Latest Insights

Coke Freestyle Goes Touchless

Rollout Underway Following Tests

July 15, 2020

Coca-Cola has responded to the COVID-19 crisis with a touchless update to the company’s Freestyle fountain. Consumers can choose to scan a QR code with their smartphone camera and use their own phone screen to select and pour a beverage while bypassing the Freestyle’s touchscreen...

Bubbles Favored During Pandemic

By the Numbers: Beverage Category Performance

July 15, 2020

Consumers gravitated toward bubbles during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to retail data from late March to Mid-June. The carbonated soft drink and sparkling water categories each added...

PepsiCo 2Q Highlights

Rockstar Refresh, Reformulation Underway

July 15, 2020

On July 13, PepsiCo reported second-quarter results that came during the surging global COVID-19 pandemic. Here are our takeaways from the report, an analyst conference call, and an interview with CFO Hugh Johnston...

Admiral Sues PepsiCo

Bottler Declined To Sign E-commerce Contract

July 15, 2020

Pepsi bottler Admiral Beverage has sued PepsiCo in a federal court in Wyoming. In the July 6 lawsuit, the bottler alleges that PepsiCo plans to “improperly terminate ," ...

Soft Drinks Accelerate as Pandemic Persists

Coke, Pepsi, KDP All Post Dollar, Volume Gains

July 1, 2020

Carbonated soft drink sales growth continued to accelerate as the COVID-19 crisis in the US entered a fourth month, according to data provided by Nielsen. Dollar sales...

Buffalo Rock Pepsi to Distribute RC Cola, KDP Portfolio

July 1, 2020

Pepsi bottler Buffalo Rock has picked up distribution of Keurig Dr Pepper’s brands including RC Cola, 7UP, A&W Root Beer, Crush and Bai in parts...

Recessionary Private Label Shift Not So Simple

RBC Capital Bullish On Top-Branded Products

July 1, 2020

Conventional wisdom holds that consumers will trade down to private label consumer packaged goods during economic downturns such as the pandemic-driven US recession...