The first quarter of 2012 saw American consumers’ confidence in their personal finances beginning to return, according to Chicago-based SymphonyIRI Group’s most recent MarketPulse survey.

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SymphonyIRI Group, Chicago, named Dr Pepper Ten, Kraft’s Mio beverage mixes, Sparkling Ice from TalkingRain Beverage Co., Starbucks K-cups and TruMoo from Dean Foods among the 2011 Food & Beverage “Rising Stars” in its 2011 New Product Pacesetters report, which is an analysis of exceptional first-year CPG sales success for newly launched products.

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Consumer product goods (CPG) manufacturers continue to navigate the whims of undecided consumers, some of whom feel more optimistic about the economy while a similar-sized group expect continued deterioration of economic and personal financial health, according to Susan Viamari, editor of SymphonyIRI’s Times and Trends report. The Chicago-based market research firm released its “CPG 2011 Year in Review: The Search for Footing in an Evolving Marketplace” report that finds that consumers plan to continue their current path of frugality and conservatism this year.

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The old adage goes that people drink to recognize both good and bad times. This, unfortunately for the beer, wine and spirits industry, is not the case. As with many other consumer packaged goods (CPG) segments, wine industry growth rates have dropped during the last three recessions (1991, 2001 and 2008-2009) and immediately after these recessions ended, industry growth resumed.
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SymphonyIRI Group, Chicago, recently studied the male shopper and found that while there are several attitudinal and behavioral similarities with female shopper behavior, there are several important distinct differences.
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After the previous year’s trend of trading down to below-premium brands, in 2010 brewers narrowed the price gap between below-premium and premium brands.
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Even though volume and dollar share is dwarfed by energy drinks, energy shot continue their growing popularity.
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Slowing growth and lower price points have emerged in an energy drinks category once defined by a meteoric rise and premium pricing, but industry analysts and beverage manufacturers say it is unclear whether the recession or category maturation are to blame.
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