Familiarity with shifting consumer attitudes amidst a turbulent economy–and the willingness to make changes in the cooler if need be–could help retailers cash in big with isotonics and energy drinks this year. “If you’re intent on raising your share in that marketplace then I think you have to get in touch with who that user [...]
Packaged in a patent-protected, retro-style rocket bottle, ZUN, a new Energy-Plus beverage, is continuing its national rollout, entering stores in 11 Midwest states. “Stores are reporting that ZUN is selling fast and selling out within just days of placing,” said Brian Stearns, founder and CEO of ZUN. “The ZUN brand is quickly gaining favor with [...]
Sweet Leaf Tea Co. has acquired Cincinnati competitor Tradewinds Beverage Co., the Austin Business Journal reported. Austin-based Sweet Leaf Tea Co. expects the purchase to help it expand its market reach, especially in the Midwest where Tradewinds has strong distribution channels. Tradewinds makes teas and juices kettle-brewed in Ohio. The company will continue day-to-day operations [...]
Dos Equis, the fastest growing import beer brand in the U.S., and cerveza Tecate are revealing details of the brands’ most interesting and unconventional ‘Cinco ways to Celebrate’ Cinco de Mayo/Spring retail and on-premise program. The program is designed to inspire adult consumers to take their celebrations to a new level while helping keep grocery, [...]
Dos Equis, the fastest growing import beer brand in the U.S., and cerveza Tecate are revealing details of the brands’ most interesting and unconventional ‘Cinco ways to Celebrate’ Cinco de Mayo/Spring retail and on-premise program. The program is designed to inspire adult consumers to take their celebrations to a new level while helping keep grocery, [...]
Dos Equis, the fastest growing import brand among top imports and primary driver of import category growth in the Texas food channel, is raising the stakes even higher with the introduction of the Dos Equis Lager 18 Pack. The new pack capitalizes on two key trends in the Lone Star State: the continued explosion in [...]
Jamba Juice Company and Oregon Ice Cream are debuting a new line of Frozen Fruit Sorbet and Frozen Fruit Sorbet & Yogurt Bars, hitting select retail freezers across the U.S. this week. The frozen novelty bars are available in five delicious flavors, are all natural, made with real fruit, provide a good source of [...]
State of beer: Despite a strong outlook for 2010, U.S. beer shipments dropped by 2.2% in 2009. Thousands of Barrels Shipped $2,008 2,009 Change Anheuser-Busch $107,025 104,800 ($2,225.00) MillerCoors $64,500 63,300 ($1,200.00) Crown Imports $11,583 11,000 ($583.00) Heineken USA $8,960 8,575 ($385.00) Pabst $5,900 5,700 ($125.00) Selling beer, wine and other adult [...]
Just in time for the summer selling season, Kronik Energy drinks are being added to the vaults of more than 140 company-operated Maverik convenience stores across seven western states. Kronik Energy is being introduced as a new product to the Maverik stores based on customer demand for a fresh, chug-able and thirst-quenching, alternative to the [...]
Colorado’s convenience-store owners won a victory this week when the state’s House Business Affairs and Labor Committee approved a measure Wednesday that would allow c-stores of under 5,000 feet to sell products with a higher alcoholic content than the reduced-strength beer that they now are limited to selling, Denver Business Journal. The proposal won by a [...]
A struggle over liquor laws in Kansas continues, the Kansas City Star reported. C-stores and grocery stores have for years sought the right to sell full-strength beer in Kansas, but liquor stores have successfully blocked the legislation. This year the grocers and convenience store owners came up with a compromise for state lawmakers-allow c-stores to [...]
As marketing category manager for Mansfield, Ohio-based EZ Energy USA Inc., Deb Davis oversees the beverage category and makes the critical call as to which products head to the cooler, and which don’t make the cut. Having just finished meeting with soda vendors to finalize the 2010 soda contracts, Davis is now busy overseeing beer [...]
Hoshizaki America Inc. has welcomed a new Chief Operating Officer, Christopher R. Leader. In this position, Leader will have total company-wide responsibility for Hoshizaki America Inc. Leader is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and the University of Michigan with an MBA from the Ross [...]
Heineken is set to acquire the beer operations of Mexico’s Fomento Económico Mexicano (Femsa) for about $7.6 billion, a move that will help the Dutch brewer expand its operations in the Western Hemisphere, CNN Money reported. The all-stock deal will give Heineken, which brews Amstel and other beers, control of Femsa’s key export brands, including [...]
It makes not one iota of difference whether you believe in Santa or celebrate Christmas to make a difference in someone’s life at this special time of the year. We all recognize that 2009—like no other year in the past 50—has created a genuine and critical need that provides both an opportunity for all of [...]