Beverage Industry articles from July 2004

Beverage Industry archives from July 2004

Big ideas for little people.(Beverage Beat)
July 1, 2004... Meeting the nutritional needs of time-crunched consumers seems to be something many companies are working toward these days, and I recently heard some interesting perspectives, specifically regarding kids. The first was a radio report that...

Arrowhead Water Products recently bought competitor, bottled water producer Pure Water Shops, Calgary, Alberta.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Arrowhead Water Products recently bought competitor, bottled water producer Pure Water Shops, Calgary, Alberta. The purchase price constituted a mix of cash and stock. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval.

The U.K. government and whisky-makers are still wrangling over plans by the government to introduce strip stamps on whisky bottles in April of 2006.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The U.K. government and whisky-makers are still wrangling over plans by the government to introduce strip stamps on whisky bottles in April of 2006. Under a recent amendment to the finance bill, whisky-makers would be permitted to put stamps...

Hoping to make peace between Mexico and the United States, the World Trade Organization is working to settle a dispute over soft drink imports.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Hoping to make peace between Mexico and the United States, the World Trade Organization is working to settle a dispute over soft drink imports. The WTO is setting up a panel to review the dispute over Mexico's 20 percent tax on sodas and...

Information Resources Inc. and HealthFocus International formed an alliance to provide CPG companies with information about the health and wellness marketplace.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Information Resources Inc. and HealthFocus International formed an alliance to provide CPG companies with information about the health and wellness marketplace. The partners announced the immediate availability of HealthTracker, a syndicated...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2004... In the June issue, page 60, Hillebrand Wines' location was incorrectly cited as Toronto, Ontario. The correct location is Vancouver, British Columbia. Beverage Industry apologizes for the confusion. Page 12 of the May issue contained the...

Grey Goose lands.(Industry Issues)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Moving to fill what it called a gap in its brand portfolio, Bacardi Ltd. agreed to acquire Grey Goose vodka from Sidney Frank Importing Co. Inc. Completion of the sale is expected within the next few months, pending regulatory approval. The...

FEMSA and Heineken form U.S. team.(Industry Issues)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The parent companies of FEMSA Cerveza and Heineken USA signed a three-year deal that will make Heineken USA the sole and exclusive importer and marketer of FEMSA's beer brands in the United States. The agreement is expected to become...

Ocean Spray rejects PepsiCo deal.(Industry Issues)(Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.)(PepsiCo Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Independent Ocean Spray grower/owners will remain that way after narrowly rejecting a deal to form a joint venture with PepsiCo. Members of the Lakeville-Middleboro, Mass.-based cooperative voted 52 percent to 48 percent against the proposed...

Retired PepsiCo Chief Donald Kendall was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship medal.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Retired PepsiCo Chief Donald Kendall was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship medal by Russian President Vladimir Putin for bringing Pepsi-Cola to the former Soviet Union...

Diageo.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Todd Stizer, chief executive of Cadbury Schweppes was appointed as a non-executive director to Diageo's board...

Allied Domecq Wines USA.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Jim Horner joined Allied Domecq Wines USA as vice president, national sales...

Dannon Co.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Juan Carlos Dalto was named president and chief executive officer of Dannon Co. Dalto will have strategic and direct responsibilities for dairy products in the United States and Canada...

The Beer Institute.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Beer Institute added Washington-insider Richard Goddard to its staff as director, federal government affairs...

Anheuser-Busch Cos.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Anheuser-Busch Cos. announced changes in its corporate management. Due to the retirement of Stephen Lambright, group vice president and chief legal officer, and Donald Kloth, vice president and group executive, Mark Bobak, who is currently...

Don Sebastiani & Sons.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Vintner Don Sebastiani & Sons expanded its U.S. sales force by 10. The rundown is as follows: Paul Parks was named chain merchandising manager, Southern California; Adam Roper shares the same title. Dennis Tobin is district chain manager,...

Foster's Group.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Australia's Foster's Group appointed Jamie Oddell as the new managing director of Beringer Blass Wine Estates. His appointment will take effect at the end of the year...

New products take center stage in Dallas.(Industry Issues)
July 1, 2004... Beverage Industry held its fifth annual New Products Conference in Dallas last month, hosting a number of informational speakers and giving attendees a chance to show their stuff with a new products contest. Contest leaders Stephen...

