Arizona Gained RTD Tea Share as Lipton Slips. Gold Peak Up
December 11, 2024
Consumers cut back on ready-to-drink coffee at US retail during the first nine months of this year, according to BD data. The category, led by a joint venture between PepsiCo and Starbucks, declined by volume (-2.6%) and dollars (-3.2%), as shown in the Coffee Green Sheet with this story. Pricing for the category was down slightly by -0.6%. PepsiCo’s Starbucks portfolio posted a -9.1% volume sales decline as dollar sales dropped -6.3% as pricing rose +2.7%. Frappuccino, which accounted for more than a ...
SNAP, Warning Labels, Ingredient Regs Seemingly on Table
December 11, 2024
Policy comments by President-Elect Donald Trump and his proposed picks for cabinet and administrative posts have set off a barrage of speculation about potential impacts to the food and beverage industry. In a research note this week, RBC Capital Markets Beverage Analyst Nik Modi, who will speak at BD’s Future Smarts conference on Monday, summed up the industry consternation this way:...
We’ll close out the year on Monday with our annual Future Smarts conference in New York City. And I can’t wait to see what comes out of the program we've assembled.
I love the conversation we generate during the course of the day, with discussion threads that weave through the speaker sessions. Points from an earlier session often find their way into a later interview as dots are connected. The impact of consumer stress on industry growth, practical implications of technologies such as Ai, the competition for soft drink market share, and expectations for the new presidential administration will be some of those threads.
We’ll start the day with executives from Coca-Cola, Keurig Dr Pepper, and PepsiCo before convening our annual analyst panel to riff on what they’ve heard that morning. Bottlers from both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo will layer in their perspectives. And we will fold in a wholesaler’s view of the retail landscape with UNFI’s CEO. Olipop’s co-founder will provide some emerging brand and category spice. And Boston Beer’s former CEO will stir the pot in the best of ways with a view across beer and non-alcoholic beverages.
Future Smarts attendees will head into 2025 with a complete view of the most urgent industry topics, as voiced by smart industry insiders. It’s great to get a helping of clarity right before we all wrap up a busy 2024.
Like last year, we’ll host a welcome reception on Sunday for all registered attendees. I love that the evening is so anchoring, helping to deepen industry relationships on a human level — mine included.
If you can’t join us, rest assured we’ll share some slices of the Future Smarts pie in our newsletter next year. In the meantime, enjoy your families this holiday season. The team at Beverage Digest wishes you all the very best.
The US sports drink category at retail declined by both volume and dollar sales at retail during the first nine months of this year, according to BD data. As shown in the Green Sheet with this story, category volume fell...
Fairlife Core Power Far Outpaces Protein Shake Category
September 19, 2024
Meanwhile, PepsiCo’s Muscle Milk Refocuses Within Growing Category.
Bernstein Analyst Callum Elliot recently dug into Coca-Cola’s Fairlife dairy business as it generates billions of dollars in earnings charges from earn outs related to...
Co-founder Sees Broader Functional Platform for Olipop. Convenience Channel Next Stage to Prove ‘Big Tent’ Success
September 5, 2024
With gut health soda Olipop projecting $500 million in revenue this year, it’s no wonder the company has been the subject of takeover speculation, along with challenger Poppi. The premium functional brands, which promise to support digestive health with the inclusion of prebiotic fiber, have both notched growth rates in the +160% range in recent weeks, according to Nielsen data from Goldman Sachs. Both Olipop and Poppi position themselves as an alternative to traditional carbonated soft drinks, but at a much higher