Sky-high fuel prices took a toll on convenience stores early this year, say industry experts. But surprisingly, those same costs have come back to benefit convenience store retailers as the year has progressed.

Neville Isdell, chairman of The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, speaks often about the qualities necessary for success in 21st Century business, and at first, many of those attributes sound like they have little to do with beverages, or even business itself. But Isdell has based his leadership at Coca-Cola on the idea of sustainability, and in his view, that encompasses everything from product innovation to the environment to consumers’ perceptions of the company as a social entity.

Summer is the height of beer season, but this year, industry eyes have been focused not on the typical beer venues of baseball games and backyard barbeques, but on boardrooms and a pair of mergers that have the potential to significantly alter the brewing landscape.

Eco may be chic these days, but according to industry experts, consumers are doing more talking than acting, leaving beverage companies and packaging suppliers to find the balance between more environmentally friendly containers and the quality perception consumers have come to expect.

Bulls, monsters and rockstars continue to dominate the energy drink scene, but as this very male and very youth-oriented category matures, it is expanding to include a softer side, with natural products and drinks that blend energy with juice and hydration concepts.

The baby boom generation has always prided itself on breaking the rules, so not surprisingly, there are few set-in-stone standards for boomer-related products. But as this generation gets older, it is more interested in fortified products designed to help them live longer, more active lives, and industry experts have a few tips for developing those products.

Secondary packaging is pulling double duty these days, providing safe, sturdy transportation for beverage multipacks while also meeting the ever-increasing call for sustainability.

For some beverage distributors, navigating the streets to make deliveries is an art, especially for drivers who have worked routes for years and know their territories inside and out. But with today’s high fuel costs, optimizing routes can require a bit of science as well.

Restaurant and foodservice operators are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place in 2008, with higher prices on everything from ingredients to energy, and a sluggish economy that is causing customers to make fewer visits and spend less per visit.

The beverage industry faces numerous challenges and opportunities in today’s business environment, and it takes talented individuals to guide companies to success. That’s why I’m pleased to announce that Beverage Industry will once again honor the person who has had the most significant impact on the beverage business in 2008 with the Executive of the Year Award.