Doing the Water thing...

Many ex-colleagues from Snapple and now myself have found our way to opportunities in water.  I have friends at Nestle, Voss, Fiji - and myself at Essentia. 

Why?

Yes, the skillset is needed in any beverage is similar. But I believe that the implication is deeper. Consumers no longer believe that "water is water", and that waters can have different qualities, roles and functions. At SNAPPLE we learned how to leverage differentiation in marketing and selling. 

Tea on the Rise In Coffee Shops

Ad Age reported today that hot tea was +18% in 2013 vs 2012. That is a substantial increase that will have many restaurateurs and tea companies interested. The rise of chai lattes and mattes has been predicted since the late 90s, but now it appears that there is real momentum behind the trend. 

Bevnet 2012

I just added my presentation from last summer's Bevnet Live here.

Appearances and Presentations

Over the past year I have made a couple of appearances:

- Bevnet Live 2012
- Nutracon 2013

And I have new one upcoming at the Bevnet Bevschool in Chicago next week. More info at www.bevnet.com

For Food & Beverage Companies, The Mission Has Not Changed

While the world focuses on the challenges of debt and macro-economic budgets, food and beverage companies have again become a refuge for investors.

The challenge will be to maintain the momentum that has been made by the structural changes in the food/beverage marketplace:

- Build and leverage the margins created by truly functional products
- Find ways to bring "coolness" through design to budget products
- Create brand loyalty through establishing closer links  between products, brand activators and consumers to build a virtuous circle of trial, awareness and availability.

A downgraded America may face some new issues, but Food and Beverage companies face the same issues they have faced since the last downturn. Now is the time to recognize and act on the opportunity.

Relaxation Foods and Beverages

Long distance travel is often a great opportunity for sleep. Long plane rides can only be improved by unconsciousness. So recently I had the opportunity to put a couple of "relaxation" products to the test on planes. While there are many items like Purple Stuff and Drank out there, I ended up with two products to compare at different times:

The first was I AM SLEEPY, from the I AM line - taste was tough, but the impact was great. Peaceful sleep from LAX to New York.

Second was Marley's Mellow Mood - Citrus version - and tasted like a pleasant Lemon Tea. Again, after a long couple of days of travelling the flight to Brussels passed rapidly, peacefully - and with plenty of zzz's.

So, the products work. Is there an opportunity?

While the Marley idea is very cool, I would be concerned that it is not a refreshment beverage idea. The shot is more convenient, and delivers a functionality in a fun way. I would be concerned that the only relaxation times are in the evening - when the competitive set is alcohol.

Then there are Lazy Larry's melatonin brownies... These "Amsterdam-inspired" relax with a brownie concept is edgy and cool. But may be at the edge of what is OK.

Delights of Twitter...

I have recently been using Twitter far more frequently as a way to highlight the mist recent emerging tidbits of information that pique my interest. So, follow my food and beverage thoughts at @foodsfluidsbynd, and my personal comments on life, cricket and any other interesting items at @Justcoz.

Apparently @Justcoz is misquoted a lot from the non-profit community... I get a lot of followers from there. Hope they enjoy the diversity

The New Quosh

A lot has been made of the new Kraft "liquid flavoring" product Mio. But in the spirit of what is old is new again, it looks to me that it is just a re-imagining of what is often called a coridal in the USA, and orange squash in England.

Their opportunity has been the stick pack powder business that has grown dramatically in recent years. The brand leading that charge has been Kraft's own redoubtable Crystal Light. Now they see the chance to make the er-constitution category more contemporary - and reach a younger consumer.

Certainly I applaud their creativity in their "Liquid Water Enhancer", but unless there is a significant taste improvement, it may struggle to sell at the premium price they are asking. People fundamentally buy reconstituted products to save money.

So this is a good opportunity to show an old Quosh package - but I'm struggling to find one. Instead here is some vintage advertising that is from way before my time...

Make Your Own Coca Cola

This week Ira Glassman's This American Life (I am sourcing their Facebook page because their homepage has been overwhelmed) has an interesting exploration on Coca Cola - and its taste.

We all know the story that the Coca Cola recipe is a guarded secret because it cannot be replicated. Well, Ira used a published potential original recipe from the Atlanta Journal Constitution to see if he could replicate it.

Here's the recipe I transcribed:

Coco Cola - From 1897

To create the flavor base mix the following:

20 drops Orange Oil

30 drops Lemon Oil

10 drops Nutmeg Oil

5 drops Coriander Oil

10 drops Neroli Oil

10 drops Cinnamon

8 oz Alcohol

In a separate container mix:

2 oz of the Flavor Base

3 oz Citric acid

1 oz Caffeine

2 1/2 Gallons Water

2 pints Lime Juice

1 oz Vanilla

1.5 oz Caramel Coloring

30 lbs sugar

Fluid Extract of Coca (yes - the one with Cocaine)

Ira Glassman had this made up by Jones soda and Sovereign Flavors- only to discover that it is not necessarily about the generic ingredients but the source of the ingredients that can make a difference. And that flavor technology and tastes have come a long way since the 19^th century.

