We thought we’d have some fun in today’s newsletter reminiscing about the 40th anniversary of Coca-Cola’s dramatic reversal of the New Coke formula change in 1985. Check out the story on page 11. Beverage Digest Founder Jesse Meyers writes about a meeting in Rye Brook, New York with Coke legends Roberto Goizueta and Donald Keough, where the executives confirmed the top-secret New Coke project. You can also read (and see) Beverage Digest’s original reports on the New Coke launch and the company’s reversal less than three months later.

The New Coke episode came during...

Prime Hydration Decline Deepened. BodyArmor Decline Decelerated

Green Sheets: Sports Drinks, Sparkling Water, Bottled Water

The US sports drink category at retail declined during the first quarter of this year as Prime Hydration continued

I returned last week from a 2,000-mile motorcycle trip to a Harley-Davidson rally in Springfield, Missouri. For those interested, I ride a 2025 Street Glide Ultra. Our route took us through Tupelo, Mississippi to see Elvis’ birth home, and then to Elvis’ Graceland...

US Energy drink category growth at retail accelerated during the first quarter of this year following a sluggish 2024, according to BD data. The category posted sales growth of...

In a flip-flop, regular Pepsi-Cola outperformed regular Coca-Cola at US retail during the first quarter of this year, according to BD data. As shown in the...

We just released the 30th Edition of the Beverage Digest Fact Book, detailing 2024 all-channel sales results across the US non-alcoholic beverage industry. Unlike the quarterly retail data published in BD’s newsletter, this data set covers ready-to-drink packaged and fountain drinks across all channels, including retail stores and foodservice outlets.

Today’s special issue is a top-level view of that annual all-channel Fact Book report. It provides a snapshot of the intense competition within the U.S. non-alcoholic beverage business. The following newsletter pages cover major beverage companies, categories, trademarks, and brands. It’s a quick reference guide to how the biggest players are performing in liquid refreshment beverages, with an emphasis on carbonated soft drinks...

PepsiCo Beverages North America has struck an agreement with contract packager Niagara for the production and distribution of Aquafina case pack bottled water in the US, PBNA has confirmed to BD. Niagara will produce...

Concentrate list pricing for flagship Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and other carbonated soft drinks produced by US Coke bottlers rose...