Articles by Barbara Harfmann

When the U.S. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines were released earlier this year, one of the key recommendations for a healthy eating pattern stated that individuals should consume less than 10 percent of calories a day from added sugars.

As a baby boomer, I’ve never been a big online shopper. However, I did purchase a few items online this holiday season and was surprised at how easy it was. I capitalized on sales offers, didn’t have to look for parking or contend with crowded malls, and the items were shipped right to my home, saving me time, gas and aggravation.

With more consumers using click-and-collect models and home delivery for prescription medications, eCommerce continued to drive double-digit growth in the non-traditional drug store channel, which generated $264.5 billion in sales, a $14.3 billion profit and a 1.4 percent growth rate from 2010-2015, according to IBISWorld’s December 2015 report titled “Pharmacies & Drug Stores in the US.”

Forty years ago, Kenner Products released Stretch Armstrong, an action figure that could stretch from its original 15-inch frame to four or five feet. Although not in the toy-making business, packaging materials manufacturers have had to literally stretch their capabilities to keep pace with beverage-makers seeking clean, sustainable labels that feature vivid colors, images, specialty inks and soft-touch finishes to connect with consumers.

I love baking, particularly making my late mother-in-law’s delicious chocolate-chip-oatmeal-walnut cookies. Although the handwriting on her recipe has faded through the years, the aroma of these cookies brings back wonderful memories of my German Oma.

Between 2010 and 2015, high unemployment, stagnant disposable income, volatile energy costs and a changing mass-market perception of dollar stores contributed to a 3.3 percent growth rate, $66.7 billion in revenue and a $2.6 billion profit for the channel, according to IBISWorld’s September 2015 report titled “Dollar & Variety Stores in the US.”

From its brewpub in Coronado, Calif., and three production facilities in Coronado, San Diego and Imperial Beach, Calif., Coronado Brewing Co. (CBC) belies its laid-back island attitude by shattering weekly brewing records.

With the push to recycle paper, plastic, aluminum cans and more, incorporating reusable packaging into the supply chain never has been more pertinent.

Regardless of a beverage's content or packaging, a plastic or metal cap or closure is necessary to keep the packaging spill-proof and contents fresh. Thus, beverage-makers are committed to giving consumers caps that are easy to open, tamper-resistant and biodegradable while still communicating the brand’s identity by using a variety of colors, shapes and graphics.