Late last night, Nestlé announced an agreement to sell its Pure Life and regional bottled water brands, as well as its ReadyRefresh beverage delivery unit, to private equity firms...

With the global COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread, Beverage Digest held the first ever virtual version of its annual Future Smarts conference. The Dec. 7 live streamed event featured 11 speakers, including executives from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Keurig Dr Pepper, Nestlé Waters and Molson Coors Beverage. Speakers from Coca-Cola United, Kitu Life, Lemon Perfect, and PureCircle offered insights on everything from distribution to consumer trends. Much of the day’s conversation...

The speaker lineup for our Dec. 7 virtual Future Smarts conference is set. And it’s top-notch. We’ve recently confirmed our final addition, Henrik Jelert, who is EVP for ReadyRefresh at Nestle Waters North America. This direct-to-consumer unit has navigated higher demand for at- home beverage delivery and a slow-down in workplace consumption during the COVID-19 crisis. He and I will discuss challenges and opportunities, while looking ahead to what comes after the pandemic. We’ll also bring Molson Coors Beverage into the Future Smarts fold for the first time. . .

As BD has reported on extensively, Keurig Dr Pepper has made a series of moves this year in its direct-store-delivery system that hinted of a broader strategy at play. In June, KDP bought back production and distribution rights for RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist, 7Up, Snapple and Big Red from Indiana-based Royal Crown Bottling of Evansville. At about the same time, KDP transferred ...

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...