Allow me to catch you up on plans for our Future Smarts conference on Dec. 5. Our return to New York City after two years of successful virtual shows promises to deliver an expert lineup as good as we’ve ever hosted.
Just yesterday I confirmed our most recent speaker addition: Michael Del Pozzo, the new president and general manager for PepsiCo’s Gatorade Performance Portfolio. The unit includes Propel, Muscle Milk, Evolve plant-based protein shakes, and now Fast Twitch energy drink for athletes. We haven’t announced Del Pozzo’s appearance, so consider this a sneak peek. BodyArmor in recent years has re-ignited a category that had become sleepy. It’s now a free-for-all and Gatorade hasn’t backed away from...
‘The Plastics Issue is Not Going Away,’ Executive Says
August 18, 2022
Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages has become the first beverage manufacturer to replace plastic rings and shrink wrap with paperboard holders for can multipacks. The bottler is now using a KeelClip paperboard packaging system by Graphic Packaging to hold together six- packs of 7.5-oz minicans. More package sizes could be added...
Starbucks, Primo, Amazon, Target Face Long Climb Back. Coke, Kroger Gain
August 2, 2022
The stock market was not kind during the first half of this year to most US-traded beverage and retail companies tracked by BD. As shown in the table, Starbucks...
120-Year-Old Company Navigates Unprecedented Inflation With ‘Steady’ Strategy
July 15, 2022
Nestled in Winchester, Kentucky just outside Lexington and less than three miles from the Bluegrass Heritage Museum, craft soda maker Ale-8-One Bottling is a microcosm of the complex...
Amid Celsius Speculation, PepsiCo Leaders Open to Energy Distribution Deals. But ‘Not Urgent.’
July 15, 2022
Some independent Pepsi bottlers in the US may be unable to distribute Bang Energy for Vital Pharmaceuticals (VPX) following PepsiCo’s and VPX’s decision to sever ties by the end of this year. Bottlers...
Solutions Sought as Booze Market Taps Non-Alcoholic Brands
June 23, 2022
Coca-Cola is considering compensating its franchise bottlers in the US for company- sanctioned ready-to-drink alcohol beverages sold in bottlers’ exclusive territories, BD has learned from bottling executives. Just last week, Jack Daniel’s whiskey maker Brown-Forman and Coca-Cola announced a “global relationship” for a Jack & Coke canned cocktail to be launched in Mexico later this year. While other...