Free AF: The brand riding the canned cocktail wave in alcohol-free
A rising star in the US canned mocktail category, Free AF is betting on a big alcohol-free future
Manufacturers
Pepsi, Michelob Ultra and more: The big beverage ads at Super Bowl LX
From Peyton Manning to a polar bear, there’s plenty in store for Super Bowl LX
Sparkling in aluminium: Usability is key for Brown Brothers wine bottles
Australian heritage brand Brown Brothers focuses on sustainable convenience with its novel aluminium prosecco bottle
Kraft Heinz rocked as Buffett eyes full stake sell‑off
Berkshire Hathaway’s move to exit sends shockwaves through industry - what does it mean for the future of Big Food?
The rise of coffee creamers: and why dairy is all in
Coffee creamers are outperforming much of the dairy aisle – and new products keep pouring in. Where is the category headed?
Nestlé and Danone shares fall amid infant formula crisis
Infant formula contamination recall is damaging company reputations and hitting shares
How to build a beverage brand: Lyre’s on growing the opportunities in alcohol-free
Having built the business around its core alcohol-free spirits, Lyre’s now sees RTD mocktails as a key way to tempt consumers into the category
New product development
New beverage launches: Mountain Dew, mushrooms and Twinings sparkling tea
From functional mushrooms and gut‑health postbiotics to tropical rums, mineral‑rich sparkling waters and design‑led Dry January serves. Here are the new beverage innovations
Reinventing decaf coffee: Nolo creates functional RTD brew to elevate taste and texture
The new launch uses prebiotic fiber to help create a creamier, more luxurious brew: an innovative new take on the decaffeinated coffee category
The rise of the social tonic: Hiyo highlights functional beverage potential in alcohol-free
Packed with a proprietary blend of adaptogens, nootropics and botanicals, Hiyo makes social connection the center of its brand
Top tips for global expansion from alcohol-free spirit innovator
As the world’s leading independent non-alcoholic spirits brand, CleanCo knows just how quickly drinking trends are changing...
Coca‑Cola’s pivotal year: Portfolio shifts and a new CEO
After a turbulent year, can Coca‑Cola turn momentum into long‑term growth?
Rethinking ‘clean’ water in the bottled water aisle
For startup Loonen, water isn’t just water - it’s spring-sourced and filtered with an emphasis on minimizing plastic across the supply chain
Coca-Cola reportedly pulls plug on Costa Coffee sale
Coca-Cola said to be scrapping Costa Coffee sale after months of talks with private equity bidders fall flat
Heineken: Will a change at the top revitalize the brewer?
Heineken has set out its strategy for success: the search is now on for someone to lead it
Five areas of innovation for Heineken’s R&D team
Heineken needs to set itself up for the future as the beer category struggles. Its strategy is to invest in innovation: so what’s brewing?
Heineken CEO steps down
Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink will step down in May. A search for his successor is under way
US, Thailand drive Kirin’s craft gin and shochu push
Kirin’s Mercian is expanding into the US and Thailand with craft gin and shochu, citing strong demand for Japanese spirits and growing interest in Japanese cuisine
Hiyo starts 2026 retail push with Costco multi-pack launch
US social tonic Hiyo is setting up for a big year of retail expansion
Nestlé’s reputation in danger over global infant formula recall
The CPG major faces the biggest product recall in its history - and investors want answers
Medjool dates, saffron and cardamon seeds: Entrepreneur creates flavorful functional alternative to traditional milkshakes
Finance professional turned food entrepreneur Masuma Zahara Bukhari brings an exotic flair to the fast-growing functional dairy-free category
Coca-Cola announces job cuts as restructuring continues
Coca‑Cola job cuts highlight wider Big Food overhaul
Diageo sells East African Breweries to Asahi in $2.3bn deal
Asahi makes a big move into Africa: eying up the growth potential on the continent
Food trend predictions 2026 - and it’s not all about protein
Protein may dominate formulations in 2026, but new trends are set to shape the year ahead
Who is Henrique Braun, Coca-Cola’s next CEO?
Henrique Braun will become the beverage giant’s new CEO in March next year
Coca-Cola names new CEO
Executive vice president and chief operating officer Henrique Braun will take over as CEO of The Coca-Cola Company: succeeding James Quincey, who has led the drinks giant for nine years.
Brand on fire: How Trip has pioneered the calming beverages category
With tens of millions of views on TikTok, Trip has found fame with Gen Z and pioneered the calming beverages category. What are the brand’s secrets to success?
Coca-Cola eyes return of bolt-on deals, but is there a viable pipeline?
