Tackling soda consumption can help stem the rise of UPFs in lower-income countries
A global move away from whole foods and towards UPFs - including soda - is threatening public health, warns a series of studies in The Lancet.
Soft drinks
How to create a PFAS action plan
The proliferation of ‘forever chemicals’ in the food system is causing increasing concern. Beverage manufacturers need to be ready as restrictions tighten
‘A mandate for innovation’: R&D is back at the top of the agenda with UK sugar tax shake up
The UK will extend its sugar tax to include more drinks, including milk-based products. Businesses have two options: take the financial hit - or get back into the lab and innovate
Fanta’s fractured formula – how sugar taxes and colour bans rewrite the recipe
Behind Fanta’s fizz lies Coca‑Cola’s toughest challenge: keeping one brand iconic while navigating a maze of laws, tastes and taxes worldwide
Soda taxes: Finding the sweet spot between health goals and business growth
Announcing an expanded sugar tax this week, the UK government acknowledges the delicate balance between public health goals and business innovation. How will the new rules affect the market? We crunch the numbers
High sugary drink intake still prevalent in Chinese schoolkids
Over 80% of China’s schoolchildren are still choosing sweet drinks, sparking calls for tougher control measures
Kaohsiung Food Show 2025
Sparkling green tea: Taiwanese creation meets demand for zero alcohol
Kaohsiung-based tea firm reimagines green tea into a fizzy beverage as health-conscious consumers seek weight-friendly and zero-alcohol options
Will soda taxes serve as the model for future UPF regulations?
The beverage industry has long argued that soda is singled out unfairly when it comes to soda taxes. But now there’s pressure to extend measures across ultra-processed foods
New beverage launches: Innovation in functional beverages
From energy to relaxation, we take a look at some of the latest beverages in the functional beverage aisle and the ingredients they’re using
How Sprouts scouts out the next big thing in beverage innovation
Sprouts Farmers Market’s approach to NPD keeps it on a constant search for the hottest beverage innovations
Yuka brings aspartame fight to the US
Report calls for ban on ingredient found in thousands of common food and beverage products
Sweeteners in focus
Sugar is no longer ‘benchmark’ for sweetness as consumer preferences shift to blends
Research by Ingredion suggests a paradigm shift toward plant-based and blended sweeteners over sugar, but consumer confusion about what is ‘natural’ and safe could hinder innovation and sugar reduction efforts
Both sugary and sweetened drinks increase liver disease risk
Sweetened drinks are linked to an even greater risk of liver disease than their sugary counterparts
A big hopportunity: Hops’ complex flavor profiles open up innovation opportunities in beverages and beyond
Hops have, for centuries, been the domain of beer and brewers. But thanks to their complex flavor and unique sensory profile, the potential across the beverage category – and beyond – is huge
The ‘proteinification’ of everything
Once just a bottle shaker staple, protein is taking on new forms and finding its way into everything from soda to chips to macaroni and cheese.
Laser-powered PET tech: How far PET blowing technology has come - and where it’s going next
In 1980, Sidel pioneered the commercial PET blower. Now, it’s unveiled the world’s first industrialized laser-powered solution: tech set to reshape the industry again.
Startup Spotlight
Fresh Fizz brings clean label soda back to basics
By sticking to herbs, spices, juices and natural sweeteners like honey, maple and date syrup, Fresh Fizz’s ingredient list is informing every aspect of its business strategy
Healthy snacking trends
Släcka aims to redefine healthy snacking with ‘snack in a can’
Within the saturated functional beverage market, Släcka is betting on cravings instead of energy to stand out
UAE to link beverage prices to sugar levels: What does industry need to do?
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will implement a tiered excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) from January 2026
Major PepsiCo investor launches campaign for overhaul
Elliott Investment Management, with a $4bn stake in the company, wants to shake things up
How to get the most out of Drinktec 2025: Explore the latest in AI, innovation and technology
Drinktec’s executive director sits down with BeverageDaily and tells us what he’s looking forward to at this year’s show - and his top tips for getting the most out of the event
The latest tech in the sugar reduction toolkit
From honey truffle protein to sugar separation solutions: advances in technology sweeten the deal for beverage reformulation
The world’s most valuable beverage brands
Which brands make the top 10 non-alcoholic drinks and why?
How could sugar tax shake-up reshape the UK beverage market?
The UK is considering extending its soda tax to more beverages, including milk-based drinks. How big an impact would this have?
Cold pressed hemp drinks creator aims to disrupt CBD category
The founder of a UK-based cold-pressed hemp drinks brand says the moment is ripe to enter the thriving functional drinks market, armed with Novel Foods exempt drinks that comply with the legal CBD limit.
‘Stop moving the goalposts!’ Small businesses dread sugar tax reformulation drama
The UK wants to increase the scope of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy: and small businesses are worried
What’s driving consumers’ beverage choices?
