Craft beer has revolutionized the beer category and is moving out of microbreweries and into the main market. According to the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo., there were over 3,200 brewers in the United States as of November 2014. The trend shows no signs of slowing.

If the beverage industry were a baseball team, there would be a lot of different players, from water to wine, spirits to soda and the juices, coffee and teas in between.

Special effects, one-to-one personalized printed, or freshness graphics and temperature indicators on bottles and cans help brands make customer connections. Inks and coatings are at the heart of any sensory packaging experience, according to experts.

An early-spring snowstorm did not stop attendees and exhibitors from trekking to Chicago's McCormick Place to see and showcase the latest supply chain solutions at ProMat, which took place March 23-26.

The retail shelf can BE A crowded space. According to Chicago-based Mintel’s Global New Products Database, 4,215 new beverages were launched in 2014.

Choosing a packaging format can be one of the most important decisions a beverage-maker will make, notes Ron Skotleski, director of marketing at Crown Beverage Packaging North America, a division of Crown Holdings Inc., Philadelphia.

According to business blog Bizshifts-Trends, Al Ries and Jack Trout popularized the concept of “positioning” in the retail shelf space in their 2000 book “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind.”

According to Beverage Industry’s Best Packages of 2014 survey, portion-controlled sizes, specialty inks and a “personal” touch can give brands a leg up in the competitive beverage marketplace.

In the beverage market, brand owners are changing the rules when it comes to packaging.