Although it might not have been a requirement 10 years ago, good brands today will need to make a genuine commitment to sustainability moving forward, says Trent Overholt, vice president of supply chain solutions for Los Angeles-based Rehrig Pacific Co.

The excitement surrounding the lives of flappers and fun-seekers of the Roaring ’20s still enchant many of us almost a century later. This culture also recently inspired some interesting beverage marketing pushes, particularly following the premiere of Warner Brothers Entertainment’s “The Great Gatsby” movie last month.

Following Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co.’s acquisition of Atlanta-based Teavana Holdings Inc. at the end of 2012, the tea industry is waiting for the hot tea segment to boom, according to experts.

As RealBeanz Director of Public Relations and Social Media Jenna Burke told me in last month’s Up Close With story, it can be hard for consumers to experience a product and develop a relationship with a brand if the main connection with a brand is through social media and advertising. Instead, it’s the face-to-face encounters with a brand at events that really help consumers become fans, she said.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), or ergonomic injuries, are one of the most common injuries route delivery drivers encounter and accounted for 33 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work for all occupations in 2011.

Just as zone defense is used in basketball as a means to defend specific zones of the court and ultimately protect the goal, zone defense in conveyors also works to protect a goal — but this time the goal is a product or package.

Last year offered the sports and protein drinks category a big marketing opportunity through the London 2012 Summer Olympics, says Jennifer Zegler, beverage analyst at Chicago-based market research firm Mintel.

The American diet, which tends to be less rich in fish consumption compared with Japan, China and almost any other country where fish is the major source of dietary protein, also tends to be low in omega fatty acids, says Sam Wright IV, chief executive officer of Crowley, La.-based The Wright Group.

Just like the Secret Intelligence Service wouldn’t send James Bond on a mission without the best gadgets, distribution managers need to ensure that their sales and distribution representatives in the field are equipped with all of the tools to get the job done.

In the days since the first can of beer was sold in 1935, aluminum cans have grown in popularity and evolved into a sustainable packaging choice for beverage-makers.