All news articles for October 2017

France plans sliding scale for sugar tax ©piotr_malczyk/iStock

Industry hits out at ‘scapegoating’ as France amends sugar tax

By Katy Askew

Sugar industry body CEDUS Le Sucre has attacked what it described as “unacceptable” and “damaging” moves from the French government to “scapegoat” the sugar industry as legislators put in place moves to amend the country’s sugar tax.

Consumers are looking to engage with products beyond the physical label through digital printing capabilities. ©GettyImages/DragonImages

FSMA pushes beverage manufacturers to embrace digital printing

By Mary Ellen Shoup

US packaging machinery shipments within the beverage sector is forecasted to grow just over 2% over the next five years as small and medium sized manufacturers advance their digital and coding printing capabilities, according to the PMMI 2017 State of...

REBBL CEO talks adaptogens, functional beverages

‘The worst thing you can do is lose your focus when your brand is taking off like a rocket ship’

REBBL CEO: We’re moving towards a $20m+ run rate

By Elaine Watson

Adaptogens are still a novel concept for most US consumers, but the success of REBBL – an organic coconut milk-based beverage brand packed with ashwaganda, turmeric, and other staples of Ayurvedic medicine – suggests the ‘super herb’ concept has legs,...

PepsiCo to host an interactive challenge for active & intelligent packaging formats. Picture: PepsiCo.

AIPIA Congress 2017

PepsiCo challenge will review the best ideas for packaging formats

By Jenny Eagle

PepsiCo is hosting an interactive session at the AIPIA Congress 2017, asking the Association’s members to come up with their best ideas for packaging formats for PepsiCo brands, incorporating Active and Intelligent Packaging and technologies.

Global wine production is expected to hit a 50-year low for 2017, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine. ©GettyImages/neverest

Global wine production drops 8% and hits historical low in Europe

By Mary Ellen Shoup

By the end of 2017, global wine production is projected to register an 8.2% drop to 246.7 mhl compared to 2016, with the largest declines seen in the EU which recorded a 14% drop, says the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV).

How to 'craft' the best protection for your beer brand

Guest article

How to 'craft' the best protection for your beer brand

By Jeremy Drew, Head of Retail; and Ben Mark, Legal Director, Trade marks, RPC

A strong brand sets a craft beer apart from the competition and the strength of that brand, at least in part, lies in how well it is protected. Jeremy Drew and Ben Mark of London headquartered law firm RPC look at how craft brewers can protect their beer...

Digital homebrewing devices give beer manufacturers a new channel to reach consumers through a more personalized beer drinking experience. ©GettyImages/Kikovic

Rise of automated homebrewing: ‘Nano will be the next micro’

By Mary Ellen Shoup

Tech has infiltrated the homebrewing space with digital tabletop brewing devices poised to be the next frontier of the beer industry as consumers look for a more personalized beer drinking experience, says Euromonitor senior alcoholic drinks analyst Spiros...

Pic:gettyimages

From plain to premium: Adding value in bottled water

By Rachel Arthur

While bottled water may fundamentally be the simplest of beverages, the category is evolving with an explosion of flavors, fortification and functionality to offer something more to today’s consumers.

The Portuguese government is proposing a new salt tax next year, on top of its sugar and alcohol taxes. Pic: ©GettyImages/SeanPavonePhoto

Portugal plans tax attack on salty snacks in 2018

By Gill Hyslop

Portugal’s State Budget proposal for 2018 proposes a new tax on foods that have a high salt content – including potato chips, cereals and crackers – in an effort to curb the nation’s unhealthy consumption patterns.

Harry Cowan, commercial director & Miguel Ferreira, operations manager. Photo: BV Dairy.

‘Increasing appetite for cultured drinking products that have associated health benefits’

BV Dairy signs contract to bottle 4 million cultured milk drinks a year

By Jenny Eagle

BV Dairy, a UK manufacturer of specialist dairy products has made an historic move into contract packaging after signing a long-term deal to produce bottled kefir cultured milk drinks.