Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Enhances Production With New Can Lines
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia upgraded its can production capabilities at its Richlands site near Brisbane, investing A$22.2 million to meet growing demand for canned beverages. The new line produces up to 2,000 cans per minute, boosting local supply of popular drinks like Coca-Cola Zero, Sprite and Mount Franklin. CCEP also plans a A$75 million investment in a new can line for Monster Energy at the same site, set to enhance local energy drink production by 2025, supporting job growth and environmental goals.
Danone
Court Rules In Favor Of Evian Over Microplastic Labeling
A federal judge in Illinois dismissed claims that Evian misrepresented its spring water as "natural". Plaintiffs argued that the presence of microplastics violated state consumer fraud laws, but US District Judge Thomas Durkin ruled that federal regulations for spring water preempted such claims. The court determined that since federal rules don’t mention microplastics, they cannot impose additional labeling requirements beyond identifying the water's natural spring source. This decision aligns with previous court rulings regarding microplastics in bottled water, arguing that the term "natural" can only be regulated by the source, not microplastic content.
Nestle
Nestlé To Boost Marketing And Plan For Beverage Business Divestment
Nestlé plans a major overhaul, focusing on cost savings, marketing investment and restructuring. It aims to cut costs by at least $2.8 billion by 2027 and increase advertising and marketing spending to 9 percent of sales by 2025. This marks a return to pre-pandemic levels after a period of reduced investment. Nestlé will separate its water and premium beverage businesses into a standalone unit, potentially opening the door for a spin-off. Nestlé the strategy to lead to higher sales growth and profitability, targeting over 4 percent sales growth in the medium term.
Other Companies
Refresco Acquires Frías Nutrición To Boost Plant-Based Drinks Portfolio
Refresco in Spain completed its acquisition of Frías Nutrición, a Spanish producer of plant-based drinks, strengthening Refresco's presence in the growing plant-based beverage market, which includes almond, rice, hazelnut and soy options. Frías operates in Burgos, Spain, with around 250 employees, and specializes in private label production for key retailers. Refresco CEO Hans Roelofs emphasized that this acquisition supports the company’s Buy & Build strategy, helping to better serve European customers and accelerate innovation.
Nuisance Drinks Launches Damson & Dandelion Tonic
UK-based Nuisance Drinks expanded its low-calorie botanical beverage range with a Damson & Dandelion tonic, set to launch in early 2025. This new addition follows the company’s recent partnership with The Scottish Bee Company. Known for its clean, low-calorie drinks, Nuisance offers unique blends like Bramble & Rosemary and Rhubarb & Ginger, each under 50 calories per serving. Founder Hugo Morrisey’s foraging-inspired journey began during the pandemic, leading to a popular line of adult soft drinks made with unconventional ingredients from the British countryside.
Koalimo, The World’s First Caffeinated Cocoa Fruit Drink
Germany-based organic cocoa provider Koawach launched Koalimo, the world’s first caffeinated soft drink made with cocoa fruit juice. Available in three flavors—Sun Burst, Citrus Wave and Tropic Ocean—Koalimo combines natural guarana for a 75mg caffeine boost with lightly sweetened cocoa fruit juice, offering a cleaner, simpler ingredient list than traditional energy drinks, with 3g of sugar per 100ml. Koawach partnered with Koa, a startup that upcycles cocoa fruit pulp, benefiting small-scale farmers in Ghana. Available in over 1,100 DM stores in Germany from November 2024, the drink positions itself as both functional and environmentally conscious.
Danjiangkou's Water Drives Local Bottled Beverage Industry Growth
Danjiangkou in China has seen its clean water supply feed a booming bottled water industry. Danjiangkou Wudang Mountains Water Company, which began operations last year, produces over 12 million bottles monthly, generating over 60 million yuan in sales in first six months of this year. Much of its success stems from the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, which has increased the city's reputation as a clean water source. Major beverage brands, including Nongfu Spring and Beibingyang, are expanding in the region.
Uni-President
Uni-President Posts Strong 3Q Growth, Lower EPS
Taiwan’s Uni-President reported NT$178.9 billion in revenue for Q3, 8.4 percent up from the previous year. Net income rose by 9.4 percent to NT$6.09 billion, and earnings per share grew to NT$1.07, missing analyst expectations by 12 percent. Despite strong revenue, the company’s profit margin remained stable at 3.4 percent. Looking ahead, revenue is expected to grow at a 4.8 percent annual rate over the next three years, lagging the 7.8 percent growth forecast for the broader food industry in Asia.
Greenpeace Links Major Brands To Taiwan River Plastic Waste
Greenpeace’s survey of Taiwan’s Tamsui and Zengwen Rivers found that 90 percent of the garbage found was plastic, with significant contributions from local and international beverage brands. Uni-President Enterprises, Taiwan’s largest beverage company, was the source of 19.3 percent of identifiable branded plastic waste, followed by Vitalon Foods at 7.5 percent and Swire Coca-Cola at 5.4 percent. PET bottles were the most common waste item, and Greenpeace calls for FMCG brands to shift towards reusable systems and reduce plastic waste at source rather than relying solely on recycling.
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