Beverage marketers have paid increasing attention in recent years to the booming Hispanic population in the US. This demographic cohort’s expanding buying power has created a key sales growth opportunity for consumer packaged goods makers. According to the US Census Bureau, about...

ABOUT THIS REPORT AND BD’S FACT BOOK, 30TH EDITION. This report is a snapshot of BD’s newly-published Fact Book, 30th Edition. Fact Book offers a comprehensive view of US liquid refreshment beverage industry sales performance by brands, company, and category. Annually, BD compiles estimated volume and value sales data for the US liquid refreshment beverages (LRB) market, as well as categories including carbonated soft drinks (CSD), and energy drinks. The data included in BD’s Fact Book and in this special issue synopsis estimates beverage sales for all measured and unmeasured channels, including packaged retail, fountain, and vending. The fountain channel includes restaurants, sports and entertainment venues, and other foodservice outlets. In recent years, BD has added chilled juice to the annual Fact Book and to this report.

There’s a question Pam Stewart has consistently fielded from friends and family in recent years about her work at Coca-Cola: When is Costco’s iconic $1.50 hot dog combo going to include Coke again? Stewart, who is chief customer officer for retail within Coca-Cola’s North America Operating Unit, answered that question this year when her team won back Costco pouring rights from PepsiCo after a dozen years. “I finally get an A on the report card after so many years of hard toiling,” she said in an interview with BD. Stewart gets an A from more than just family and friends. During her 25-year career in the Coca-Cola system, Stewart has earned a reputation as an agile leader and strong collaborator who is a rising star within Coca-Cola. Her experience across the Coca-Cola System, including at Coca-Cola Enterprises, spans finance, sales, operations, and general management. She also serves on the board of directors for snack company Utz Brands. Before her career at Coca-Cola, Stewart spent several years in the telecommunications industry. BD spoke to Stewart to get her view of the current retail customer environment in the US. /p>

The following interview has been condensed and edited for clarity: