Trade Group Calls Change a ‘Curve Ball.’ Coke CEO Sees ‘Manageable Problem’
February 18, 2025
President Donald Trump announced last week that he will impose a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel next month while closing “loopholes and exemptions” for all US trade partners. Exemptions will be eliminated...
Wall Street Panel Discusses What’s at Stake in Pepsi-Coke Share Gap
January 9, 2025
BD hosted its annual Future Smarts conference in New York City on Dec. 16. The day’s discussion threads included the growing carbonated soft drink market share gap between Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in the US. Through the first three quarters of 2024, Coca-Cola held a 40 share of CSDs at US retail after a +0.4 point increase. PepsiCo held a 27 share after -0.7 point decrease. (Keurig Dr Pepper held a 24.5 share after a -0.9 point decline.) As the table below shows,
Pilot Projects in 2023 Expanded Nationally Late Last Year
January 9, 2025
Turn over a can or bottle of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in the US and you’ll find a new ingredient — stevia. The natural sweetener is now part of a formula that already included aspartame and acesulfame potassium. The new...
PepsiCo’s Muscle Milk Declines Through Three Quarters
December 11, 2024
Coca-Cola’s Fairlife Core Power continued to lead growth in the $6 billion US protein shake category at retail for the first nine months of this year, according to BD data. The brand grew sales +39% by dollars and +29% by volume in the period, as shown in the...
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.
A California judge has dismissed a lawsuit by Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling seeking to force Keurig Dr Pepper to renew an agreement for the distribution of Dr Pepper products in the state. The judge agreed with...
PepsiCo launched a new single-serve electrolyte powder this week called Gatorade Hydration Booster that is billed as “all-day, always-on hydration.” The product enters a...