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In the age of participation trophies, effort is usually enough to make kids feel like winners. Unfortunately, young beverage brands aren’t afforded this luxury.

As you take the time to read my column this month, I ask that you take a minute to think about what you have consumed within the last 24 hours.

Cold-brewed coffees are gaining attention in the marketplace, including among Beverage Industry readers. Showing their affinity for ready-to-drink, cold-brewed coffee, 22 percent of voters named High Brew Coffee as the best new product that was posted on www.bevindustry.com during the month of July, making the new lineup the winner of the magazine’s July Readers’ Choice Product of the Month poll.

For consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, it’s a bit scary to hear the Nielsen statistic that more than 85 percent of new CPG products fail in the marketplace.

Consumers are EQUIPPED with a number of tricks to help them save a few dollars when it comes to grocery shopping. Coupons, rewards cards, mail-in rebates and mobile apps are just a few ways to show off thrifty skills. But as much as these resources play a role in their saving habits, they also can limit where consumers shop and how much they buy. Enter the warehouse/club stores.

Back in June, I had the pleasure of watching award-winning mixologist Charles Joly in action at Chicago’s The Aviary cocktail lounge.

This summer seems to be all about celebratory beverages, as readers are showing favor with spirits and alternative beverages that support a night out on the patio or on the town. In Beverage Industry’s June New Products poll, readers voted tropical rum beverage Blue Chair Bay Banana Rum as the top beverage posted on www.bevindustry.com during the month.

When I’m not in the office, you’ll often find me wearing an item of Disney clothing. Even when I’m in the office, I’m always wearing my favorite Mickey Mouse watch.

At InterBev last month, I attended an educational session about alcohol trends called “Where did my drink go?” presented by Nik Modi, managing director at RBC Capital Markets, New York.

After the winter that many of us experienced this year, I personally couldn’t wait for summer to arrive, and it looks like I’m not the only one.