New twist on kids' drinks.(Industry Issues)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Tongue Twisters, a beverage concept for children, was the winner of the Product Contest at the Beverage Industry New Products Conference. The product is the brainchild of team members Jung Weil, director of communications and creative...

Build brand equity, drive sales with advanced beverage packaging technologies.(Industry Issues)
July 1, 2004... In today's competitive beverage industry, packaging must do more than protect products and enable efficient distribution to customers and end users. According to market research, 70 percent of consumer buying decisions are made at the retail...

2004 state of the industry report.
July 1, 2004... The past year has been challenging for many beverage categories, but overall, the industry has faired well. Most categories have enjoyed increasing sales, albeit small increases in some categories, and while the low-carb trend has cast a...

Carb-counters block juice growth.(2004 State of the Industry Report)
July 1, 2004... Just as the soft drink industry has been forced to adapt to calorie concerns, the juice segment has been hit by the low-carbohydrate diet trend. Carb-conscious dieters are shunning juice for the sake of their diets, and juice manufacturers...

Beer anticipates improvement.(2004 State of the Industry Report)
July 1, 2004... 2003 was a tough year for brewers--the Top 10 brands lost market share, and both domestic and per capita consumption took a turn for the worse. But analysts predicted an upswing in 2004 and consumers seem to have developed a taste for more...

Alternative beverages pick up the pace.(2004 State of the Industry Report)
July 1, 2004... If sales of alternative beverages are any indication, we're a nation in need of a pick-me-up. America's thirst for energy-boosting alternative beverages remains unsated. The alternative beverage category experienced another year of healthy...

Bottled water shows no slowdown.(2004 State of the Industry Report)
July 1, 2004... With the perception of municipal water quality not getting any better and consumers continually searching for that ever-healthier elixir, the bottled water category continues to grow. According to figures from Information Resources Inc., the...

Wine sales continue to climb.(2004 State of the Industry Report)
July 1, 2004... The U.S. wine industry continues to grow, but the 2003 vintage took a bit of a production hit. 2003 wine shipments in the United States from all sources were up 5 percent at 627 million gallons. California accounted for 67 percent of the...

Spirits are young at heart.(2004 State of the Industry Report)
July 1, 2004... Spirits have enjoyed growing popularity among younger consumers and the success of new flavored product introductions have made the past year a good one for distilled spirits. Cognac, vodka, rum and tequila lead the category, which grew 4...

A spark of altruism.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Firefighter Beverages LLC, Norwalk, Conn., is one of two new companies started by some entrepreneurial firefighters and former food and beverage company executives. While Firefighter Beverages and its sister company Firefighter Brands are...

Alize has the blues.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... New York-based importer Kobrand Corp. is adding Alize Bleu to its portfolio of liqueurs. Alize Bleu is an opaque blue beverage made from a blend of French vodka and Cognac. The blue-hued liqueur is 20 percent alcohol by volume and is produced...

Scotching the countryside.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Allied Domecq announced it is launching a series of its Scotch malt whisky brands in the United States. The Scotch Malts Portfolio will include Laphroaig from Islay; Tormore 12-Year-Old from Speyside; Scapa from the Orkney Isles and...

Carb-less tea.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Capitalizing on the success of its No Carb Green Teas, Arizona Beverages is adding Arizona No Carb Decaf Green Tea to its lineup. The new addition will be packaged in the company's signature 20-ounce glass bottle, for single-serve outlets and...

Smooth as silk.(Taster's Voice)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... White Wave Inc. expanded its Silk soymilk franchise with the launch of Silk Live!, a soymilk smoothie spiked with six live and active cultures that aid healthy digestion. To fill out the nutritional roster, Silk Live! also has 19 essential...

New product introductions by category.(New Products)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
July 1, 2004... NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS BY CATEGORY SKUS YTD SKUS YTD PERCENT CATEGORY JUNE 30,2004 JUNE 30, 2003 CHANGE ALCOHOL BEVERAGES 512 ...

Atkins-esque.(New Products)(LifeForce Labs LLC)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... LifeForce Labs LLC recently introduced Zoic Protein Nutrition Drink--a low-carb, low-fat, snack-in-a-can. Zoic has 21 grams of protein and 2 net carbs per serving in both its French Vanilla and Belgian Chocolate flavors. The product carries...