CEO James Quincey says bolt-on M&A will become a ‘bigger feature’ for Coca-Cola and the larger industry, but the timing hinges on innovation cycles and the beverage giant’s prolonged IRS dispute
Danone tackles the big question for GLP-1 users: What should they eat?
Grounded in emerging science, Danone’s research and innovation team is developing nutrient-dense products tailored to every stage of the GLP-1 user journey – and meeting the needs of the broader health conscious consumer
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
Tractor Beverage cultivates new business model with Haymaker
The farmer-focused vinegar-based sparkling tonic launches in 2026 at Sprouts Farmers Market
Coca-Cola launches boba juice innovation
Coca-Cola has released its first ever boba product with the launch of a bubble tea-style juice: designed to deliver a unique sensorial experience
Naked Life’s US expansion strategy
Already the dominant force in the Australian non-alcoholic cocktail market, Naked Life has teamed up with Molson Coors to replicate its success in the US
Festivals, flavor and fun! Shake Up Cocktails eyes up growth potential after Accelerator Pitch Day win
With its mission to deliver ‘real ingredients, real flavor and real fun’, the canned cocktail brand has just won the InvestBev Accelerator Pitch Day Competition and now plans to expand into new markets
Healthy beverages
Celsius enters a new era with Rockstar, Alani Nu acquisitions
New flavors, female-forward brands power energy drink company reboot
Healthy beverages
Lipton leans into function and flavor with new herbal teas and concentrates
Lipton is expanding into concentrates and herbal teas to meet growing demand for flavorful, functional and convenient tea formats, while keeping pace with trends like GLP-1 wellness and stress management
Startup Spotlight
Third wave hydration: Plink! sparks shift toward flavor-first daily wellness
By putting consumer enjoyment ahead of its sustainability mission, the fizzy electrolyte tablet brand has ushered in an era of daily hydration and in doing so doubled its velocity, expanded distribution and outpaced legacy competitors in natural grocery...
The future of functional food is female: Startup The Cycle taps into huge whitespace with PMS and period relief beverages
Targeting the growing demand for functional products designed by and for women, the startup blends clinical science, tradition and taste to normalize self-care during menstruation
Monster’s momentum: Energy drink sale surge as innovation and ‘affordable luxury’ positioning redefine the category
Innovation, affordability and shifting perceptions fuel 16.8% year-over-year growth, as Monster Beverage broadens its appeal beyond core users and positions energy drinks as an affordable alternative to coffee
Back to RIG: How will new Nestle CEO’s growth plans impact APAC?
New Nestle CEO Philipp Navratil has reset Real Internal Growth (RIG) as his ‘most important’ priority moving forward – but just how will his plans for this impact APAC?
Bero and Aston Martin partner on non-alcoholic beer
Bero is aligning with Aston Martin to bring non-alcoholic beer into the premium space
Nostalgia meets better-for-you soda
No Cap! Soda Pop and Icee team up to reimagine iconic frozen flavors as zero-sugar, better-for-you sodas, aiming to attract both nostalgic fans and next-generation consumers
Danone’s Q3: Healthy hydration thrives as creamers tumble
Waters slid again in Latin America as consumer sentiment in Mexico remained ‘pretty muted’
Cutwater: ‘More people believe in ghosts than believe canned cocktails are ‘real’ cocktails!’
That’s according to a survey from Anheuser-Busch canned cocktail Cutwater: which has been using its Halloween campaign to showcase the ‘Real Spirits Inside’.
Protein and creamers hold back Danone in Q3
Danone is struggling to meet demand for high-protein yogurt while coffee creamers continue to be a drag on performance in North America
Coca-Cola leans into protein, ‘zeros and diets’ as GLP-1 users reshape beverage habits
Even as appetite-suppressing drugs dampen full-sugar soda sales, the beverage giant reports higher revenue and market share gains powered in part by its ‘reinvigorated sparkling portfolio’ thanks to no- and low-calorie options and its protein offerings,...
Coca-Cola HBC to acquire Coca-Cola Beverages Africa
Coca-Cola HBC will become the second largest Coca-Cola bottling partner in the world after taking a 75% stake in CCBA for $2.6bn
Pocono Maple Water taps into natural hydration opportunity
Pocono Maple Water is looking at the traditional drink through a modern lens: highlighting the hydrating power, authenticity and taste of the beverage
Nestlé targets 18 underperformers in major marketing and efficiency push
“What we’re doing is working but it’s not good enough,” CEO Philipp Navratil told investors during the CPG major’s Q3 FY25 results presentation
Carlsberg & Heineken: Beer business vital to Malaysia’s economy
Carlsberg and Heineken spotlight beer’s crucial role in Malaysia’s economy, highlighting its value to the food and beverage industry via a new economic study