Campbell Soup Co.’s products are so much a part of the American culture that its soup cans have been portrayed in everything from pop art to children’s arts and crafts projects — much of which is displayed throughout the company’s Camden, N.J., offices. But in addition to soup, Campbell has quietly nurtured another iconic brand, and in doing so, has turned beverages into one of the company’s core product categories. With V8 100 percent vegetable juice, Campbell has met the health and wellness trend head on. As the brand celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2008, it is enjoying booming sales and a new distribution agreement that will make it even more accessible to consumers.

Beverage industry veteran Joe Roberts spent a number of years making a name for himself in the beverage business, so when he decided to launch Cintron Beverage Group two years ago, he had a wealth of industry knowledge and knew a few tricks of the trade. It didn’t hurt that he partnered with a successful Philadelphia-area commercial construction executive who also had a few tools at the ready, including an association with Offshore Super Series powerboat racing, which helped Cintron make a big impact in a short period of time.

Constellation Wines last month released some interesting new results from its Project Genome research, offering insights that could allow winemakers to better connect with consumers. The research divides consumers into five categories. All of them purchase wine, but in different ways, and in some cases despite confusion and awkward messaging.

The predicated British invasion of 2007 — or the opening of Tesco stores on the West Coast last fall — proved less traumatic for traditional retailers than feared, with many industry observers saying the financial impact has so far been minimal. But the U.K. retailer’s psychological influence has been felt far beyond its initial markets and caused supermarket retailers to re-evaluate their store formats and product offerings.

The beer industry has reason to say “cheers” this year, as sales are on their way up again after several years of struggle. Beer consumption in the United States grew 1.4 percent in 2007, according to the Beer Institute in Washington, D.C. Domestic volumes improved a total of 1.5 percent for the year, with the domestic craft segment up 12 percent. Import volumes increased 1.4 percent.

Chris Reed, president and chief executive officer of Los Angeles-based Reed’s Inc., began his career as a chemical engineer designing liquefied natural gas plants — nearly as far from the beverage business as he could get. But a new age lifestyle and an interest in herbal remedies proved a stronger calling, and Reed soon followed.

Probiotics might once have been considered “least likely to succeed” among functional beverages — after all, most marketers don’t exactly dream of creating campaigns based on bacteria and the inner workings of the gastrointestinal tract.

The New York Giants’ surprise win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII last month, might have been one of the rare occasions when the on-field match-up proved as entertaining as the commercials. But that didn’t stop beverage industry advertisers from putting on a show as well. With 97.5 million viewers, the game was the most-watched Super Bowl event ever, and according to TiVo, five of the Top 10 most-watched ads during the game were beverage ads.

Big city wholesaler keeps its focus smallLike the bustling metropolis it serves, Manhattan Beer Distributors is at once large, extremely diverse and always changing. With more than $570 million in

Beverage companies take on environmental concerns

The United States is in the midst of a green movement — not for the first time, but with more pressure, perhaps, on consumer products companies than ever before.