Thomas Jefferson was quoted as saying, “Coffee — the favorite drink of the civilized world.” Today, coffee remains a favorite beverage and flavor in the United States. As such, beverage-makers are using the flavor within a plethora of categories, including ready-to-drink (RTD) coffees, spirits and craft beers.

In response to consumers' growing demand for more premium beverages with protein, various flavors and on-trend ingredients, Bolthouse Farms, a subsidiary of Camden, N.J.-based Campbell Soup Co., announced its new 2016 spring beverage innovations that will launch under the Bolthouse Farms and 1915 Bolthouse Farms brand names, the company says. 

Following her record-breaking performances at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships and the U.S. National Championships, Simone Biles has entered into a partnership with Core Power. 

With Rockville, Md.-based Packaged Facts estimating the dairy and dairy alternative beverage category will grow from a $23.8 billion industry in 2014 to a $31.5 billion industry by 2019 in its April report titled “Dairy and Dairy Alternative Beverage Trends in the U.S.,” more beverage-makers will be in search of contract manufacturers to support their beverage-making needs.

Skinnygirl, New York, the solutions-based, lifestyle brand created by reality-TV celebrity Bethenny Frankel, unveiled its new line of higher-protein Skinnygirl Protein Tasty Nutrition Shakes and Bars. 

Whether it’s the highly trained athlete or the casual runner, more consumers are turning to beverages to support their workout regimens. According to Chicago-based Mintel’s January report “Nutritional and Performance Drinks – US,” dollar sales of these drinks reached $11.5 billion in 2014.

Clearly the readers of Beverage Industry are fans of kombucha as Clearly Kombucha won the August New Product of the Month poll. The organic beverage obtained 21 percent of the votes. Voting took place between Sept. 8 and 18.

Lifeway Foods Inc., Morton Grove, Ill., a supplier of kefir cultured dairy products, today announced that Protein Kefir, the company's latest kefir innovation, has expanded distribution to Harris Teeter, and more retailers will be carrying the product within the coming months.

Nestlé Health Science announced the launch of a new line of nutrition drinks: 4-ounce size Boost Calorie Smart 100 Calories Balanced Nutritional Drink and Boost Compact Complete Nutritional Drink. 

Rumble, an all-natural, nutritionally balanced protein shake, is now available in the United States in Vanilla Maple and Dutch Cocoa flavors, with Coffee Bean launching this fall.