Jennifer Storelli

When parents are teaching their children how to handle breakable objects, they often remind them to use extra care and handle it gently with two hands. The case packers segment of a beverage line also is learning to handle newer, more breakable packages with care in order to ensure that lightweight and flexible packages are gently packed and shipped to stores in one piece.

Consumers are accustomed to placing a call to order take-out food and, in some cases, carbonated soft drinks for home delivery. Now, they’re increasingly doing the same for beer, wine and spirits.

Although consumers tend to be loyal to their preferred drug stores, 30 percent are more likely to patronize a drug store if it has a loyalty card that offers savings, thus increasing shopper loyalty, according to Diana Smith, senior research analyst of retail and apparel at Mintel.

Although many beverages are launched as stand-alone products, Liquid Ice was launched with mixology in mind.

“SKU proliferation is the largest change the industry has seen in the last decade,” says Aaron Corcoran, account executive for Westfalia Technologies Inc., York, Pa.

For consumers who are not as excited about football, January and February are all about awards show season.

During the recession, the countercyclical discount retail channel experienced years of growth, even to the point of becoming one of the fastest-growing retail channels during the time period, according to “Dollar & Variety Stores in the US,” an April 2014 report by IBISWorld.

Starting in 1994, Disney character Fud Wrapper from the EPCOT attraction Food Rocks taught consumers about nutrition by reminding them to “always eat with moderation,” when choosing healthy foods versus sweet snacks.

January gives everyone a clean slate to start off the year on the right foot and become a better person in some way. The hard part for me has always been coming up with a resolution that I can actually keep past Jan. 31.

In the past 13 years, the aluminum can market has come a long way within the craft beer segment. Back in 2002, only one craft brewer packaged its beer in aluminum cans, according to the Aluminum Association.