Following a rather lackluster 2009, when new beverage introductions plummeted nearly by half, the number of new beverages appearing on U.S. store shelves increased slightly in 2010.

 A study of mice with Type 2 diabetes found that a significant amount of coffee consumption could help protect against memory loss associated with advanced diabetes, as well as reduce weight gain and lower blood sugar levels, according to a May 10 article published in New York Daily News.  

 Illycaffè and The Coca-Cola Co. increased the size of their Illy Issimo espresso-style beverages to give consumers an extra ounce in each bottle.  

 Approximately 79 percent of adults in the United States drank coffee in the last two years, according to Chicago-based Mintel’s October 2011 Coffee report.  

Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffee announced a definitive merger agreement under which an affiliate of Joh. A. Benckiser Group (JAB), Ludwigshafen, Germany, will acquire Caribou Coffee for $16 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $340 million. The agreement, which was unanimously approved by Caribou Coffee’s independent directors, represents a premium of approximately 30 percent over Caribou Coffee’s closing stock price Dec. 14, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the transaction.

From the heart of Brooklyn, N.Y., the home of Coney Island and the Brooklyn Bridge, comes RealBeanz, a ready-to-drink gourmet iced coffee company brimming with New York pride. The self-described “up-and-coming” brand plays off of the classic, artsy Brooklyn vibe to showcase its borough spirit and connect with its “kind of young, kind of hip, and kind of fresh” consumers in the 18- to 35-year-old demographic group, says Jenna Burke, director of public relations and social media for RealBeanz.