Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Oxnard, Calif.-based KeVita, a producer of fermented probiotic and kombucha beverages. The transaction will expand PepsiCo's health-and-wellness offerings in the premium chilled beverage space, the company says.
American gymnasts Laurie Hernandez and Simone Biles might have made the balance beam look easy when they won their silver and bronze medals, respectively, at the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, achieving balance in eating, drinking and activity habits might not be as easy for consumers.
When it comes to consumer packaged goods (CPGs), consumers are faced with myriad choices. There are beverages designed to fuel their bodies before a big game, give them energy to power through busy days or to simply help boost immunity.
When it comes to food and beverage development, healthy usually is among the top considerations. In Beverage Industry’s 2016 New Product Development Outlook report published in the January issue, only 14 percent of respondents listed convenience a low need/interest.
Forty-four percent of consumers are visiting convenience (C-stores) stores more often — and half say they are visiting significantly more often than they did just two years ago, according to Chicago-based Datassential, which surveyed 1,000 consumers and 150 operators for its June “C-Store Keynote Report.” While visiting C-stores, these consumers also are buying more prepared food and beverages, the report notes.
As the number of label-reading consumers grows exponentially, beverage-makers that are looking to appeal to these consumers are launching botanical-based beverages in increasing numbers across various categories.
Appearing in the June 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the "Trends in Obesity Among Adults in the United States, 2005 to 2014” study concluded that the prevalence of obesity was 35 percent among men and 40 percent among women in 2013-2014, while an increased prevalence was found among women, but not men, during the 2005-2014 timeframe.
The majority of consumers do not plan on changing their dining out behaviors this year; on top of that, the entire restaurant industry is projected to grow, Chicago-based Mintel explains in its January report “Dining Out: A 2016 Look Ahead.”
As consumer demand continues to change, market research and analysts indicate that the U.S. market for carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) continues to struggle.
With summer finally here, I have adopted a “no excuses” mantra in my quest to shed some weight and get healthy. I’ve been munching carrots instead of chips, drinking more water and resuming my regular walking routine. And when my son uses the “D” word, as in “diet,” I tell him it’s not about diet and deprivation but, rather, it’s about adopting a healthier overall lifestyle.