Recent information from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade exposed the impact twenty-somethings are having in the specialty food market. Current research from the association’s Today’s Specialty Food Consumer 2005 report reveals that the typical specialty food shopper is skewing younger overall, with shoppers ages 25 to 44 the most likely to purchase specialty foods.

The young adult segment, defined as 15- to 34-year-olds, comprises 79 million people, according to marketing research. It’s estimated that twenty-somethings spend more than $150 billion annually on consumer goods.

The article says this generation is not hesitant to spend money on food and beverages. Young adults enjoy travel opportunities, frequent restaurants and are accustomed to everyday indulgences like a $4 latte.

Since the typical specialty food shopper earns more than $100,000 a year, and the younger group has yet to reach that income, they lean toward less expensive items. Among those items, specialty beverages, including teas, coffees and specialty sodas, are popular. Even wine has begun to skew to this audience with the launch of magazines like Wine X Magazine, with the mission to inform, entertain and enlighten the fastest growing market of wine consumers — the 21- to 35-year-olds. Columns such as “Rage” and “Trippin’ Out,” and “What Gives?” help provide a contemporary approach to wine.

While the twenty-something generation is far from predictable, key demographic segments — from college students to professionals to people starting families — are connected by a need for products that are creative, high quality, healthful, tasty and fun. Beverages can fill these request readily.

Orlando, Fla., hosted its First Annual Tiger Beer Chili Crab Festival last November. Co-hosted by Tiger Beer and Wall Street Plaza, this event attracted more than 2,000 people, and was a replica of a Singapore-style street fair of authentic finger foods, local beer, and vocal and action entertainment for all ages.

InBev USA’s Labatt Blue and USA Hockey are inviting hundreds of pond hockey players and fans to the Labatt Blue USAdult Pond Hockey Tournament in mid-February in Eagle River, Wis. The first-ever Labatt Blue USAdult Pond Hockey Championships will provide 60 adult amateur teams with a weekend of four-on-four pond hockey action. The competition and social events will be held to coincide with the area’s Klondike Days Festival, featuring lumberjack competitions and cultural expositions.

At the New York City restaurant Crush, Dominique Demarville, chef de cave, and Drew Nieport, owner of the restaurant, celebrate the launch of Mumm Grand Cru from Grande Marque Champagne G.H. Mumm of Reims, France. Crush will be the exclusive retailer of the special multi-vintage Champagne.

Heineken USA, White Plains, N.Y., will be the first beer advertiser on the new Howard Stern Show, which debuted on Sirius Satellite Radio this month. The advertising agreement will continue Heineken’s longstanding association with Howard Stern. The ad buy will remain at the same frequency as previous buys on Stern-affiliated programming, and the advertising will include live reads by Stern.

Tecate again will be the official beer sponsor of the 32nd Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Calif., April 7-9. In its fourth year sponsoring the event, Tecate will kick off the event with Tecate Thunder Thursday and offer an authentic Latin musical concert during Fiesta Friday. Tecate also will sponsor the Miss Tecate Long Beach Grand Prix Beauty Pageant and provide signage for use at the festive cantina-themed beer gardens.

Shirley Kramer, human resources manager Sportservice; Jill Pepper, executive director Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition; and Joe Abernathy, senior vice president of ballpark operations for the St. Louis Cardinals received a top award for St. Louis this month. TEAM Coalition and Anheuser-Busch recognized the St. Louis Cardinals for the team’s commitment to promoting responsible alcohol consumption. During the 2005 baseball season, a total of 18,675 fans at Busch Stadium signed up for the Good Sport designated driver program — more than any other Major League Baseball Club. According to TEAM Coalition, more than 225,000 fans participated in designated driver programs at MLB stadium in 2005.