In writing this month’s packaging feature, I had a conversation on PET pricing with John Maddox, president of Strategic Business Analysis Ltd. — Container Consulting Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. It’s not news that the price of PET, aluminum and glass is increasing as raw materials and energy costs to produce these materials are increasing. But how much packaging costs increase does not directly multiply at the same rate as the growing raw material and energy costs.

Last month, bloggers had a laugh over presidential primary coverage after CNN/Opinion Research Corp. released a poll that suggests voters’ drinking preferences may also reveal their political preferences.

Whether for environmental, health, safety or other reasons, increased consumer purchases are driving natural and organic beverage growth. Mintel International, Chicago, forecasts total U.S. sales of organic beverages to increase at an inflation-adjusted annual rate of 7.8 percent through 2012.

New recipes, more SKUs and packaging advancements have heightened performance demands in beverage plants. Processing automation systems offer beverage manufacturers a technologically advanced way to keep up with ever-increasing production requirements.

The economy will be a consideration for every business market this year, and carbonated soft drinks have a particularly difficult situation increasing revenue with the category’s pricing predicament.

Beverage categories boom south of the equator The South American countries of Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Chile and Colombia consist of important world beverage markets. Brazil’s population consumed more than

Many carbonated soft drink companies reported favorable results for 2007, thanks to their non-carbonated acquisitions, non-carbonated launches and CSD sales increases in markets other than North America.

Caribbean invaders, transformers and triumphant heroes not only appeared on movie screens, but also in beverages.

New palletizers speed packaging with more accuracy