Applied Food Sciences (AFS) recently launched its branded AmaTea® Max organic guayusa extract using a patented process to enhance the naturally occurring antioxidants and caffeine from guayusa leaves.

Regarded as the guardians of the rainforest, the Kichwa have an elite group of warriors known as the "Vigilante Nocturno," or Night Watchmen. For centuries these specialized hunters would drink a tincture of brewed guayusa leaves to help sharpen their alertness.

Today’s business environment requires distributors to constantly pursue opportunities that improve the efficiency of their fleet operations. At Orion, Mich.-based Powers Distributing, this pursuit of efficiency pre-dates the economic roller coaster of the past decade and extends into other areas of the business.

In spite of generally positive performance out on the road, diesel-electric hybrid drivetrains have had less than stellar success in the North American truck market. So much so that Eaton Corp., a manufacturer of hybrid components, has recently announced that it will discontinue offering hybrid drivetrains in North America.

As the year begins to wind down, it’s time to look at the factors that are likely to have a significant effect on beverage fleet operations in 2014.