Juice with zing.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Celestial Seasonings is diving into the juice market with the launch of Zingerade, a blend of tea, juice and lemonade. The ready-to-drink product is available in three flavors: Wild Berry, Sweet Peach Delight and Tropical Ruby Red. The...

Revolution Tea.(Coffee and tea)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Revolution Tea, Tempe, Ariz., launched all natural White-T at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. White-T has no carbs, calories, sugars or sweeteners and is naturally rich in antioxidants...

The Republic of Tea.(Coffee and tea)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Republic of Tea, Novato, Calif.. has added Honeydew White Tea to its line of bottled iced teas available exclusively in restaurants. Honeydew White Tea reportedly offers a cool, subtle melon finish that complements spicy dishes,...

Two leaves and a Bud Inc.(Coffee and tea)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Two leaves and a Bud Inc. will distribute Dilmah Teas in the United States. Dilmah's specialty is single origin Ceylon Tea, which comes from a single growing area. Varieties include Ceylon Breakfast, Ceylon Organic Lemon, Ceylon Earl Grey,...

Cadbury Schweppes.(Soft drinks)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... According to reports, Cadbury Schweppes is keeping a close watch on the new introductions of low-carb sodas by its competitors. If low-carb is a hit with consumers, the company may be ready to launch its own version...

Princes.(Soft drinks)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... U.K. soft drink-maker Princes is re-launching Virgin Cola in July in honor of its 10th birthday. The product was reformulated after extensive research. The purpose of the relaunch is to strengthen the brand's market position among competing...

Coca-Cola.(Bottled water ...)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Coca-Cola is reported to be planning to launch a new brand of water in Germany called Ipsei. Announcement of the launch follows the failure of the company's Dasani water brand in the United Kingdom, although the two events are said to be...

Fuze Beverage LLC.(Alternative drinks)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Fuze Beverage LLC has added Strawberry Melon to its Slenderize line and Strawberry Guava to its Refresh line...

Colorado Spirits.(Spirits ...)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Colorado Spirits announced the launch of Colorado Premium Vodka. The new vodka is made from pure Colorado mountain spring water and Midwestern grains. For now, it's only available locally. Over the next year, it will rollout nationally...

Thai Asia Pacific Brewery.(Beer ...)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Singapore's Tiger beer is breaking into the market in Thailand. Thai Asia Pacific Brewery is brewing and marketing Tiger beer in major cities in Thailand. TAPB hopes Tiger will capture 20 percent of the combined premium and standard beer...

Match, set ... cook.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Forget white wine with fish and red with meats for a moment and think beer instead. Samuel Adams Brewmaster's Collection was put together to complement a variety of foods. The collection consists of six brews: Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Sam...

Black cherry Bacardi.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Anheuser-Busch introduced another flavor to its Bacardi Silver flavored malt beverage line--Black Cherry. The new quaff features the sweet and tangy flavor of black cherries along with a hint of vanilla. This version of the flavored malt...

Apple beer.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... This summer Merchant du Vin is introducing a new beer to its portfolio--Floris Appel Witbier, a Belgian wheat ale made with apples. Belgian wheat beer is a regional specialty that is enjoying something of a renaissance. Wheat gives the beer a...

Pep o' mint.(New Products)(Soma Beverage Co.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Soma Beverage Co. launched Metromint Peppermint Water June 1 into select markets. Metromint is unsweetened peppermint flavored water. The water is intended to be a stress relieving, refreshing thirst quencher. Metromint Soma Beverage...

Citrus-spiked.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... UV Vodka's latest innovation is UV Citruv, a citrus-infused vodka that matches natural lemon and lime essence with the clear spirit. According to the company, citrus is the largest subcategory of flavored vodka in the United States. The vodka...

Primo tequila.(New Products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Patron Spirits Co. is introducing its first new product in 10 years--Gran Patron Platinum Tequila. The triple-distilled tequila is made with hand-selected blue agave plants. The plants are pruned prior to baking to eliminate bitterness...

Arizona enjoys its place in the sun.(Ferolito, Vultaggio and Sons)
July 1, 2004... Arizona Beverages Chairman Don Vultaggio used to dislike the phrase "new age beverage" because, he says, "new age means we won't sell next week". But over the years, Vultaggio has come to accept the term, perhaps because his company has...

Quick-change operation.(Plant Story)
July 1, 2004... Creating a wide variety of products and packages has been one of the things that makes Arizona Beverage Co. unique--something that's great for adventuresome consumers, but a challenge for production. The company uses a network of co-packers...

