Bottlers Fight Back Against Single-Serve CSD Declines
May 6, 2020
Carbonated soft drink bottlers are facing lower margins due to a shift away from immediate consumption channels and packages such as 20-oz PET bottles to future consumption channels and packages such as 12-packs of 12-oz cans. The margin squeeze is a key reason for furloughs and job cuts at...
Also Closes $3.85 Billion Rockstar Energy Acquisition
April 28, 2020
PepsiCo just announced an exclusive agreement to distribute Bang Energy in the US. The deal, effective immediately, comes as PepsiCo also has closed the $3.85 billion acquisition of Rockstar Energy. Terms of the agreement with Bang owner VPX Pharmaceuticals...
Analysts at Goldman Sachs, led by Bonnie Herzog, surveyed retail and wholesale contacts representing 33,000 US convenience & gas store locations, which represents about a fifth of that retail channel. Here are some of their findings:
A recent report by Credit Suisse Analyst Lauren Silberman and her team outlined trends in the US restaurant sector, which is an important sales channel for fountain and packaged beverages. Here are some of the points from the April 13 report that BD found most important for the beverage industry:
CEO Sees Challenging Second-Quarter. Says Crisis Response in Coke's 'DNA.'
April 21, 2020
Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey emphasized the company’s resilience today as it reported first-quarter earnings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are initial takeaways from today’s earnings release and company-hosted calls with Wall Street analysts and media:
The COVID-19 disruption extended through last week’s important Easter holiday sales period. Large family gatherings and community egg hunts were shut down across the country. The holiday also came on the heels of a month of extreme grocery stock-up in April. BD took a look at...
Former CEO Responds to Recent Events, Enthusiastic About Sale.
April 14, 2020
Stevia producer PureCircle has agreed to sell a 75% stake in the company to global ingredients maker Ingredion for about 185.3 million pounds sterling ($231 million). The transaction is expected to close during the second half of this year. The announcement follows a five-month accounting probe at PureCircle and eventual management shake-up, which included the resignation of founder and former CEO Maga Malsagov. Ingredion will appoint...
The tumult during the first quarter of 2020 amid the global COVID-19 virus outbreak was reflected in all beverage stocks tracked by BD. In many cases, the declines reversed gains posted for...
US Launch in Limbo Despite Retail Pitch. Pepsi Café, too?
April 14, 2020
Back in January, Coke was busy showing US retailers its new Coca-Cola with Coffee offering in preparation for an April launch. Now it appears the plan has been delayed amid the COVID-19 crisis. While Coke declined to confirm any specific launch plans or delay, a spokesman did offer insight on the subject when asked...