Trends for Coca-Cola’s carbonated soft drink portfolio and its flagship Coca-Cola at US retail improved during the first quarter of this year after a surprising pullback by Hispanic consumers last year. Coke’s CSD portfolio posted volume and dollar sales gains of...

Celsius Energy went from being an underdog to the No. 3 energy drink in the US with a simple formula: broaden the base. Rather than competing for the traditional male energy drink consumer through testosterone-fueled marketing, Celsius Energy built its brand around flavor and a wellness-oriented identity that gave women and professionals who had never bought an energy drink permission to enter the category. Now, with the acquisition of Rockstar Energy from PepsiCo last year, parent company Celsius Holdings is tapping back into the category's roots to access the adrenaline and attitude that built the energy drink sector. “We’ve always been an in-your-face brand,” Celsius Holdings CMO Rishi Daing said of Rockstar, for which he is spearheading a marketing reset. “But we became a little too polished in recent years, maybe a little too sophisticated. Our consumers probably weren't finding that as relevant anymore.” Last month, Celsius Holdings launched a new “Live Loud” brand identity and marketing campaign, playing off Celsius Energy’s “Live. Fit. Go” brand positioning. The new Rockstar positioning comes with an aggressive push into music, action sports, and motorsports. Daing said...

Most beverage and retail stocks tracked by BD have outperformed the broader market this year through May 11. The S&P 500 gained +8.3%, while the Consumer Staples Index rose +9.0%. The majority of beverage companies in BD's tracking universe outpaced both benchmarks. All share price results in this story are year-to-date through May 11.

MAJOR BEVERAGE COMPANIES. Coca-Cola shares gained...

McDonald’s plans to use Red Bull as a base for a new specialty blended beverage to debut across US locations in August. The chain will introduce Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer as part of a new specialty drink menu in the US this year.

Coca-Cola recently launched the company’s first-ever national food service campaign in the US called "And a Coke." The campaign is organized around the idea that “nothing completes a meal like a Coke,” according to the company. The campaign is unique for...