In my experience a good flavor technologist can  replicate the taste of Coke - or Pepsi. The guys at RC used to test my taste buds by presenting store bought Coke vs their lab-made sample. I could not pick the difference - and often preferred their lab sample.

Is the above recipe correct? Or an abandoned ancestor? Tough to know. But it also shows that it has become the strength and distribution of the brand that is as or more important as the taste or efficacy off the product.

Homeopathy in the UK and Integrative Medicine in The USA - Contrasting Approaches

The NBJ has reported that the US government would purchase integrative (ie natural) medicines from the public purse worth $15B over the next 10 years. Frankly, this a stunning number and endorsement for Complementary and Alternative medicine.

At the same time, homeopathy has been under fire in the UK. Above is the BBC investigation into homeopathy from Newsnight which paints a very negative picture of the practice.


An amazing divergence of opinions...

Off Topic

I remember when you watched the movie to avoid having to read an assigned book in lit class. Now there are even ways to avoid sitting through the movies...




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone. Typos courtesy of predictive text.

I don't know about you...

I don't know about you, but when I think iced tea, I think cage fighting...



-
Ok, so the young male consumers of 99c teas may be the right connection, but Chuck Liddell seems an unlikely way to engage the tea consumer, even with the popularity of MMA.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone. Typos courtesy of predictive text.

Yesterday's news...

Sweetbay's own brand of vitamin-enhanced water appears to be on the way out...



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone. Typos courtesy of predictive text.

The joys of a big display.

I have been in Florida for the weekend, and visited a few Supermarkets. Being January they are dominated by the merchandising of beverages, snacks and beer to get people in the mood for the superbowl. Some were big vertically, some horizontally- but my favorite was the fake truck bed from a Publix in Fort Myers.










- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Main St,Sarasota,United States

A Wander Down Memory Lane

Vimto - An Early Favorite

As a tween, my family moved from Sheffield in the Northeast of England to the Northwest: To be precise St Helens. Actually a city of around 200,000 it was a similar industrial center - we swapped a decaying steel-making city for a decaying glass-making town.

But the change of locales included a change of available foods and drinks - and my first encounter with Vimto. Most Brits can identify Ribena - the GSK blackcurrant drink. But there are a select few that really know Vimto. I can remember the first time I saw it - and had no idea what it was - at a small independent grocery. I bought it and enjoyed for the first the time the sweet, yet complex purple fluid. It is not as sweet or simple on the palate as Ribena, it is a mix of spices and juices that remains unique.

After a quick check Vimto on Wikipedia, I note that the canned version I used to buy was carbonated (I remember it was still) and it can be a cordial too (vaguely remember that as well).

But mostly I remember Vimto as a new, underground discovery (since it was created in 1908 - I was wrong).

And apparently they have had a good year and are now in a new PET bottle. Ah, for a Huyton's Iced Bun and an ice cold (well lukewarm) Vimto...

Twitter n'Stuff

I decided to start a tweet stream of the interesting food and beverage stuff that I come across... Follow me at http://twitter.com/foodsfluidsbynd . I will continue to do my personal tweeting (hope you like cricket and music) at http://www.twitter.com/justcoz.

Bye Bye Caffeine in Four Loko... Luckily there are lots of other replacements

With thanks to Lehrman Beverage Law...

