Analysis: Why the FDA Banned Brominated Vegetable Oil in Beverages

The FDA issued a significant ruling for beverage manufacturers, saying brominated vegetable oil is no longer considered safe.

Brewing Change: Iced Tea Stealing Spotlight from Soda

Iced tea has enjoyed sweet success of late, and a new survey suggests the drink poses a serious threat to carbonated soft drinks.

Gut Feelings: Experts Largely Bullish on Prebiotic Sodas

Many industry experts believe prebiotic sodas represent a gut-health trend with real staying power as major soda brands appear poised to respond.

Prognosis Positive: Dr Pepper Overtakes Pepsi as No. 2 Soda in America

Dr. Pepper: call it soda or call it pop, but either way, there’s a new no. 2 soda in America, and it isn’t Pepsi.

Three Key Trends from NRA 2024

The food-away-from home industry gathered in Chicago between May 18 and May 21 for the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show (NRA 2024).

KEY: The Startup with Zero Sugar and $4 Million in Funding

Could a zero-sugar energy drink be the future of the heavily saturated beverage market? Possibly. KEY, an energy drink start-up, recently emerged with $4 million in funding, according to an article by AFN. The start-up, …

Food Producers, WIC Officers Recalibrate Offerings as Food Insecurity Hobbles Consumer Spending

Across the US, inflation-weary consumers continue to push back on years of price hikes, cooking from home or simply buying less to save more.

FI Fast Break audio news: Feb. 14, 2024

The latest Food Institute Fast Break news podcast discusses the demise of a noteworthy plant-based seafood brand.

Understanding Gen X’s Unique Food Preferences

Food preferences are a complex interplay of taste, health, value, and convenience. While these factors are universally important, the way they manifest can vary across generations due to differences in life stage, culture, macro-economic conditions, …

L’Eggo My Waffle-flavored Adult Beverage

Mountain Dew, Simply Orange, and SunnyD have all launched alcohol products recently which have drawn the ire of consumer advocates.

Coca-Cola Finds Marketing Success by Sidestepping Controversy

When was the last time you heard “controversy” and “Coca-Cola” in the same sentence? Not in recent months. The venerable company has made a concerted effort to avoid culture wars and political stances while also …

Rock the Block(chain): NFTs in Food and Beverage

The heck is an NFT? Their precursors in the ‘90s were called pogs – often cheap and of limited variety for the average consumer, easily tradable and without much long-term staying power. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) …

CPG Brands Adapting Marketing Messages to Reach Latin Consumers

According to a recent Kantar report, Latin America is home to nearly 40% of the global CPG and FMCG brands that are growing. Here’s a look at the most popular CPG brands in Latin America, …

Emerging Tech a Hot Topic at Digital Food & Beverage 2023

The recent Digital Food and Beverage conference illustrated that first-party data and AI are fast becoming transformative tech drivers of industry evolution.

How Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Have Defied Market Downturn

For Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, 2022 seems like it should have been a difficult year. As we discussed just a couple months ago, the challenges facing the food and beverage industry are numerous. Inflation continues to …

Case Study: How Seth Goldman Built Just Ice Tea in 3 Months

When the Coca-Cola Co. announced it was discontinuing Honest Tea, co-founder Seth Goldman jumped into action. In a recent episode of The Food Institute Podcast, Goldman discussed his decision to launch Just Ice Tea and …

The Keys to Marketing to Gen Z Consumers

Which brands are most popular among Gen Z? That question was examined in depth in a recent Morning Consult report. And, included among social media brands like TikTok and gaming entities like Twitch, plenty of …

FI Fast Break audio news: June 15, 2022

This week, in The Food Institute’s quick-hitting, audio news podcast, we examine the growth of the specialty food market, and Coca-Cola’s unique new cocktail in a can. The Food Institute Podcast · FI Fast Break …

How Much Inflation Can Consumers Handle?

Inflation at the grocery store continues to rise — and consumers are noticing. In fact, the CPI food at home index rose 7.4 percent over the last 12 months, according to The Bureau of Labor …

FI Webinar Recap: What’s Driving Food & Beverage M&A Activity? 

