The July 2013 Beverage Industry includes a cover story on the American Beverage Association, as well as articles about the State of the Industry 2013 report and weight management ingredients. Check it out today
In the eight years that Susan Neely has worked for the American Beverage Association (ABA), the president and chief executive officer of the Washington, D.C.-based association has seen manufacturers truly embrace the concept of innovation.
Dollar sales for carbonated beverages in U.S. retail stores increased by 1.9 percent in 2012 compared with the prior year; however, volume decreased by 1.6 percent, according to Euromonitor International, Chicago.
In the mid-1800s, Alexander Walker used his experience in blending teas to create some of the first blended Scotch whiskies in the world. As a result, he transformed the grocery business of his father, John Walker, into a global whisky business. First called Old Highland Whisky, he later renamed the brand Johnnie Walker in honor of his father, the company says.
With many consumers lacking the tools or know-how to reproduce some of their favorite on-premise cocktails, beverage manufacturers have found a way to deliver that same enjoyment to consumers in their own homes.
Continuing what was seen during the recession, consumers are either buying more premium-priced beers or buying less beer overall, Jennifer Zegler, beverage analyst at Mintel, Chicago, told Beverage Industry in March.
According to Chicago-based Mintel’s April 2013 report “Dairy and Non-dairy Milk – US,” the “other milk” segment, which includes ready-to-drink milk or milk substitutes, refrigerated kefir/milk substitutes/soy milk, and refrigerated milkshakes/non-dairy drinks, makes up 7.3 percent of the total U.S. dairy and non-dairy milk market. This represents a more than 30 percent increase in market share since 2010, it reports. Mintel also predicts that this category will continue to see growth through 2017 to reach nearly $2.9 billion in sales.
As consumers are encouraged by dieticians and nutritionists to reduce sugar consumption, beverage manufacturers also are heeding this call by developing juice drinks that fit the bill.
The premium market for coffee continues to gain ground, according to an August 2012 report from Santa Monica, Calif.-based IBISWorld. “Consumers educated themselves more about coffee beans and traded up in quality over the five years to 2012,” the report stated.
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.
A rebounding economy as well as convenience and a healthy image have helped bottled water sales recover from years of decline in 2008 and 2009, according to Chicago-based Mintel’s U.S. “Bottled Water” report released in March.
According to a June 2012 report on energy drinks and shots in the United States by market research firm Mintel, Chicago, the market grew 124 percent from 2006 to 2011, which suggests a continuing recovery from the recession, it states.
Although sports drinks are commonly marketed for their hydration and workout recovery benefits, some consumers also are looking for low-calorie options, according to Chicago-based Mintel.
Although some segments of the beverage industry often are associated with the obesity epidemic in America, more than half of consumers believe they are responsible for their own weight, according to research by The Hartman Group, Bellevue, Wash.
As we celebrate our liberty and patriotic pride this month, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on some recent acts of charity within the beverage community that have truly shown that we are one united industry with common causes.
Some of the best parts of being a member of the media are the experiences you have and knowledge you take with you. During my local media time, I had the chance to experience new, exciting things and gain a deeper understanding of the community I grew up in.
Since 1988, FBN has manufactured replacement filler and capper parts and provided service for the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, distillery, automotive, chemical, cosmetic, personal care and the rapidly growing micro-brew industries.
As noted in last month’s article on the shift from straight trucks to tractor-trailer combinations, the bottler/distributor consolidation and SKU proliferation of the last decade have had an unprecedented impact on the beverage industry, and more specifically, on beverage fleet operations.
“The introduction of a robotic palletizer has had a huge impact on our business,” say Product Manager Jason Covington and Business Development Manager Steve Golladay of ITW Warehouse Automation (ITWWA), Arden, N.C.
Sensient Colors LLC, a business unit of Sensient Technologies Corp., introduced DustPro NXT natural color powders, which significantly reduce dust levels while improving color solubility compared with traditional natural color powders, the company says.
St. Louis-based Sensient Colors LLC, a business unit of Sensient Technologies Corp., announced that its Sensient Food Colors Europe production facility achieved ISO 14001 certification for environmental management from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
When the recession hit, consumers started purchasing fewer items on shopping trips, in effect adding importance to a product’s packaging to get shoppers to pick up the product and examine it, says Charles Pavia, director of marketing for Proactive Packaging & Display, Ontario, Calif.
At retail, beverage packages are tasked with not only displaying an attractive shelf presence but also ensuring the quality of the product and the integrity of the brand.
Red Bull USA released cans featuring camouflage graphics for its same-named energy drink varieties for sale in military channels and retailers immediately surrounding U.S. military bases.
In Walt Disney’s 1966 animated classic “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree,” Pooh finds some creative ways to get his hands on his favorite treat: honey. Lucky for beverage manufacturers, dressing up like a little black rain cloud is not a strategy they need to employ when sourcing a sweetener for their products.
The foodservice industry tends to be a leading indicator of how well the economy is going to perform, says Joe Pawlak, vice president of Chicago-based Technomic Inc.