BeverageDaily.com: Get involved with our 2014 editorial features!

By Ben BOUCKLEY

- Last updated on GMT

Picture: Sam Howzit/Flickr
Picture: Sam Howzit/Flickr

Related tags Coffee Drink Alcoholic beverage

Everything from energy drink innovation to flexible packaging is under the microscope! Here’s BeverageDaily.com’s 2014 special edition editorial calendar.

If you want to share your insights on any of these topics with the editorial team, please drop me a line – ora.obhpxyrl@jeoz.pbz​ – or call me on +33 4 99 52 83 00.

flexible

FLEXIBLE BEVERAGE PACKAGING (2/19/14)

Demand for pouches is projected to grow by 5.1% per year to $8.8bn in 2016, according to Freedonia Group, due to growing consumer acceptance, portability, the light weight and ‘marketing advantages’​, with food and beverage markets accounting for circa. 79% of pouch demand in 2011.

Such packages – which allow on-the-go consumption – suit everything from fresh, pasteurized and aseptic products with low acidity and low to medium viscosity: read milk, yogurt, non-carbonated drinks, to sports/energy drinks, wine and alcoholic premixes.

Appeal centers on increased functionality (including effective resealable spouts), form and size flexibility, but also weight and cost savings, throughout the supply chain – including low production costs vis-à-vis cardboard cartons or HDPE – when used to pack everything from fruit juice-based drinks to alcoholic fruit punches.

*This special edition examines packaging- and processing machinery innovations from major suppliers in the pouch space, examines where in the world, and in what beverage sectors the market for beverage pouches is developing, as well as exploring future directions and functional benefits

energy drinks

FROM BAD BOY TO BIG BOY – ENERGY DRINK INNOVATION (5/21/14)

Beyond Californian class actions and calls from US Senators to ban energy drinks, or at least toughen up regulations on levels of caffeine and other ‘bad’ ingredients, there is trend towards ‘natural energy’ without the crash (even relaxation) using all-natural ingredients and perhaps (in shot form especially in the US) mating energy with another clear functional benefit, through the presence of, say, CLA or Omega 3s.

By 2020 countries worldwide will have more consumers aged 40+ (Tetra Pak) who will demand health-oriented, functional beverages (e.g. resveratrol, Omega-3 products, glucosamine), and energy is a useful standpoint from which to add value.

*This special edition focuses on established and new ingredients in the energy sphere and the science behind them. It will also explore future trends given consumer demands, political and regulatory issues, and ask how the main brands (Monster, Red Bull, 5-Hour, etc.) can vary their proposition to maintain appeal to older millennials, and extend the reach of energy.

filling machine

ADVANCES IN BEVERAGE FILLING TECHNOLOGY (9/10/14)

From filling juices or dairy beverages with fruit bits or cereals, to achieving higher line speeds and reducing downtime, filling technology is of critical importance to the beverage industry, finding the right filling machine is crucial (given that it is such a major plant investment), whether one fills hot or cold into PET, cans, glass, cartons or HDPE.

*This special edition looks at the latest breakthrough technologies, and examines the rise of aseptic and ESL filling for a better taste and nutritional profile in better-for-you beverages with better shelf stability.

It will also take in the trend towards smaller machines to cater for the explosion of interest in micro-brewing (US and now beyond) and the rise of nascent functional beverage brands; faster machines that offer electricity savings and flexibility in terms of package sizes is another emerging area of interest.

sugar

SWEETENER INNOVATION (11/26/14)

From HFCS and sucrose to sucralose, aspartame, Ace-K, saccharin and stevia, even fruit-based ingredients – sweetening beverages is big business and increased consumer demand for healthy beverages with a ‘full sugar’ taste profile  – particularly traditionally high sugar soft drinks, juices, energy drinks – is driving a whole range of sweetening innovations.

Talking energy drinks alone – unit sales of which rose 18.7% in 2012 in the US alone – there is a move away from sugar-laden to lower-calorie formulations (stevia is at the fore here) and a waning trend towards preferring sucrose to HFCS.

*This special edition focuses on sweetener innovation in response to the demand for healthier, tastier and more natural beverages. It assesses the performance of existing staples in the beverage sphere, and new ingredients (for instance those in the stevia space claiming to solve bitterness issues) and sweetness enhancers/taste modifiers.

We will also explore sweetening trends tied to specific beverage categories, provide predictions for further growth areas, explore formulation challenges, and look at regulatory issues such as EFSA’s new safety assessment of aspartame.

Social media and advertizing

Don’t forget we have also increased our presence on social media so you can reach us through our LinkedIn group​ , Facebook​ and Twitter​ pages and we launched our Mobile App late last year​ .

  • If you are interested in advertising on any of these specials, please call Karine Prunier, head of sales: +33 4 99 52 26 81 karine.prunier@wrbm.com

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