R&D

Mexico is the world's largest exporter of beer, but craft brewers have yet to catch up. Pic: Cerveza Mexico

Mexican craft beer looks to mimic big-brand success with exports

By Beth Newhart

At the recent Cerveza México 2019 event, it was revealed that the country’s craft beer market is nearly up to 1,400 independent breweries with a 29 million litre output. The industry relies heavily on exports to the US and Europe to keep up with annual...

Following a $10m investment in local businesses, the Chicago Starbucks Reserve Roastery opened to the public on Michigan Avenue.

World’s biggest Starbucks opens in Chicago

By Beth Newhart

The newest Starbucks Reserve Roastery is the company’s largest location in the world, with five floors and more than 35,000 square feet. It opens its doors November 15 in downtown Chicago.

Truly has recently announced a reformulation, a hard lemonade product and a sponsorship with the NHL.

Truly will be the first hard seltzer served in-flight

By Beth Newhart

In a new deal inked with JetBlue, Truly Hard Seltzer will be the first official alcoholic seltzer of a US airline. Starting this fall, the Wild Berry flavor will be available on all JetBlue flights.

'Ginette'

Gin created by artificial intelligence

By Rachel Arthur

Circumstance Distillery is launching the world’s first gin created using an artificial intelligence programme named ‘Ginette’.

A growing population, competition for resources and environmental pressures are changing the Indian consumer. Pic: Getty/Arindam Ghosh

Familiar Western megatrends drive India's beverage industry

By Beth Newhart

India’s economy is shifting to a strong middle class, giving rise to more premium, ethical and personalized products. Beverage brands are adapting to these trends similar to what’s popular in Western markets.

RayZyn lets grapes hang on the vine past the time they would typically be harvested for winemaking, and dries them to create a new 'superfood snack.' Pic: Getty Images/bmdesign

RayZyn draws on otherwise wasted wine grapes for a superfood snack

By Kristine Sherred

The growing snack company – a phoenix rising from the devastating California wildfires in 2017 – dries wine grapes (and sometimes coats them in chocolate) to create a fruit snack with more antioxidants than their traditional counterpart.

Truly says the new formula makes the beverages more drinkable without any lingering bitterness.

Truly Hard Seltzer reformulates for fall

By Beth Newhart

Truly has reformulated its 13 flavors of hard seltzer to make them ‘crisper and more refreshing,’ and will add four new SKUs with a flavored lemonade line.

C-store beverages: What’s new at NACS?

C-store beverages: What’s new at NACS?

By Beth Newhart

The National Association of Convenience Stores has been meeting since 1961, and today the expo covers more than 400,000 square feet. The 2019 show was held in Atlanta October 2-4, bringing together retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and exhibitors from...

A single pouch is designed to work on up to 16oz of coffee and remove 200mg of caffeine.

Decafino opens the coffee world to decaf drinkers on-the-go

By Beth Newhart

A pouch that can decaffeinate brewed beverages like coffee and tea has been developed by a chemical engineer from the University of Washington. Decafino’s commercial launch is planned for May of 2020 in the US.

Tea bags can be made from plastic or paper, or use a combination of the two. Pic:getty/alexthq

Plastic tea bags release microplastics into brew, says study

By Rachel Arthur

Plastic tea bags can release billions of microplastic and nanoplastic particles into a cup of tea, according to Canadian researchers. But while the scientists say some brands have shifted to plastic tea bags instead of paper ones, the industry counters...

Pic:getty/du84

Tea may improve brain health, says study

By Rachel Arthur

Tea drinkers have better organised brain regions compared to non-tea drinkers, according to a study published in the journal Aging. “Our study offers the first evidence of the positive contribution of tea drinking to brain structure and suggests a protective...

Pic: Getty/NikiLitov

Gen X holds more potential in alcohol than millennials

By Beth Newhart

Most food and beverage categories direct their marketing strategy toward millennials and the upcoming Gen Z generations, largely disregarding everyone older than 40. Experts say it’s the wrong move.

There are still around 35 drinking occasions over the course of a week, but beverage categories are changing. Pic: Getty/Kwangmoozaa

The last 30 years in beverages: How have consumers changed?

By Beth Newhart

While soda may have dominated shelves in the 1990s, today’s shoppers are seeking increasingly sophisticated functional beverages. Data company Kantar has analyzed consumer behavior in a new report that highlights the last three decades in the US beverage...

Bluestone wants to bring the coffee culture of Melbourne to the US through its cafes and blended beverages.

Australian cold brew coffee spreads in the US

By Beth Newhart

Bluestone Lane’s Australia-inspired cafe chain is its expanding its beverage options with ready-to-drink iced coffee and cold brew, including a partnership with Elmhurst 1925.

Instant hot coffee of the past is being replaced by higher quality ready-to-drink options.

Bringing back the brew: US coffee innovates for fall

By Beth Newhart

Coffee brands kick it up a notch in the fall, capitalizing on the category’s popularity during the colder months. From spiked cold brew to CBD infusions, US coffee is taking a fresh approach to autumn 2019.

©iStock

Sustainable brands must embrace ‘net positive’: Euromonitor

By Katy Askew

The importance of sustainability continues to rise up the agenda for food brands. A new report from Euromonitor stresses that food makers can’t offset harm done in one area with progress in another. Sustainability leaders are increasingly adopting a ‘net...

World Centric debuts compostable cold cups at Expo East

World Centric debuts compostable cold cups at Expo East

By Beth Newhart

A new line of cold beverage NoTree containers will join World Centric’s packaging designed for hot drinks. The bamboo-based cups will be introduced at the Expo East show in Baltimore this week.

Gen Z wants to consume and share beverages online that are in line with their own personal brand. Pic: Getty/Astarot

How does Gen Z respond to seasonal alcohol favorites?

By Beth Newhart

Gen Z-ers of drinking age are more traditional than they are given credit for, showing strong interest in IPA craft beers and wine moving into the autumn season, despite the noise and popularity of flavored malt beverages (FMBs) and CBD products.

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