An array of food and beverage manufacturers are now looking to consumers to provide ideas for new products and flavours as the internet opens up greater opportunities to connect with consumers. And it is not just manufacturers offering consumers with greater control over what they eat and drink, with retailers also seeking increased customer involvement. Mountain Dew  Mountain Dew, a popular beverage owned by PepsiCo, has recently announced a new beverage called Mountain Dew Voltage following an... ...Read more »

Fred’s Minit Mart, an American convenience store, recently announced their self-branded fountain drink line (Minit Mix), which involves the company changing the way they sell their beverages. Minit Mix machines offer sixteen different soft drinks, flavour syrups on demand and “pellet” style ice. Unlike many fountains, customers can choose between PepsiCo, Dr. Pepper and Coca-Cola products and mix them with the four flavour syrups available: vanilla, cherry, raspberry and lime. Other... ...Read more »

The five year association between Schweppes and Red Bull GmbH is about to come to an end. In July 2003 Red Bull Australia and Schweppes formed a distribution alliance, with Schweppes to assist with sales, distribution and merchandising of the popular energy drink. In most countries Red Bull takes sole responsibility for distribution, but the association with Schweppes was made due to the strength of their network in Australia and the resulting ability to increase sales of the product. The... ...Read more »

France has ended a twelve year ban on the sale of the Red Bull energy drink in its original formula. Until now, the Austrian company was required to sell the drink in France without Taurine, one of the key ingredients. The EU forced the French Government’s hand, claiming that, in the absence of any conclusive evidence that the drink is harmful, it should be allowed to be sold. Any product made or sold in the EU cannot be banned unless there is reputable evidence of a health risk. The French... ...Read more »

Powerade, a brand under the Coca-Cola Company banner, has tried to enhance their offering with the creation of a sports drink with no calories. Powerade Zero, the first sports drink from a major brand to offer zero calories, is Coca-Cola’s response to the range of new options by market leader Gatorade. Gatorade, a division of PepsiCo, introduced their own low calorie option last year -’G2′. G2 was designed to keep hydration levels high off-field and has proven very popular.... ...Read more »

Red Bull, the world’s leading energy drink manufacturer, has recently launched a new cola drink into the market dominated by Pepsi and Coca-Cola. The drink is 100% natural (unlike Pepsi and Coca-Cola) and consists of kola nut and coca leaf. The drink will be named ‘Red Bull Simply Cola’ with the slogan ’strong and natural’ the focus of their promotional campaigns. The drink has now been made available in six European countries and Las Vegas in the US but sales... ...Read more »