The food and beverage industry has seen no shortage of mergers and acquisitions of late, to put it mildly. And that begs the question: What, exactly, are the driving forces behind these transactions? In a recent webinar …

Big Soda Departs from the Juice Market

PepsiCo has announced plans to sell Tropicana, Naked, and other juice brands across North America to private equity firm PAI Partners for about $3.3 billion. The soda giant is just the latest such company to …

EARNINGS UPDATE: Coca-Cola Reports Strong Second Quarter Results

Coca-Cola Co. released its second quarter earnings this week—and sales rebounded faster than expected. HIGHLIGHTS: Net Revenues grew 42% Organic Revenues (Non-GAAP) grew 37% Operating Income grew 52% Operating Margin was 29.8% versus 27.7% in …

Food and Beverage Companies Signal Higher Prices

Many food companies are raising prices to offset higher costs. Higher commodity costs are pressuring companies’ profits, while some are also starting to lap their surging sales sparked by stockpiling in 2020, reported CNBC (March …

Sales Data Show Rise in Popularity of Healthier Beverages

While sales data show beverage companies, like many other businesses, are struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are signs that consumers are making healthier choices about what they drink. And that offers opportunity for …

Major Brands Sack Super Bowl Ads as Upstarts Kick Off for First Time

Some upstart brands that saw strong sales in 2020 will keep the momentum going by airing Super Bowl advertisements for the very first time. Other, more established brands are directing traditional ad budgets for the …

Companies Show Thanks to Employees as Pandemic Continues

Food companies are showing their appreciation for employees in several ways as 2020 comes to a close. Chipotle has paid out over $40 million in bonuses and assistance pay to employees during COVID-19, reported QSR …

Digital Marketing Promoting Unhealthy Food and Drinks to Children

YouTube kid influencers are marketing junk food from McDonald’s, Coke, and others to children, reported MarketWatch (Oct. 27). In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers analyzed 418 YouTube videos from the five most-watched …

Food Brands Focus on Sustainability

Several major food companies have recently made headlines with sustainability-forward initiatives. Chipotle With the debut of Real Foodprint, Chipotle Mexican Grill becomes the first brand to provide detailed sustainability impact data about its ingredients for …

Food Businesses’ Earnings Beat Expectations

Several major food companies recently reported earnings, beating analyst expectations. Chipotle Quarterly same-store sales growth was more than 8% at Chipotle Mexican Grill, with digital sales more than tripling, reported CNBC (Oct. 21). However, a shift to delivery …

Nestlé & Coca-Cola Refresh Beverage Portfolios

An insider says Nestlé SA will sell some of its American water brands, which include Pure Life, Poland Spring, and Deer Park, reported Reuters (Oct. 15). The brands being sold, which also include Deer Park, …

Coca-Cola Reimagines Beverage Lines

Coca-Cola is discontinuing its Zico coconut water brands, reported The Wall Street Journal (Oct. 4). The decision to halt production of the drink by the end of the year “comes at a time when [the …

World’s Biggest Plastic Producers Accused of ‘Hypocrisy’ Over Pledges

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé made public pledges to cut plastic while undermining sustainability reforms behind the scenes through lobbying groups and trade associations, a report from Changing Markets Foundation claims. It accused the world’s largest plastic polluters of hypocrisy, …

Food Companies Make More Job Cuts

A growing amount of large food companies—particularly in manufacturing and foodservice—are continuing to restructure, making more job cuts in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Most recently, Coca-Cola laid off thousands of workers, offering voluntary deals …

Coca-Cola to Join Hard Seltzer Craze

Food Institute Focus – Coca-Cola to Join Hard Seltzer Craze

More SKU-Rationalization Hits Manufacturers

Food Institute Focus – More SKU-Rationalization Hits Manufacturers

Betting Big on Better-for-You Beverages

Today’s health-conscious consumers are searching for beverages that help support their overall wellness while still tasting good. Healthier categories have taken off in response, with the better-for-you beverage segment accounting for $125 billion in annual …