Jessica Jacobsen

Xyience appeals to an active lifestyle

Xyience Xenergy drinks target healthy energy

November 14, 2011

As the energy drink market expanded years ago, sports nutrition and supplement company Xyience, Las Vegas, saw the emerging category as the next step for its products. That evolution led to the development of Xyience Xenergy drinks. “Xenergy is ‘zen energy;’ that’s what it means,” says Michael Levy, chief financial officer and chief operations officer with Xyience. “It has a concept of healthy energy for people with an active lifestyle.”

A colorful palette of options

Color trends address natural demands, stability concerns

Jessica Jacobsen

November 14, 2011

For beverages, colors can play a crucial role when it comes to shelf appeal. They can help grab a consumer’s attention as well as correspond to the flavor and branding of a beverage. In addition, as beverage-makers seek more natural ingredients to be able to provide clean label statements, the search for colors that can deliver on all of those requests has helped spark innovation among ingredient suppliers.

Functionality niche expanding

Performance beverage ingredients meet broader consumer needs

Jessica Jacobsen

October 14, 2011

Beverages have become more than just a source of refreshment. Consumers also are turning to beverages for functional benefits. Sports drinks as well as energy drinks and shots have become a source to provide a variety of functionalities.“There are quite a number of functional benefits that consumers are looking for with energy drinks and shots besides [an energy] boost,” says Garima Goel Lal, senior analyst at Mintel International, Chicago.

Historic partnerships

Jessica Jacobsen

October 14, 2011

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, my dad taught me to love all things Chicago. So naturally, I became a Blackhawks, Bears, Bulls and Cubs fan. (Although I’m not a White Sox fan, I wish them luck as well.) I have specific memories and particular items that I associate with each team. When it comes to the Cubs, I think of the ivy at Wrigley Field, of course, but I also think of Old Style beer.

Bai Brands’ fruitful growth

Bai beverages take coffee fruit to new heights

Jessica Jacobsen

October 12, 2011

With about 20 years of experience in the industry, Ben Weiss has learned a lot about the coffee business, and particularly about the outer fruit of the coffee bean. Weiss’ knowledge of the coffee fruit as well as his appreciation for the Asia-Pacific region led to the launch of Bai Brands, Princeton, N.J., which offers a collection of beverages that are infused with coffee fruit.

Bottled water sales get refreshed

Sparkling, enhanced waters deepen category’s reach

Jessica Jacobsen

October 12, 2011

Bottled water sales have shown signs of growth as the category recovers from the effects of the recession. Overall, the bottled water category increased 2 percent for $7.8 billion in sales for the 52 weeks ending Aug. 7 in supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart, according to SymphonyIRI Group, Chicago.

Coding technology addresses flexibility

Container shapes, speed affect machinery designs

Jessica Jacobsen

September 15, 2011

With beverage containers available in a number of shapes and sizes, beverage companies are seeking flexibility when printing lot and date codes as well as logos with coding installations for a range of package sizes and materials.

Sizeable changes

Jessica Jacobsen

September 12, 2011

It has been a long time since I have stepped foot in a school lunchroom. Although it has been awhile since I packed my Barbie lunch box with a juice box featuring whichever popular cartoon characters graced juice boxes at the time, I still remember some of the staple items that me and my classmates enjoyed.

Schools continue healthy focus

Beverages, packaging address school guidelines

Jessica Jacobsen

September 12, 2011

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Some guidelines in reference to beverages include reducing intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, monitoring intake of 100 percent juice for children and adolescents, and consuming soy-fortified beverages.

2011 Wholesaler of the Year: Wirtz Beverage Group

Wine and spirits distributor expands portfolio, facilities

Jessica Jacobsen

September 12, 2011

With annual sales of more than $1.9 billion, Wirtz Beverage Group is making strides toward its vision of becoming the leading premium total beverage alcohol wholesaler in the United States by Dec. 31, 2012. Beverage Industry’s Wholesaler of the Year is now in its third and fourth generations of leadership and has gone through a rebranding process in order to unify its divisions in Illinois, Wisconsin, Nevada, Minnesota and Iowa.