Articles by Jessica Jacobsen

In the “Wizard of Oz,” among the many concerns that Dorothy encounters on her quest for home is the musically entertaining “lions and tigers and bears, oh my.” Although not potentially threatening like wild animals, a trio of options often presents itself to beverage manufacturers in the form of packaging: plastic, aluminum and glass, oh my.

As the old saying goes, only two things are absolute in life: death and taxes. As many of us just finished the hustle and bustle of tax season, I think we can add another item to today’s list of absolute certainties, and that’s the discussion of obesity.

The romanticism of history is what keeps books like “The Great Gatsby” popular with today’s youth, but that same glamorization also is taking shape in the spirits category within the latest emerging segment: moonshine.

Despite a challenging economic year, the on-premise channel still is committed to offering consumers the opportunity to explore the latest alcohol beverage trends.

Whether for new product launches or reformulations, natural zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia and erythritol are gaining ground in the beverage market, says Melanie Goulson, sweetness applications leader for Cargill, Minneapolis.

If Cyber Monday statistics are any indication of the future for the overall online sales market, it could be a bright future for the online community.

A trip to the drug store is no longer just an opportunity to refill a prescription or restock the family first aid kit. Today’s retailers are instituting different programs to provide shoppers with a more value-added experience, experts note.

According to statistics portal Statista Inc., an estimated 140 million Americans are smartphone users, up from 121.4 million in 2012. The research firm anticipates this number will continue to grow and eclipse the 200 million mark by 2017.

When it comes to the overall alcohol market, manufacturers not only are analyzing their own brand sales but also the respective categories in which they compete. For the beer category, hard ciders are offering consumers an entry point into this multibillion dollar industry, experts note.

Although craft beer case and dollar sales came in at a distant third to domestics and imports during the 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2013, in Information Resources Inc. (IRI)-measured channels, the burgeoning segment is making strides to garner more of that market share.