.
Relevant in the news today include stories about the continuing and mounting pressure on PepsiCo and why consumers love innovation in oft-consumed food and beverages. Shortly after Nelson Peltz’ Trian Fund acquired 2.36 million shares of PepsiCo, The Financial Times examined the potential for the cola giant to retain outside advisors to help adjust its business and marketing strategies and defend against a corporate shake-up.
When Barq's launched its' Soviet Union Going Out of Business sale, it set the industry on its ear and generated worldwide publicity for what would turn out to be the only organized celebration of the end of the Cold War. It generated an eye-popping 30 percent sales increase -- but not for the reasons most folks think. (Editor's Note: Rick Hill, a longtime beverage marketer, is the Founder & CEO of BrandHeat Marketing)
As 2011 marked a year in which the United States was pummeled by some of the worst tornadoes, floods, and wildfires on record, Nestlé Waters North America employees were recently honored by AmeriCares, a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization, for donating over one million bottles of water to natural disaster survivors in 12 states across the country. Over the last seven years, Nestlé Waters has worked with AmeriCares to donate over 6 million bottles of water to disaster survivors in the United States and Haiti where the company supported relief efforts after the 2010 earthquake.
Shareholder concerns at O.N.E. Coconut Water and Celsius Holdings appear to have reached a boiling point as both companies ousted top executives this week. As first reported in Beverage Business Insights, O.N. E. Coconut Water dismissed both Steve Coston, the president of the O.N.E., and Steve Vasquez, the vice president of sales. O.N.E. founder Rodrigo Veloso said that the moves were part of a general restructuring at the company, though he declined to explain the exact reasons behind Coston and Vasquez’ seemingly abrupt exit.
BevNET is delighted to announce that Amy Taylor, Vice President of Marketing for Red Bull North America, will be offering thoughts on brand-building from the standpoint of content creation and…
With fewer than 30 seats remaining, BevNET Live Winter 11 is almost sold out! If you are interested in attending BevNET Live Winter 11 on December 5 and 6 in…
As long as the big energy drink brands continue to grow and operate multibillion dollar businesses, it seems as though there will be companies who feel as though the best…
Hi-T is a USDA Organic hemp iced tea that’s made with hemp extract and hemp syrup — and it’s actually quite tasty. However, the in your face presentation of a…
Tevolution is an RTD tea that supports charitable causes with $0.25 from each bottle sold. What’s unique about this is that the donation is activated when the purchaser of the…
It isn’t a premium beer situation, where Bud Light and Miller Lite are leading their flagship brands in sales and distribution, but as the energy drink category matures – and…
It’s become one of the more overused words in the marketing lexicon: authentic. Yet there’s no denying that many consumers are looking to support brands that don’t seem to have…
Try to build a beverage brand, and you’re likely to hear questions about chain stores, DSD and the leap from Whole Foods into convenience and grocery. But there are plenty of viable companies that have developed exciting and profitable beverage businesses without going anywhere near those main retail channels. From Internet sales to Yoga Studios, from Multi-Level-Marketing platforms to Dollar Stores, there are many classes of trade that allow brands to reach their full potential – or at least offer other retailers key glimpses of what that potential might be.
Kraft Foods is planning to launch a new caffeinated version of its MiO “water enhancer” in December, according to an article in the Financial Times. With MiO Energy, Kraft will utilize its vast sales and marketing force and powerful distribution channels to begin competing in a US energy drink market with annual sales estimated at $6 billion.
