Dollar sales in the carbonated soft drink (CSD) category totaled $18.3 billion for food, drug and mass merchandise retailers including Walmart for the 52 weeks ending April 14, according to data from Nielsen, New York City.  

 Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s (DPS) soft drink brands are teaming up with USA Basketball this summer as its official soft drink partner.  

Coca-Cola Zero, a brand of The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, partnered with actor Ken Jeong, star of “The Hangover” films and TV series “Community,” to show why “and” is always better than “or.”

Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo brand Mountain Dew debuted exclusive content for fans eagerly awaiting the release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises.” Mountain Dew introduced the website, www.dewgothamcity.com, which features never-before-seen Dark Knight content with unprecedented access to Gotham City, the company says.

Growing up, Paddy Spence, chief executive officer of Zevia, loved carbonated soft drinks (CSDs). 

PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y., expanded its Sierra Mist carbonated soft drink brand with the addition of its newest flavor, Strawberry Kiwi Splash.  The new flavor is made with real sugar and does not contain artificial additives or preservatives, the company says.

 Double-Cola introduced new graphics and packaging designed to connect with a growing market of youthful consumers who expect something unique and refreshing from a soft drink, the company says.  

The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, reported its solid first quarter 2012 results with strong volume and revenue growth as well as volume and value share gains across every non-alcohol ready-to-drink beverage category in which it competes, the company said. All geographic operating groups delivered volume growth in the quarter, with global volume increasing 5 percent, North American volume rising 2 percent and international volume growing 6 percent in the first quarter of 2012.

PepsiCo, Purchase, N.Y., announced a multi-year partnership with Family Dollar Stores Inc., Matthews, N.C., to sell PepsiCo’s beverages in 7,100 stores across 45 states. The multi-year partnership will provide Family Dollar shoppers with access to a variety of products from PepsiCo’s North American beverage portfolio, including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Aquafina and Lipton teas.

In its first redesign in more than 20 years, Barq’s Root Beer, a brand of The Coca-Cola Co., unveiled a completely new look to pay homage to the brand’s Gulf Coast heritage and classically crisp, bold flavor.