Coca-Cola
Powerade Celebrates 'Pause' In New Campaign
Powerade’s latest campaign, “The 304,” continues its “Pause is Power” platform, starring Barcelona footballer Lamine Yamal. The film highlights how athletes find strength in reflective moments before major events. Yamal’s narrative explores returning to his roots in Rocafonda, Mataró in Spain, emphasizing personal rituals that ground him mentally and emotionally. The campaign aims to broaden Powerade’s appeal beyond elite sports, celebrating everyday athletes and their routines. It will run through 2025 and tie into key global sporting events like the Paris Olympics and Copa America.
Coca-Cola Revises Recyclability Messaging On Bottles
Coca-Cola agreed to update its recycling claims on plastic bottles in response to a greenwashing complaint from the European Consumer Organisation, which raised concerns in 2023 about misleading recyclability messages from several companies, including Coca-Cola. As a result, Coca-Cola will revise labels to clarify that bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic, excluding labels and caps. It will also change "Recycle me again" to "Recycle me" to avoid implying a fully closed-loop system. These changes align with the European Commission’s goal of ensuring clear, non-misleading information about environmental benefits, with Coca-Cola agreeing to further refine its communications in the future.
Danone
Oikos Targets GLP-1 Users With Protein Shakes
Danone is expanding its Oikos brand beyond yogurt with new high-protein shakes aimed at GLP-1 users, capitalizing on the growing demand for protein-rich foods among consumers taking appetite-suppressing drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. The shelf-stable shakes, launching this month on Amazon and in select stores, will be available nationwide at major retailers like Walmart, Target and Costco by summer. Each shake contains 30g of protein and 5g of prebiotic fiber, offered in vanilla, chocolate and salted caramel flavors.
Monster
Monster Relaunches Sales Supercharged For Retailer Support
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Monster Energy relaunched their SalesSupercharged.co.uk initiative, aiming to help convenience retailers capitalize on the growing energy drinks market. It now includes a new “with food” section, providing tips on merchandising energy drinks alongside snacks to boost sales, addressing the 74% of consumers who pair energy drinks with food. The initiative features advice from successful convenience retailers and offers practical tools to maximize sales.
Monster Beverage Sales Decline, Partly From Economic Uncertainty
Monster Beverage reported a 2.3% drop in first-quarter revenue to $1.85 billion, falling short of analyst expectations as US consumers reduced spending on premium energy drinks amid economic uncertainty. Net sales for the flagship energy drinks segment, including Monster and Reign, decreased by 0.8% to $1.72 billion. The company cited colder weather, inflation and shifting ordering patterns among bottlers and distributors as key factors impacting sales. Additionally, rising aluminum tariffs affected costs, though Monster plans to open a facility in Brazil to mitigate the impact. Despite higher prices boosting profit margins, persistent weakness in its alcohol brands also weighed on overall performance.
Nestle
Nestlé Executive Accused Of Perjury In Water Inquiry
The French Senate referred Ronan Le Fanic, global head of technical and production at Nestlé Waters, to prosecutors, alleging perjury during a parliamentary inquiry into the company’s water production practices. Le Fanic reportedly denied any production issues at the Vergèze site, but the Senate claims evidence shows bacterial contamination incidents in March that halted Perrier production. This follows regulatory pressure on Nestlé to cease microfiltration practices at Vergèze and Vosges. Nestlé faced scrutiny over water treatment practices since last year and is conducting an internal audit. If convicted, Le Fanic could face up to five years in prison and a €75,000 fine.
Nestlé Brings In Rothschild To Sell Water Business
Nestlé plans to divest its water division, including Perrier and S.Pellegrino, to focus on its core brands. Rothschild & Co. will advise on the sale, estimated at over €5 billion. Potential buyers include private equity firms like Blackstone and Platinum Equity. The division faces capacity challenges, particularly with Perrier, and ongoing regulatory scrutiny in France. Nestlé aims to retain a minority stake while addressing compliance concerns and optimizing operations. Despite a 2.9% revenue increase to 722 million Swiss francs ($874 million) in Q1 2025, water sales represent less than 4% of Nestlé’s total revenue.
Nestlé Ordered To Remove Filters From French Water Plants
French authorities mandated Nestlé to remove microfilters from its Vergèze and Vosges water production sites, affecting brands like Perrier and Contrex. The order follows regulatory scrutiny over Nestlé’s use of 0.2-micron filters, which the company claims are essential for maintaining product quality but are not permitted under French natural mineral water regulations. Nestlé says it’s working on technical solutions for both locations and that all products remain health-compliant. The directive comes amid ongoing investigations into Nestlé’s water practices in France, including allegations of unauthorized treatment methods and contamination risks. A Senate report on the matter is expected on May 19, potentially influencing further regulatory actions.
Other Companies
Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Gains Popularity In India
Varun Sahni, co-founder of Bebida Hospitality, introduced Copenhagen Sparkling Tea to India, a growing global category appealing to health-conscious consumers. With its low-calorie, organic and 0% alcohol variants, it offers a sophisticated alternative to sugary or alcoholic drinks. It’s available in three variants, including blends of white, Oolong, green and black teas, and gained traction in high-end hotels, restaurants and premium settings. The product is already popular during festivals and weddings, with strong demand for its refreshing, antioxidant-rich profile, and with India’s increasing focus on health, Sahni expects rapid growth for Copenhagen Sparkling Tea in the country’s premium non-alcoholic beverage market.
ITO EN Expands Green Tea Presence In US
ITO EN North America, the largest green tea company in Japan, moved its headquarters to North Texas as it aims to expand its presence in the US, targeting health-conscious consumers. Founded in 1966, ITO EN pioneered RTD tea and has grown into a $3.1 billion global business. It , plans to make green tea as ubiquitous in the US as it is in Japan, focusing on Middle America. ITO EN is also eyeing local production in Dallas and expanding its product range, including the acquisition of Tully’s Coffee and supplement brands.
Tata Consumer Expands Beverages Portfolio With New Sports Drink
Tata Consumer Products is set to launch a new sports drink as part of its broader strategy to expand its beverages portfolio, but still chooses not to compete directly with the carbonated beverages majors. The company is also preparing to relaunch its energy drink and introduce more functional beverages under its NourishCo segment. CEO Sunil D’Souza emphasized a focus on double-digit top-line growth and improved EBITDA margins.
ThaiBev
ThaiBev Profit Drops As Beverage Sales Decline
Thai Beverage reported a 3.2% drop in Q2 profit to 6.7 billion baht, impacted by lower sales in beer, food and non-alcoholic beverages, despite growth in spirits. The decline comes amid a restatement of financials to consolidate Fraser & Neave, acquired in September 2024. Revenue rose 1% to 177.6 billion baht for the first half, driven by beer and non-alcoholic drinks. ThaiBev noted economic recovery in Thailand, but warned of persistent risks, particularly in Vietnam’s competitive beer market.
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