Natural Products Expo West hosted more than 2,000 exhibiting companies and in excess of 60,000 attendees March 8-11 in Anaheim, Calif. Among the exhibitors were about 540 new companies, according to the trade show.
In the summer of 2007, an English man posted a video of his one-year-old son biting the finger of his three-year-old son on YouTube. The video, known as “Charlie Bit My Finger – Again!,” went viral reaching 417 million views as of Feb. 9. At the time of publication, it was the most viewed video on YouTube that is not a professional music video, according to Wikipedia.
Better-for-you beverages continue to appeal to consumers, and beverage companies continue to find ways to address that trend. According to Chicago-based Mintel Group Ltd.’s “Juice and Juice Drinks” report, 5 percent of launches from January to June 2011 contained antioxidants, which represents a 1 percent increase from the previous period. The report adds that many launches sourced their antioxidant content from superfruits such as acai berries, blueberries, cranberries and pomegranates.
They say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and according to new research, so does a bottle of 100 percent fruit juice. A report from the University of California at Davis shows that 100 percent fruit juices could have protective health benefits similar to those of whole fruits. The report found a positive association between consumption of 100 percent juices and reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and decreased cognitive function. Additionally, 100 percent juices are linked to heightened antioxidant activity, the report states.
Fresh out of college in 1991, Mark Rampolla ventured to Latin America as a Peace Corps. volunteer in Costa Rica. He also spent time in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Brazil. During his travels, Rampolla was enlightened by many things within the Latin American culture, including a popular regional drink: coconut water.