Constellation Brands has formed a standalone, vertically integrated fine wine and craft spirits business unit ‘to enable its aspiration to be the #1 leader in the fine wine category and among the top portfolios in cult and luxury wine’.
New Zealand nootropic company Ārepa is investing over NZ$2 million (US$1.4m) on a series of brain health and performance clinical trials as it looks to create the world’s smartest drink.
Singapore’s beverage sector is seeking increased industry engagement and a more holistic approach to sugar reduction, after the government opened public consultations for its proposed ‘Nutri-Grade’ sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) labelling scheme.
Nestle Japan has launched two ‘plant-based coffee’ ranges as it seeks to maximise the appeal of one of the nation’s most-consumed beverages while tapping into one of the hottest consumer trends.
Protein bar brand SOBAR, produced by California-based Zeno Functional Foods, is gearing up to launch in the US and expand into Asia this year with its reformulated products that are said to reduce alcohol absorption.
Japanese brewery giants Asahi and Kirin are reacting cautiously to the government’s push to include alcoholic content by gramme on product labels, though both will be implementing changes which experts believe will be emulated by the rest of the industry...
PepsiCo is exploring personalized options with big-hitter Gatorade; while Coca-Cola is backing up-and-coming premium sports drink BodyArmor. How are the two beverage giants navigating the sports drinks category?
By Dr Adam Carey, chairman, European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA)
Over the past decades, the sports beverage industry has witnessed significant growth. Yet misinformation also surrounds these products. Dr Adam Carey, chairman of the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA), looks at some of these myths...
It’s no secret that hard seltzers are a massive US success story: but part of the excitement around the category is the continued potential for the future. “It’s not just the current size of the category, which is attention grabbing enough, but the fact...
The ABV threshold at which kombucha switches from a non-alcoholic beverage to what is effectively 'beer' for tax purposes is currently set at 0.5%. The KOMBUCHA Act, reintroduced to Congress by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3) and Senator...
South Korea has published a list of almost 3,000 food and beverage products which are banned from being sold on school grounds for being too high in calories and low in nutritional value, or high in caffeine in the government’s latest attempt to ensure...
India-based Rage Coffee, maker of vitamin-infused instant coffee, is targeting a tripling of revenue from US$2m to US$5.5m/6m by the end of 2021 – just three years after launching.
Juice firms in Australia have been advised to turn to blending their products with lower fructose fruits or vegetables in order to raise health star ratings (HSR), after a damaging ministerial decision to reduce the health rating of juices.
Coca-Cola Amatil (Amatil) is putting its sale to Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) to the vote next month, and the company has told shareholders the deal is as good as it gets, warning that share prices could fall if it doesn’t go ahead.
Flow Water founder Nicholas Reichenbach launched with some pretty lofty ambitions (cue comparisons to Fiji, Evian, building the ‘Tesla of water’ and becoming an ‘iconic’ brand). But if you’re going to get into a business as capital intensive as bottled...
Corona is launching sustainable, renewable packaging made from surplus barley straw in South America this month, an innovation that it hopes to roll out globally in the future.
By Émilie Steckenborn, founder and host of the Bottled in China podcast
A significant proportion of wine's carbon footprint comes from packaging. Could paper bottles reduce its impact? In this guest article, Émilie Steckenborn asks whether a transition to paper could happen in the near future.
ACE, The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, and its members SIG Combibloc, BillerudKorsnäs, Elopak, Stora Enso and Tetra Pak, have set the industry’s vision for the future, aiming to deliver the most sustainable packaging for resilient...
Processed fruit products and wines topped the list of food and beverage imports into South Korea last year, whereas past star performers beer and imported kimchi numbers suffered severe drops as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s milk, but not as we know it, Jim… To be precise, GoodSport is dairy milk, but with the protein and fat removed via ultra-filtration, leaving a clear sugary fluid loaded with electrolytes and vitamins. But does this upcycled elixir (better known as...
A keen sense of taste and smell is a fundamental part of being an oenologist - or working just about anywhere in the wine industry. So what happens when a professional - who depends on these senses - loses them from COVID-19?
New research concludes women diagnosed with breast cancer are 85% more likely to die from the disease if they drink non-diet soda five or more times a week.
A new study has outlined one possible mechanism of action of tea compounds that involve the activation of ion channel proteins in the blood vessel wall, relaxing the structure and thus reducing blood pressure.
The sparkling water category may seem crowded with products made by CPG giants and offerings from smaller, independently-owned brands, but the reality is that sparkling water is still just a small piece of the overall carbonated beverage category, says...
For those who know Cachaça, it is usually associated with a Caipirinha cocktail. But the drink has far more to offer: and promoting the diversity and versality of the Brazilian spirit to bartenders, distributors and consumers can help it achieve its potential...
Coca-Cola Amatil does not expect any major changes to its recently-published 20-year sustainability plan even if its takeover transaction with Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) plays out as planned and ownership of the firm changes.
Nestlé USA has acquired premium alkaline water brand, Essentia Water, for an undisclosed sum to expand its presence in the premium, high-growth functional water category.
Drinks manufacturer Britvic has posted a dip in sales and earnings in its full-year 2020 results, as it looks to premiumisation, e-commerce and low calorie drinks to boost business.
Free from added sugar, artificial flavors and with around half the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, Ocean Spray Wave – a caffeinated sparkling water with real fruit juice – is the latest drink meeting a trio of consumer demands of refreshment, energy,...
Canopy Growth Corporation is entering the ‘high-potential US CBD beverage category’ with its premium ready-to-drink CBD-infused sparkling water Quatreau.
A home grown ingredient supplier is seeking to support indigenous farmers while expanding overseas markets for guayusa, a traditional botanical of the Amazonian rainforest.
Taste and nutrition company Kerry has completed a life cycle assessment comparing the environmental impact of its Tastesense Sweet ingredient against the footprint of sugar. The result? “Reducing the consumption of sugar has impressive health and environmental...
AB InBev’s Brazilian beer business delivered strong performance in 2020, despite the challenges of the year. A combination of speedy innovation, premium brand strength and digital developments have been the key to success in the country, says the company....
No and low alcohol drinks are ready to revolutionise the RTD market. But while brands may focus on reduced ABV and calorie content, at the end of the day it's the taste which will determine whether they win or lose in the marketplace, writes Highball...
PepsiCo is making its first foray into the non-alcoholic cocktail mixers category with the launch of Neon Zebra, aimed at Gen Z and young Millennials (21-34-year olds) who like making cocktails at home, but are looking for more “fun and practical"...
Wild Tonic Jun Kombucha (fermented from honey and green tea instead of traditional cane sugar and black tea) is banking on several growth trends in the kombucha category this year including its refreshed slim cans and expanding line of hard kombucha.
Carlsberg Malaysia is ramping-up its digital and retail strategies after suffering a 44% annual slump in sales after COVID-19 lockdowns decimated large parts of its on-trade business.
Austrian energy drink brand Dark Dog has established its Asia headquarters in Singapore as it looks to expand regional distribution of its organic product range.
New Zealand researchers are planning to conduct clinical trials on a kawakawa beverage with immune and metabolic health benefits, before refining the formulation and sell it in the export markets.