Innovations in P.O.P.(point-of-purchase )
July 1, 2004... Beverage point-of-purchase suppliers have been hard at work coming up with new ways to attract attention. Some are going with state-of-the-art, and even futuristic, technology. Others are having fun with traditional designs and...

Savor the flavor: beverage-makers use flavors to enhance consumer appeal.(Beverage R&D)
July 1, 2004... Adding a hint of lime, a pinch of pomegranate or a burst of berry can make an ordinary beverage stand out from the crowd. As beverage-makers search for new points of product differentiation, flavors are playing an increasingly important role....

Cargill Inc.(R&D News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Cargill Inc. announced that it is selling its Brazilian juice operations, which include four citrus production farms, two processing plants, fruit supply agreements and related assets, to two Brazilian companies--Citrosuco and Cutrale--in...

California Custom Fruits and Flavors.(R&D News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... California Custom Fruits and Flavors, Irwindale, Calif.; announced that Jack Miller came on hoard as director of operations. In this position, Miller will oversee manufacturing, quality assurance and warehousing, helping California Custom...

Nutrinova, the patent holder of acesulfame K (Ace K), said that it reached a settlement with Kaltron Pettibon, which: was allegedly infringing on its patent by importing and selling into the United States Ace K that was made in China.(R&D News)(Kattron Pettibon )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Nutrinova, the patent holder of acesulfame K (Ace K), said that it reached a settlement with Kaltron Pettibon, which: was allegedly infringing on its patent by importing and selling into the United States Ace K that was made in China. Kattron...

U.S. Flavors & Fragrances, Wauconda, Ill., announced the sale of its fragrance business to Orchidia, a wholly owned subsidiary of FlavorChem.(R&D News)(U.S. Flavors & Fragrances)(Orchidia)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... U.S. Flavors & Fragrances, Wauconda, Ill., announced the sale of its fragrance business to Orchidia, a wholly owned subsidiary of FlavorChem. The sale of its flavor business positions USF&F to focus on continued expansion in the flavor...

Tea flavors.(Creators Briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Robertet Flavors Inc. has two new varietal tea flavors--Honeybush and Rooibos. The tea flavors blend well with other tea profiles and fruit flavors. They are natural, water-soluble and are versatile in a variety of applications. Both...

Crazy scoops.(Creators Briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Danisco USA's Crazy Scoops is a line of unique fruit-based flavors for milk, designed specifically for kids. Crazy Scoops contain no caffeine, hydrocolloids or added fat, making them a clean, healthy way to encourage children to get the...

Gums for dairy.(Creators Briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... TIC Gums has developed an innovative, targeted gum system to help thicken dairy beverages and prevent formulation problems. TIC Pretested Dairyblend 366-THK powder serves as a stabilizer in ready-to-drink milkshakes, direct-draw milkshakes,...

Vitamin E ingredients.(Creators Briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Eastman Chemical Co. is introducing two vitamin E ingredients to the food and beverage industry at the IFT Food Expo in Las Vegas. Eastman Vitamin E TPGS is a naturally derived, water-soluble vitamin E suitable for clear beverages such as...

Whey protein.(Creators Briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Glanbia Nutritionals' TRI-Fx Bioactive Whey Fraction is a proprietary whey protein ingredient that optimizes sports performance through three main actions: enhancing muscle development, providing sustained energy and speeding recovery time....

The future of transportation.(Logistics)(Transportation industry)
July 1, 2004... This month, Beverage Industry welcomes transportation expert David Kolman to the magazine. As a veteran truck communicator, keynote speaker and long-haul trucker, David is an involved member of the transportation industry. Commissioned an...

Videojet Technologies Inc., Wood Dale, Ill., announced its acquisition of Zipher Ltd., a U.K.-based manufacturer of thermal transfer and large character ink jet printers.(Supplier News)(Zipher Ltd)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Videojet Technologies Inc., Wood Dale, Ill., announced its acquisition of Zipher Ltd., a U.K.-based manufacturer of thermal transfer and large character ink jet printers. Videojet is a provider of product identification equipment including...

Billtrust, a provider of outsourced billing solutions was chosen by Port Washington N.Y.-based Prism Visual Software Inc. to be its billing partner of choice.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Billtrust, a provider of outsourced billing solutions was chosen by Port Washington N.Y.-based Prism Visual Software Inc. to be its billing partner of choice. The agreement allows Prism users to outsource their entire bill processing through...

