20-oz ‘Fallen Off a Cliff.’ New Retail Data: Beverage Category Sales Slowed.
April 14, 2020
As COVID-19 home lockdowns drag on, beverage bottlers in the Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper and independent beverage distribution systems have seen large store sales slow in April compared to the extreme stock-up buying by consumers last month, according to BD’s ongoing informal survey. Bottlers are increasingly concerned about the shift to future consumption from immediate consumption, which has pressured profit margins. The following are comments from bottlers since late last week, organized by topic...
New York is one of the hardest hit COVID-19 regions in the world. It’s also the home to Big Geyser, one of the largest and most important independent beverage distributors (and incubators) in the US. The company serves almost 13 million consumers in New York City’s five boroughs and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester. BD spoke this week to Big Geyser COO Jerry Reda to find out how the company is responding to the crisis. He estimated that only about...
Since early March, BD has tracked the COVID-19 crisis through the eyes of beverage executives in the Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and independent bottling systems. By last week, a period of frenzied demand had given way to a more normalized sales pattern, bottlers and distributors said. Some are now bracing for... Story includes direct comments from beverage bottlers and distributors.
As consumers reacted in March to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Beverage Digest provided live updates on the impact to the US non-alcoholic beverage industry. Here is that coverage in its entirety.
Given triple-digit percentage growth rates for hard seltzers and the increasing trend
toward ultra-low-calorie beers, BD decided to take a look at calorie counts for alcoholic
beverage segments and brands...
Bubly to Launch Caffeinated Sparkling Water Variant. Dew Refocus Underway, CFO Says.
February 21, 2020
Since early January, speculation has circulated as to a buyout of Bang by PepsiCo, which has struggled within the energy category for years as its past success with Rockstar faded. When asked by an analyst about the possibility of using an acquisition to dig out of the energy hole, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta...
Plus: Bang Launches ‘Natural’ Line Sweetened With Stevia
February 21, 2020
After flying under the radar following its 2012 launch, Bang Energy sent a sonic boom across the US energy drink market during the past two years, surpassing an 8.0 dollar share in 2019. The brand, owned by Vital Pharmaceuticals (VPX), ignited what is now known as the “performance energy” segment, taking on established players such as Monster Energy by touting better ingredients, low or no sugar, and supplements such as creatine and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Under threat, Monster Beverage launched a counter-attack early last year with Reign Total Body Fuel, using the company’s partnership with Coca-Cola’s US bottling system to shower retail stores with incremental floor displays and c-store cooler placements. Fast forward a year and the threat posed by Bang may have subsided...
Any Sale of Brand ‘Shouldn’t Have Substantive Ramifications,” for PepsiCo, CFO Says.
February 21, 2020
During PepsiCo’s Feb. 13 earnings conference call with analysts, CEO Ramon Laguarta and CFO Hugh Johnston appeared to throw cold tea on the idea of the company acquiring Unilever’s Lipton tea brand. Unilever has said it is considering a sale of the global brand as demand for...
Costa Coffee Accelerating Express Machine Expansion. Plus, 4Q Coke Revenue Jumps +7.0%. Shares Hit Record High.
February 7, 2020
During a Jan. 30 conference call with Wall Street analysts to discuss Coca-Cola’s fourth-quarter earnings report, CEO James Quincey was asked about potential impacts from the Coronavirus outbreak in China. And in an interview, he discusses plans for Costa Coffee in the US...
LaCroix Lost Share as Bubly Gained. Coke Poised to Further Shake Up Category With Aha Launch.
February 7, 2020
The US sparkling water category grew in 2019, driven by the consumer shift to lower-sugar beverages with simpler ingredient panels. Here's a brand-level look and comprehensive data table detailing the category.