For a company like HEINEKEN USA, White Plains, N.Y., the global brewer benefits from the support of a large-scale parent company yet still operates with the flexibility of an emerging brand.

As craft beer has shown itself to be measurable force in the beer market, more craft brewers are exploring varying beer styles to appeal to broader consumer base. Now, sour beer and more sessionable offerings like lagers are populating craft brewers portfolios.

As beverage alcohol manufacturers seek out ways to provide a low-calorie solution, it seems as though the latest craze to hit the flavored malt beverage (FMB) segment is fulfilling that need state. “Hard seltzers are raising the bar around perceived health and wellness and attracting much of the dollars spent in the space,” says Brian Sudano, managing partner for Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC).

Whether its CBD or THC, it seems clear that cannabis infusions have found a home in the beverage market.

In recent years, the imported beer market has outpaced the overall beer market in dollar and case sales. Based on recent insights, the segment’s performance continued throughout 2018 and experts forecast a positive impact on the market in 2019. That growth has been coming from established Mexican beer brands, experts note.

Given the volume growth of packaged water, beverage manufacturers have taken notice of how consumers are reaching for hydration beverages over sweeter options, prompting them to rethink their own portfolios. This shifting sentiment caught the attention of Cott Corporation, thereby paving the way for the beverage manufacturer to create a new identity for itself.

According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), out-of-stock products cost U.S. retailers approximately $47.4 billion each year.

Today’s consumers are blessed with an ever-growing choice of beverage solutions. As these beverage options proliferate, so do the packaging options. Among the options, shrink and stretch labeling materials are “stretching” the creativity brand owners can utilize for packaging.

Given this chilly weather, it’s no wonder that January also is Hot Tea Month, giving consumer publications and bloggers a plethora of tea-centric topics and celebration guides.