As consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers get ready to transition into the 2016 calendar year, Chicago-based Mintel released its “2016 Food & Drink Trends” report. The 12 trends cover a range of topics including eCommerce and natural formulations.

It’s no secret that bottled water is one of the hottest beverage trends in the market. Market research firms have touted its growing market share and campaigns like first lady Michelle Obama’s Drink Up initiative is encouraging consumers to turn to the zero-calorie option.

New York-based Charmer Sunbelt Group and Wirtz Beverage Group, Chicago, two family-run distributors of wine, spirits and beer, announced on Oct. 20 that the companies signed an agreement to substantially combine all of their beverage alcohol operations.

New data compiled by New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC) shows that between 2000 and 2014, the average weight of a 16.9-ounce single-serve PET plastic bottled water bottle has declined 52 percent to 9.25 grams. This has resulted in a savings of 6.2 billion pounds of PET resin since 2000.

The Boards of Anheuser Busch InBev (AB InBev), Leuven, Belgium, and SABMiller plc, London, announced that they have reached agreement in principle on the key terms of a possible recommended offer to be made by AB InBev for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of SABMiller.

Dewar’s whisky, a brand of Hamilton, Bermuda-based Bacardi Ltd., is celebrating the launch of Dewar’s Scratched Cask with a 360-degree virtual reality experience and marketing campaign. By visiting www.Scratched360.com, consumers can 

Following recent press speculation, Leuven, Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) has submitted a new proposal to the Board of SABMiller plc, London, to combine the two beer companies.

Moët Hennessy USA, New York, announced the launch of www.champagnemasters.com, a mobile-ready education website that teaches wine lovers the finer points of Champagne by examining

Pepsi, a brand of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo Inc., has confirmed that Pepsi Perfect, the fictional beverage that Marty McFly orders in “Back to the Future Part II,” will be available for a limited time starting Oct. 21 paying homage to the date that McFly travels to in the future.