NEW PACKAGE FOR COKE ZERO SUGAR. In Europe, Coca-Cola has introduced new packaging for Coca- Cola Zero Sugar that is all red, with black lettering. The previous cans included a black band at the top. A similar package design is expected to launch in North America in August. Meanwhile, during a Feb. 19 appearance on CNBC, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey said Coke Zero Sugar “will be the biggest growth driver in ’21 and probably for the next few years.”

CSD GROWTH ACCELERATED. ENERGY CATEGORY STRONG DESPITE DECELERATION. US Carbonated soft drink dollar sales grew +13.6% during the four weeks ended Feb. 20, according to Nielsen data published by Morgan Stanley. That marked an acceleration from+11.3% growth in the prior 12-weeks. Volume jumped +8.6% during the four weeks while pricing that grew +4.6%. Energy category growth of +9.1% during the four weeks represented a deceleration from +12.5% growth during the 12-week period.

KEURIG DR PEPPER 4Q RESULTS. On Feb. 25, Keurig Dr Pepper reported fourth quarter adjusted revenue growth of +6.4%. Packaged beverage sales grew +7.9%, while beverage concentrates declined -5.8%. Latin America unit beverage sales were up +2.3% and coffee systems growth jumped +9.1%.

MONSTER BEVERAGE 4Q RESULTS. Also on Feb. 25, Monster Beverage reported a +17.6% increase in net sales during the fourth quarter, with Monster Energy (including Reign) growing +17.7%. International sales grew +20.4%.

COKE CONSOLIDATED 4Q RESULTS. On Feb. 26, Coca-Cola Consolidated reported fourth- quarter net sales growth of +8.5%, helped by four extra selling days in the period. Volume grew +2.6% on a comparable basis, helped by +1.1% growth in packaged carbonated soft drinks and +6.8% growth in packaged still beverages. Dollar sales in the company’s fountain segment declined -31%.

SUSTAINABILITY. Industry trade group Unesda Soft Drinks Europe has pledged to make European Union beverage packaging “fully circular” by 2030 by collecting 90% of packages, producing all PET bottles from 100% recycled and/or renewable material, and increasing use of refillable containers.

TECHNOLOGY. CONA Services, the shared IT services platform for Coca-Cola bottlers in North America, has signed a deal with Salesforce for customer relationship management. The multi-year deal includes development of a Consumer Goods Cloud that will give bottlers “a shared view of every customer interaction, increasing productivity, removing waste and simplifying our systems landscape,” CONA CEO Reinhard Meister said in a statement announcing the deal.

LAUNCHES, EXPANSION. Canopy Growth, minority owned by Corona beer brewer Constellation Brands, has launched a CBD-infused sparkling water in the US called Quatreau ... Jones Soda has released two versions of a 12-count variety pack of its flavored bottled soft drinks; in addition two special releases this year will be Birthday Cake Soda and Pineapple Cream ... Drink powder maker Hydrant has launched a variant called Sleep that includes melatonin and L-theanine; a pack of 30 powder sleeves sells online for $43.75 ... BCAA energy drink brand Nocco has added a Limón Del Sol limited edition summer flavor ... Steaz has refreshed its packaging and branding as Steaz Antioxidant Brew, while also adding a Yerbe Mate version ... Coca-Cola has discontinued Black Cherry + Coffee and Apple + Ginger flavors of its AHA sparkling water, citing aluminum can shortages; the brand added Raspberry + Acai and Mango + Black Tea flavors to the lineup and bolstered caffeine messaging on two favors that contain the ingredient ... In Germany, Coca-Cola is testing Sprite, Fanta and Mezzo Mix flavor syrups for use with at-home soda makers ... Keurig Dr Pepper-backed Adrenaline Shoc performance energy brand has launched a plant-based Accelerator line with “thermogenic” ingredients that can go head-to- head with brands including Celsius ... Reyes Holdings’ beer division has agreed to acquire most of California-based Redding Distributing.

REGULATION, TAXES. A Massachusetts senator has introduced a bill to tax some sugar- sweetened drinks at between 1-cent and 2-cents per ounce, depending on a product’s sugar content, according to the Boston Herald ... In Washington state, a senator has proposed a 1.75-cent per ounce tax on beverages with more than 20 calories per 12-oz serving, the AP reported.

QUICK TAKES. On the heels of a new partnership with PepsiCo, Beyond Meat has now agreed to partnerships with McDonald’s and Yum Brands to develop plant-based products ... PepsiCo’s Rockstar Energy announced a cross-promotional marketing partnership with 100 Thieves, which manages eSports teams, markets streetwear aimed at gamers, and produces gaming-related content ... Coca-Cola’s Powerade Ultra was named Product of the Year in the US sports nutrition category; Live Better Apple Cider Vinegar won in the functional beverage category after voting by 40,000 consumers ... Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey told CNBC on Feb. 19 that a plan to cut underperforming brands will continue into this year, while confirming Fresca is safe ... Donald Trump’s love for Diet Coke continues to be a media preoccupation, with the Washingtonian reporting on a “seven-step process” that had been used by wait staff to serve the president his favorite soda at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC.