Many carbonated soft drink companies reported favorable results for 2007, thanks to their non-carbonated acquisitions, non-carbonated
launches and CSD sales increases in markets other than North America.
New recipes, more SKUs and packaging advancements have heightened performance demands in beverage plants. Processing automation systems offer beverage manufacturers a technologically advanced way to keep up with ever-increasing production requirements.
In 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the approved use of polydextrose as a bulking agent, formulation aid, humectant and texturizer to include all categories of beverages.
Givaudan Flavors North America, Cincinnati, Ohio, has sold its dairy flavors systems business to PCI Co., St. Louis, Mo. The business has been renamed SensoryFlavors Inc.
Probiotics might once have been considered “least likely to succeed” among functional beverages — after all, most marketers don’t exactly dream of creating campaigns based on bacteria and the inner workings of the gastrointestinal tract.
Imagine the perfect beverage production line. Ideally, the process runs smoothly from the very first pick of ingredients to the very last point as the finished product is stacked on a store shelf. In reality, however, a snafu here and a kink there inevitably need to be worked out. As new technologies continue to improve equipment pieces that are imperative to a production line, the 100 percent perfection mark isn’t a pipe dream anymore.
Chris Reed, president and chief executive officer of Los Angeles-based Reed’s Inc., began his career as a chemical engineer designing liquefied natural gas plants — nearly as far from the beverage business as he could get. But a new age lifestyle and an interest in herbal remedies proved a stronger calling, and Reed soon followed.
Beverage categories boom south of the equator The South American countries of Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Chile and Colombia consist of important world beverage markets. Brazil’s population consumed more than
Beverage flavor trends will blend the old standys with some new favorites this year, according to Beverage Industry’s New Product Development Survey. Beverage Industry asked beverage companies to predict what their top sellers will be this year, and pomegranate came out on top, followed by green tea, lemon, other tea flavors and lime.
The International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT)’s Alicyclobacillus (ACB) Subcommittee is working to identify and validate rapid test methods for the detection and enumeration of spoilage-causing ACB species, a problem that causes medicinal off-flavoring by the production of guaicol, a naturally occurring compound.
The New York Giants’ surprise win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII last month, might have been one of the rare occasions when the on-field match-up proved as entertaining as the commercials. But that didn’t stop beverage industry advertisers from putting on a show as well. With 97.5 million viewers, the game was the most-watched Super Bowl event ever, and according to TiVo, five of the Top 10 most-watched ads during the game were beverage ads.
The economy will be a consideration for every business market this year, and carbonated soft drinks have a particularly difficult situation increasing revenue with the category’s pricing predicament.
Coors Light promoted the Latin side of NFL football by presenting Tazón Latino,
which is the second annual nationally televised flag football game featuring
former NFL players and Latino celebrities.
In an effort to reduce packaging, AgroLabs, Hillside, N.J., called on Farmingdale, N.Y.-based Seal-It for a label solution for its nutraceutical beverages.
The economy will be a consideration for every business market this year, and carbonated soft drinks have a particularly difficult situation increasing revenue with the category’s pricing predicament.
First Juice Inc. developed an organic fruit and vegetable juice beverage of the same name. First Juice is designed to be lower in sugar, specifically for kids age 6 to 30 months. First Juice has 12 grams of sugar and 25 calories per 8-ounce serving with no added sugar, preservatives or artificial sweeteners. A blend of organic fruit and vegetable juice concentrates and purified water, the drink also is fortified with calcium and vitamins A, C and D.
Newport Quinoa Co. developed Quinoa Gold, a line of ready-to-drink USDA Organic quinoa-based beverages. Quinoa is a grain that was used by the Incas of the Andes Mountains in Peru and Bolivia that contains nine amino acids, fiber, protein, manganese, magnesium, iron, niacin, zinc, riboflavin and vitamins and minerals. The Quinoa Gold line includes three gluten-free flavors: Dark Berry, Mango Passion and Pina Colada.
Naked Juice Co., a subsidiary of PepsiCo, added a new flavor to its Naked Juice Probiotic line. Very Berry offers a blend of blueberry, apple and bananas, and joins Naked Juice Probiotic Tropical Mango, which launched in September. The probiotic line contains live, active cultures of the bacteria, which are recognized for their digestive and immune health benefits. The all-natural, 100 percent juice smoothie contains two servings of fruit in its 10-ounce bottle.
Kraft Foods Inc. rebranded its “South Beach Diet” line to “South Beach Living,” and expanded its offerings into the beverage aisle with South Beach Living Tide Me Over Drink Mixes. The drink mixes are low-calorie, low-sodium and sugar-free fruit flavored mixes that can be added to bottled water. Available in Natural Strawberry Banana and Natural Tropical Breeze flavors, the mixes offer 3 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Balance Water Co. released a line of functional, non-flavored spring waters with homeopathic Australian flower essences. The waters originally launched in the Australian market in 2005. Balance Water products include — Balance Water for Mind, for Women, for Traveling and for Children — and each contain a specific flower infusion based on its targeted audience or function.
Honest Tea released
two new teas. Citrus Decaf Spice Tea is a black tea spiced with
cinnamon and cupuacu, an Amazon superfruit that has a citrus taste.
Coca-Cola North America added Minute Maid Pomegranate flavored Tea and Minute Maid Pomegranate Lemonade to its line of Minute Maid Enhanced Juices. The products are 12 percent juice and fortified with vitamins C and E. The tea and lemonade are available in 59-ounce PET bottles that feature an easy-pour side grip.
Miller Brewing Co. released MCG 64, a 64-calorie version of its Miller Genuine Draft Light. The beer was test marketed in Madison, Wis., last year, and this month will launch into Midwestern markets and be test marketed further in San Diego and Sacramento, Calif., and Arizona. MGD 64 will replace Miller Genuine Draft Light, which has 110 calories, in these markets.
First Juice Inc. developed an organic fruit and vegetable juice beverage of the same name. First Juice is designed to be lower in sugar, specifically for kids age 6 to 30 months. First Juice has 12 grams of sugar and 25 calories per 8-ounce serving with no added sugar, preservatives or artificial sweeteners. A blend of organic fruit and vegetable juice concentrates and purified water, the drink also is fortified with calcium and vitamins A, C and D.
Kraft Foods Inc. rebranded its “South Beach Diet” line to “South Beach Living,” and expanded its offerings into the beverage aisle with South Beach Living Tide Me Over Drink Mixes. The drink mixes are low-calorie, low-sodium and sugar-free fruit flavored mixes that can be added to bottled water. Available in Natural Strawberry Banana and Natural Tropical Breeze flavors, the mixes offer 3 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Honest Tea released
two new teas. Citrus Decaf Spice Tea is a black tea spiced with
cinnamon and cupuacu, an Amazon superfruit that has a citrus taste.