Highlights from Keurig Dr Pepper’s beverage trend report
Coke sweetened with cane sugar to launch in the US this fall
Coca-Cola confirms a cane sugar sweetened Coke will launch in the US in a matter of weeks: but as an additional option in its existing portfolio rather than a reformulation of the flagship drink. From Diet Coke to Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, we take a look at...
Is Pepsi Prebiotic Cola a ‘game-changer’ or just late to the game?
The beverage giant’s new cola adds fiber and leans on the cache of cane sugar — but faces stiff competition from a wave of early movers with cult-like followings
Sweeteners linked to early onset puberty
Both artificial and natural sweeteners could increase risk of premature puberty in kids
ASA calls out sparkling drinks brand Trip for mental health claims
The UK-based beverage brand Trip, known for its CBD content, has been flagged by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for claiming that its magnesium drink could help reduce cognitive stress. But was ruling this avoidable?
Coca-Cola caught in the crosshairs? Trump and RFK take sides on sugar
President Trump’s declaration that Coke is “just better” when made with “REAL Cane Sugar,” runs counter to HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s assessment that it is “poison,” but it pulls a page from RFK’s playbook to spur change without regulatory review
IFT First: New tech and innovations to look out for at the food science expo
Ready for the new world of GLP-1 food and drink? Want to keep up to speed with the latest in functional and plant-based ingredients, alternative proteins, sugar reduction tech and much more? Here are some of the innovations set to star at the global food...
WHO pushes for massive 50% rise in soda and alcohol prices: ‘Health taxes are one of the most efficient tools we have’
The WHO has long been an advocate for taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol: but its latest initiative calls for drastic, measurable policy shifts
Gut health: The next battlefield in the soda wars?
Long-time rivals in soda, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have now entered a new battlefield: gut health soda
Why soda taxes need to be part of a bigger strategy to tackle the food system
Soda taxes are just one piece of the puzzle
UK set to extend sugar tax to milk-based drinks
The UK plans to lower the threshold the sugar tax kicks in at: as well as extend it to milk-based drinks and their plant-based counterparts
Reuse-refill: Can this model ever really work in the beverage industry?
While brands are keen to champion the idea of reuse-refill, few have managed to make it work effectively. Can this holy grail of beverage packaging ever succeed?
States move to ban soda and candy from SNAP – triggering industry pushback and potentially a domino effect across US
Arkansas, Indiana and Idaho want to block low-income Americans from spending nutrition aid on candy and soda as part of the Trump Administration’s larger Make America Healthy Again initiative – but industry groups say a ban will have unintended consequences
Podcasts, pop culture and hydration power: Alex Cooper’s Unwell Hydration
Enhanced electrolyte beverage Unwell Hydration was launched this year by top female podcaster Alex Cooper. The brand illustrates how hydration is going beyond the sports field and into a new world of celebrities, social media and - most importantly -...
Artificial sweetener can kill pathogenic bugs in a win against antibiotic resistance
A sweetener used in dairy, beverages and candies may be a game-changing solution to the global antimicrobial resistance crisis
Complex challenges: Coca-Cola’s plastic footprint continues to grow
Coca-Cola’s plastic use continues to grow - despite a clear opportunity to change, says international ocean advocacy organisation Oceana.
Opinion
Sugar’s not-so-sweet dilemma: the bitter reality of heat stress
Sugar production needs a closer look as a series of upcoming stresses could cause a struggle
Does gut health soda have global potential?
Functional soda is big news in the US: especially with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo making moves in prebiotic drinks. But what potential is there for the market globally?
Do sweeteners increase appetite?
Popular sweetener sucralose could be tricking the brain into believing it’s hungry
Natural Products Expo West
A new dawn in soft drinks: SunSip rises as prebiotic soda competition enters new era
When other soda manufacturers go high, Health-Ade is going low, and the strategy is paying off for the company’s prebiotic pop brand SunSip, which is carving out space for itself in the so-called modern soda set with distribution in more than 5,000...
The meeting that shook the industry: RFK Jr vs Big Food sends shares plummeting
PepsiCo, Kellogg, General Mills, Smucker’s and Kraft Heinz saw their stock prices tumble as Robert F Kennedy Jr delivered his anticipated ultimatum. Now, these food giants face a stark choice: remove artificial dyes or risk financial and regulatory fallout
Are slushies dangerous for children?
Slush ice drinks might be popular thanks to their cool colors, slushy texture and sweet taste – but do the bright colors hide a sinister side?
How Coca-Cola creates billion dollar brands
The Coca-Cola Company now boasts 30 billion-dollar brands: from classics such as Coca-Cola and Sprite to newer winners like Smartwater, Fairlife and Fuze Tea. How does it create billion dollar brands?
New beverage launches: NPD at Natural Products Expo West
From prebiotic soda to RTD coffee, we take a look at some of the beverage innovations making waves at the natural and organic products show