Two Years After Refranchising, Bottler Hits Stride in US
September 17, 2019
The past year has been good for Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (CCSWB). The Dallas-based bottler, controlled by Mexico’s Arca Continental, took home the 2019 Candler Cup as Coca-Cola’s best bottler of the year globally. Before that, CCSWB was named Coke North America’s 2018 Market Street Challenge winner as the most improved bottler. And Southwest’s McAllen, Texas production plant earned a President’s Quality Award as CCNA’s No. 1 facility. The accolades rolled in just two years after Arca entered the US market as part of Coke’s massive refranchising of company-owned bottling assets in the US and Canada. In its first year, CCSWB faced Hurricane Harvey, which caused extensive flooding and damage in Houston, a key market. The bottler also faced soaring commodity costs. BD visited Houston recently for a curated market tour that served as a victory lap of sorts. The day was hosted by Coke Southwest executives including COO Jean Claude Tissot, a 21-year veteran of the Coca- Cola system in Latin America. The following recap includes images from the tour and commentary...
Pepsi to Push ‘Unapologetic Enjoyment.’ Dew to Invest in Core Markets. Gatorade to Take ‘Surgical Approach’ to Hot Weather. Bubly to Innovate.
September 17, 2019
PepsiCo brought together executives from its US bottling system in August to review new product and marketing plans for 2020. The company hosted the meeting at its Purchase, New York headquarters. Attendees included company-owned and independent franchise bottling executives. The gathering came six months after PepsiCo reorganized its North America beverage business into five divisions, four in the US and one in Canada. The meeting’s theme was...
A fast-paced collection of recent news from around the non-alcoholic beverage industry so you go into meetings prepared. Also a great way to feel the industry pulse.
A fast-paced collection of recent news from around the non-alcoholic beverage industry so you go into meetings prepared. Also a great way to feel the industry pulse.
Coke, PepsiCo Look Beyond Bottles and Cans for Opportunity, Hedges.
May 3, 2019
In June, PepsiCo will join Coca-Cola in launching a water vending platform that combines a host of consumer trends including sustainability, personalization, technology and health...
Beverage Innovators Embrace CBD, Shots, Keto and More
March 15, 2019
BD attended the Natural Products Expo West show last week at the Anaheim Convention Center & Arena outside Los Angeles. The event has become a showcase for products capitalizing on consumer health trends, which often evolve to mainstream appeal and drive acquisitions by large consumer products companies. Food and beverage offerings as usual dominated the show, which included more than 3,500 exhibitors spread across the equivalent of almost 10 football fields. Here’s an analysis of beverage themes and trends that emerged from this year’s show:
Keurig Dr Pepper has agreed to acquire the sales and distribution rights of Swire 7Up Dr Pepper of Pasco, Washington, which covers territory in Franklin and Benton counties on the Columbia River; brands being moved also include A&W, Sunkist, Schweppes, Cactus Cooler soda, Deja Blue bottled water and Venom energy drink
The table at right shows volume and dollar sales as well as pricing for selected non-carbonated beverage categories at U.S. retail for the first nine months of 2018. The data covers supermarkets, c-stores, drug chains, mass merchandisers including Walmart, plus some dollar/club stores and the military channel. Pricing grew in all five non-carb categories tracked by BD, with ready-to-drink tea increasing most. Bottled water pricing grew only slightly. Bottled water, sports drinks and
Company Blames ‘Scurrilous Allegations’ Despite Higher Pricing, Increased Competition.
November 30, 2018
The sudden October sales decline of National Beverage’s LaCroix sparkling water brand (BD Email Alert 11/13/18) appears to have continued into November. According to IRI data published this week by analysts at Susquehanna Financial Group, National Beverage’s sparkling water volume (made up of mostly LaCroix) declined -7.1% as dollar sales fell -1.2% during the four weeks ending Nov. 18. That followed a volume decline of -6.9% and a dollar decline of -2.7% during the four weeks ending Nov. 3, according to Nielsen data published more than two weeks ago by Wells Fargo. Prior to these declines, National sparkling water dollar sales had grown +6.3% in the four weeks ending Oct. 21, according