The environment is looking up for convenience stores, and particularly for beverages sold in the channel.  

 Health and wellness properties continue to drive flavor choices for many beverage formulators as health-conscious consumers are realizing that in addition to various health benefits, beverages also can be refreshing and flavorful. 

More beverages are being developed with functional health properties and lower calories. 

 Orange, lemon and lime were three of the top flavors used by beverage formulators last year, according to Beverage Industry’s 2012 New Product Development Survey.  

Package lightweighting can be a major issue for many beverage manufacturers. In fact, it’s the No. 1 issue that many inspection equipment suppliers see beverage-makers facing. Therefore, they’re offering solutions to detect problems with these products. Although many beverage manufacturers have been lightweighting their containers to be more ecologically friendly and to reduce costs, one of the problems lightweighting can cause is leaks, says Melissa Rossi, marketing manager for Teledyne TapTone, North Falmouth, Mass.

Beverage companies are taking on new strategies in regard to the goals of their recycling initiatives. One would be hard pressed to find a beverage company not involved in recycling, but the industry continues to expand existing recycling programs. Craft brewer Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, Mo., had to expand its recycling efforts in order to become a zero-landfill facility in January. In 2009, Boulevard’s Founder and President John McDonald, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Krum and Technical Director Mike Utz became co-founders and principals of Ripple Glass, a glass recycling company, to help close the loop in the brewer’s glass bottle consumption.