Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola HBC has been named as the world’s most sustainable beverage company by the 2022 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. It is the 12th consecutive year that Coca-Cola HBC has featured among the top three performers, and the sixth time it has been named the industry leader.
Coca-Cola has opened its new $10.2 million sales and distribution center in St. Petersburg, Florida. The 22,000-square-foot facility employs 140 people and caters to 3,500 customers in Pinellas County. In addition to the St. Petersburg facility, Coke Florida has a bigger project in the works. During the summer, Coke Florida broke ground on a $250 million sales and distribution center in Tampa that will be more than 800,000 square feet. It’s expected to take between 24 and 36 months to build due to economic conditions.
Coca-Cola’s Freestyle touch-screen beverage dispenser has been key in the company’s product innovation since it was introduced in 2009. There are more than 50,000 active Coca-Cola Freestyle around the world that pour from the 32 different brands available. These machines generate valuable consumer data, including how consumers are experimenting, what drinks are poured most often, what time of the day they are consumed, and how it varies by location. This data can reveal opportunities to bring popular flavor profiles from the Freestyle machine to the store shelves. Coca-Cola has brought four creations to bottles or cans, starting in 2017 with Sprite Cherry. Since then, it has also introduced Coke with Cherry Vanilla, Coke with Orange Vanilla and Sprite Strawberry with Lymonade, the latter of which will roll out next spring. Each of the three previous launches have seen success and remain on shelves today.
Nestle
Nestlé is investing over CHF 100 million by 2030 in low-carbon logistics for its three international water brands - S. Pellegrino, Acqua Panna and Perrier. This investment will focus on optimizing logistics routes and accelerating train transport, increasing the use of alternative fuels and transportation options, and testing innovative alternative transportation options. Among these alternative transportation options are fully electric trucks, which are being piloted in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland; wind-powered shipping lines; and hydrogen-powered trains, which will be rolled out in France from 2025. By eliminating unnecessary journeys and shifting towards alternative modes of transport, Nestlé's international water brands will be able to reduce their total greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to Nestlé's 2050 net zero commitment.
Nestlé has identified three core opportunities for growth as it aims to achieve a combined projected CAGR of 5 percent through 2025. The growth opportunities are premium in-home experiences, out-of-home occasions, and expanded presence in non-coffee drinking countries. The first is to meet growing consumer demand for the “coffee shop at home experience,” which gained traction during the pandemic and remains popular. Consumers are more educated about coffee, have higher expectations and want to know the coffee’s origins, and how it is brewed and roasted. This growing coffee expertise is also fueling increased coffee drinking occasions and beverage types, such as flavored and cold drinks. Nestlé is expanding its in-home offering of coffee through its Starbucks range of 190 SKUs, and available in over 80 countries. As Nestlé fosters the at-home drinking experience, it’s also is looking to rebuild the out-of-home coffee business, and it’s also aiming to target markets where coffee consumption is low, such as China, India and Africa.
Other Companies
Prebiotic soda brand Poppi has announced $25M in new financing led by CAVU Consumer Partners. The funding comes after a year of substantial growth for Poppi, which experienced a 148% increase in overall revenue and a 250% increase in online sales. The company also nearly doubled its retail presence and is available in over 20,000 retailers nationwide. Poppi will use its funds to strengthen its executive team, support product development, and expand its retail presence.
Dr. Zero Zero has launched with AmarNo, its non-alcoholic version of Italian bitter herb drink Amaro. AmarNo was created by master "Amarologists" in Trieste, Italy, with extracts of sage, wormwood, Chinese rhubarb, quassia and orange, traditionally considered to stimulate smooth digestion and enhance energy level. AmarNo will be available to purchase on Amazon and in retail stores across the US.
Sparkling water brand Spindrift has announced four new varieties launching in the new year: the mocktail-inspired Nojito, Peach Strawberry, Mint Green Tea and Mango Black Tea. Spindrift is made with real squeezed fruit and 0g added sugar, no artificial flavoring, and low calories. To celebrate the new launches, Spindrift is inviting its fans to enter a competition for a chance to win an 8-pack of Nojito before it hits shelves early next year.
Dr. Zero Zero has launched with AmarNo, its non-alcoholic version of Italian bitter herb drink Amaro. AmarNo was created by master "Amarologists" in Trieste, Italy, with extracts of sage, wormwood, Chinese rhubarb, quassia and orange, traditionally considered to stimulate smooth digestion and enhance energy level. AmarNo will be available to purchase on Amazon and in retail stores across the US.