Wondering whether using social media for advertising purposes is crossing the line? According to a new social media study by Nielsen, New York, one-third of people think ads on social networks are annoying.

Healthy and natural attributes top the list of consumer needs and interests for beverages, according to respondents of Beverage Industry’s annual New Product Development Survey. 

It’s hard to know when inspiration will strike. During an interview for this month’s Beverage R&D article on flavor trends, Cathianne Leonardi, flavorist at Allen Flavors, Edison, N.J., discussed how she developed a line of beverage prototypes inspired by the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibit dedicated to late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. The “Savage Beauty” exhibit featured McQueen’s garments along with the audio and video presentations that accompanied the designs during their respective runway shows.

The WSWA Convention & Exposition is where distributors seek out new and exciting beverage products for U.S. consumers, meet with existing portfolio partners, and look for services to enhance internal operations.