FKI Logistex.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... FKI Logistex, St. Louis, Mo., igned a multi-million dollar contract with Gordon Food Service for an automated, high-speed conveying and sorting system. The system will be installed in Gordon's new warehouse in Shepardsville, Ky. FKI Logistex...

Crew Design Inc.(Supplier News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Crew Design Inc., Kent, Conn., received a patent for its inflatable cooler line of products used to display and store cold beverages in ice in retail stores. The coolers keep drinks cold and draw melted ice water into a storage reservoir that...

Mini cold glue valve.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Valco Cincinnati's new 300 Series electric valves offer unprecedented speed in a 15-mm. wide package. With advanced solenoid technology, the 300 Series valves can apply extremely short patterns at high machine speeds. An adjustable stroke...

Fully loaded.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Kenworth Truck Co:, Louisville, Ky., has introduced enhancements to the 2005 model of its T300 medium-duty vehicle. The T300 has excellent visibility with sloping hood, standard DayLite doors with peeper window and mirror system. The 2005...

Small character inkjet printer.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Hitachi America Ltd. is introducing the PX Series small character inkjet printer. The PX Series deploys a 10.4-inch color LCD touch-panel with full guidance on the screen, providing easy and quick operation and maintenance. The new printer...

International Truck and Engine Corp.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... International Truck and Engine Corp., Warrenville, Ill., named Thomas Baughman vice president and general manager of the company's heavy vehicle center. Baughman will lead the company's efforts to grow its heavy vehicle business. He brings 30...

Satellite Logistics Group.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Kevin Brady, owner and president of Houston-based Satellite Logistics Group was named a regional finalist in the 18th annual Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Brady was nominated in the Realizing Potential category., one in which...

Symbol Technologies Inc.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Symbol Technologies Inc., Holtsville, N.Y., announced that Arthur O'Donnell will assume a new role as chief quality officer. O'Donnell will continue his responsibilities as senior vice president and general manager of the Global Services...

Orion Packaging Systems Inc.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Orion Packaging Systems Inc. appointed Paul McCarthy to the position of Northeast Regional Manager. McCarthy will provide sales coverage from New York state north to the Canadian border, bringing more coverage to the Northeastern states.

Tervis Tumbler Co.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Tervis Tumbler Co., Osprey Fla., announced that Andrew Grzybowski joined the company as vice president of operations. Grzybowski brings more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing operations management, sales and marketing and business...

Film flair.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Avery Dennison Graphics Division North America has a variety of specialty pressure-sensitive vinyl film products for a wide range of end-use applications, including signage, vehicle marking and trade show graphics. The new specialty series...

Material handling solutions.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Busse/SJI combines its more than 50 years experience in material handling with Motoman robotics to offer solutions for material handling applications. As a leader in material handling, Busse/SJI can help with applications in bulk palletizers...

Solenoid valve line.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Dosatron International now offers a complete line of solenoid valves for use in a variety of applications, including hygiene and sanitizing. These full port din plug connection valves are available in both 24 volts and 120 volts. Standard...

Got gas?(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Sensidyne Inc. released a new 16-page brochure describing its complete line of system components used to detect a wide range of toxic and combustible gases at fixed installations. It provides detailed specifications on all of its...

Online services for packaging equipment.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Schneider Packaging Equipment Co. Inc. specializes in end-of-line solutions for case packing and palletizing needs. It has developed online Information Based Engineering Technologies (IBET) for packaging machine customers. The IBET CD/DVD...

Lift trucks.(Supplier's Marketplace)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Hyster Co.'s AC-power E45-65Z series of lift trucks sets a new standard for materials handling. The company's AC technology provides superior torque, speed capabilities, reliability and thermal performance throughout the entire usable...

Getting closure.(The Last Drop)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Hogue Cellars, a Washington-based wine producer, recently announced the results of a four-year study on bottle closures. What's interesting about the study is that the results suggest fruit quality and wine freshness are preserved by using...

Mobile monster ads.(The Last Drop)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Hansen Beverage Co. rode the advertising rails as the Las Vegas Monorail opened to the public earlier this month. The company is pro-rooting its Monster Energy drink in Vegas-style by sponsoring one of the monorail trains. The Monster Energy...