Trade Show Highlights Poppi, Sparkling Ice, Lemon Perfect, and More
April 4, 2024
New York direct store distributor Big Geyser is known for helping turn aspiring non-alcoholic brands into stars by incubating them up and down the street in one of the most competitive beverage markets in the world. Brands handled by Big Geyser often graduate to the national distribution systems of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, or Keurig Dr Pepper. Notable examples include Vitaminwater and Smartwater, BodyArmor, and Monster Energy. Even more impressive recently is Big Geyser’s ability to hold onto hot brands even after they sign national distribution deals. Recent examples are...
BodyArmor Stabilizing, Coke CEO Says. Brand Responds to Changing Category.
PepsiCo Addresses Question of US Bottler Refranchising Amid Margin Woes.
The CEO’s of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo painted a rosier than expected picture of consumer strength and sentiment in the US during their companies’ recent fourth-quarter earnings reports. That came despite...
Multi-serve Glass Bottle Planned for Spring. Single-Serve Version to Follow
December 18, 2023
Coca-Cola’s Red Tree Beverages is planning a spring launch of the US alcohol unit’s first wine-based product, named Minute Maid Spiked. The drink was developed for the large percentage of legal drinking age consumers who regularly mix alcohol into non-alcoholic juice and juice drinks, including Minute Maid products, Red Tree President Jenny Dowdy said in an interview. “We saw this as a ...
Sees Chance to Elevate C-Store Java with Espresso and Technology
November 30, 2023
US Retail Stores Provide Consumer Experience to Seed Brand, Leader Says.
In Atlanta’s trendy and redeveloping historic West End neighborhood, the location for Coca-Cola’s newest Costa Coffee retail shop speaks to the brand’s aspiration. The cafe is a short walk from the Atlanta Beltline, a multi-use trail and revitalization project that attracts droves of active young Atlantans for everything from jogging and dog walking to brewpub hopping. These are the kinds of people that seek premium-priced coffee and have the means to pay for it. The new Costa store, a few miles from...
Keurig Dr Pepper Dives Into Hottest Sports Drinks Segment With Electrolit
October 26, 2023
Keurig Dr Pepper has agreed to distribute the fast-growing sports drink brand Electrolit starting in 2024, the companies announced this morning. The long-term deal with Mexico-based Grupo Pisa gives KDP significant access to the...
Coke Spiced, BodyArmor Zero, Bubly Burst, Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut Among Coming Launches
October 12, 2023
This year’s NACS expo for convenience store operators, held last week in Atlanta, provided a first look at product innovation from beverage makers in advance of Spring shelf resets. Buyers from both chain and independent small-store retailers attend the show. NACS is the primary trade association for the global convenience and fuel retailing industry. BD attended the event to walk the show floor. Here are some of the newest products shown:
‘We Want to be the Most Approachable Energy Drink.’
Zoa Energy, launched more than two years ago by celebrity Co-founder Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is seeking a new equilibrium. In a category where the fastest growth is coming from brands like Celsius that appeal to women as much as men, Zoa has brightened its visual identity, slimmed down its can, taken out the sugar, and cast a wider net. “We’re normalizing...
Rapid Rehydration on Pace to Reach $2B This Year, Says Coke
September 14, 2023
Fast on the heels of the May launch of ready-to-drink BodyArmor Flash I.V., Coca-Cola’s BodyArmor Sports Nutrition unit has started shipping a new version of the drink in...
Defense Will Require Innovation, Agility. Meanwhile, Model Behind Prime Hydration Confounds Industry Leaders
August 30, 2023
PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, the country’s No. 1 and No. 2 sports drink makers, face challenges on two fronts. On one side sits Electrolit, which has taken share by appealing to consumer desire for greater functionality and by embracing Hispanic consumers. On the other side sits Prime Hydration, which rose to...