# 3 AM Vodka with Caffeine and Guarana
# 3 Sum Malt Beverage with Caffeine
# 24-Seven Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# 808 Vodka with Caffeine and Guarana
# A:M Vodka with Caffeine
# Agwa Herbal Liqueur with Guarana
# Alexandra Cream Liqueur with Coffee Beans
# Atwater Malt Beverage with Coffee Beans
# Axehead Malt Beverage with Guarana and Caffeine
# Bacchus Meadery Honey Wine with Coffee
# Barley Island Black Magic Java Stout with Coffee Beans
# Bee Creek Stout with Coffee
# Bell's Java Stout with Coffee
# Belvedere IX Vodka with Guarana and Ginseng
# Big Boss Beer with Coffee
# Big Shot Stout with Espresso
# Bluegrass Brewing Co. Stout with Coffee
# Bold City Coffee Stout with Bean Coffee
# BooYa Tequila with Caffeine
# Bootlegger's Black Phoenix Ale with Coffee
# Borghetti Cafe Sport Espresso Liqueur
# Brooklyn Intensified Coffee Stout Ale with Coffee
# Bruery Turtle Doves Ale with Cocoa Nibs
# Burnett's Espresso Flavored Vodka
# Buzz Bomb Vodka with Caffeine and Guarana
# Buzz-A-Rita Margarita with Caffeine and Guarana
# Cafe Boheme Liqueur with Vodka and Coffee
# Cafe Lue Orange Wine with Coffee
# Captain Lawrence Stout with Espresso Beans
# Captain Morgan Rum and Cola
# Catalyst Malt Beverage with Caffeine
# Chang Rai Green Tea Wine
# Charbay Aperitif Wine with Tea Leaves
# Charbay Tea Flavored Vodka with Whole Leaf Green Tea
# Chicca Ale Brewed with Coffee Beans
# Cofia Vodka with Hazelnut Espresso
# Cohete Rum with Guarana
# Core Malt Beverage with Guarana and Caffeine
# Corner Stone Ale with Espresso Coffee
# Dark Horizon Ale with Coffee
# Dark Horse Perkulator Malt Beverage with Coffee Grounds
# Deschutes Black Butte Porter with Coffee and Chocolate
# Dizzy Panda Green Tea Wine
# Dogma Ale with Kola Nut and Guarana
# Dolce Nero Liqueur with Espresso Beans
# Dogfish Sah'Tea Ale with Black Tea
# Dogfish Theobroma Ale with Cocoa Nibs and Cocoa Powder
# East End Literally Just a Coffee Porter
# Ecstasy Liqueur
# Esprexxo Coffee Flavored Vodka with Caffeine
# Everglo Liqueur with Caffeine
# Firelit Coffee Liqueur made with brewed coffee
# Flying Fish Ale with Coffee
# Fort Collins Ale with Coffee
# Founders Breakfast Stout Brewed with Coffee and Chocolate
# Four Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Freaky Ice Vodka with Guarana
# George Dickel Whisky and Cola
# Goose Island Bourbon County Stout with Coffee
# Grind Rum with Coffee Extract
# Gruv Malt Beverage with Guarana
# Hard Wired Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# High & Mighty Sono Distrutto Stout with Espresso Beans
# Holt's Cyclone Lager with Guarana, Kola Nut, Ginseng
# Hoodoo Majic Rum with Caffeine
# Iki Beer with Green Tea Leaves
# Illy Espresso Liqueur
# Ineeka Ale with Green Tea
# Ithaca Eleven Malt Beverage with Coffee
# Jack Hammer Malt Beverage with Guarana
# Jah-Va Stout with Coffee
# Jakk'd Grain Neutral Spirits with Caffeine
# James River Plantation Sweet Tea Flavored Vodka
# Java Head Stout with Coffee Beans
# Java the Hub Porter with Coffee
# Javara Rum with Coffee
# Jett Vodka with Caffeine and Guarana
# Jim Beam Bourbon and Cola
# Joe Mama's Milk Stout with Coffee
# Joe Porter with Coffee
# Joose Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
# Keweenaw Mogiana Ale with Coffee
# King Mocha Java Stout with Coffee
# Kona Brewery Da Grind Buzz Stout with Coffee
# Koval Liqueur with Coffee
# La Granja Stout with Coffee
# Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout Brewed with Colombian Coffee
# Laurelwood Espresso Stout
# Lefty's Porter with Coffee
# Leopold Brothers Coffee Liqueur with Ground Coffee
# Liquid Charge Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Long Trail Malt Beverage with Coffee
# Lost Coast Java Brown Ale with Coffee
# Lotus Vodka with Caffeine and Guarana
# Luna Coffee Stout
# Macarsi Coffee Liqueur
# Mancos Valley Liqueur with Coffee
# MateVeza Ale with Yerba Mate
# Max Malt Beverage with Caffeine
# MacTarnahan's Goose Bump Stout with Coffee Beans
# Meantime Malt Beverage with Coffee
# Mette Grape Spirits with Coffee
# Mezzaluna Espresso Liqueur
# Mickey’s Stinger Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Mikkeller Black Hole Stout with Coffee
# Mikkeller Oatmeal Stout Brewed with Coffee
# Minx Vodka Cocktail with Guarana
# Mobius Lager with Caffeine
# Mocha Death Ale with Coffee and Cocoa
# Modern Spirits Abstract Standard with Caffeine and Guarana and Tea Leaves
# Modern Spirits Vodka with Green, Black and Oolong Teas
# Mokka Liqueur with Coffee Beans
# Moonshot Beer with Caffeine
# Natty-Up Beer with Caffeine
# New Belgium Giddy Up! Ale with Espresso
# New Belgium Lips of Faith Ale with Yerba Mate
# New Glarus Stout with Coffee
# Nigata Malt Beverage with Green Tea
# Overcast Espresso Stout with Coffee
# Oxtails Vodka with Ginseng and Guarana
# P.I.N.K. Vodka with Caffeine and Guarana
# P.I.N.K. Sake with Caffeine
# Peak Ale with Organic Coffee
# Peak Spirits Grappa with Coffee Beans
# Peche Mortel Stout with Coffee
# Pinnacle Double Espresso Vodka with Caffeine
# Pipeline Porter with Kona Coffee
# Pozharnik Stout with Coffee
# Qi Liqueur with Smoked Black Tea
# R2 Rum with Taurine and Caffeine
# Real Ale Porter Brewed with Coffee
# Red Eye Black Ale with Coffee Beans
# Redhook Double Black Stout with Coffee
# Rhythm Liqueur with Caffeine
# Ricochet Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Rize Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Rockstar Malt Beverage with Caffeine
# Roundhouse Corretto Liqueur with Coffee
# Saint Aubin Rum with Coffee Grains
# Santa Cruz Brewing Porter with Coffee
# Sao Vodka with Guarana and Caffeine
# Seagram's Coffee Flavored Vodka with Caffeine Added
# Shango Rum Liqueur with Guarana
# ShotPak Gravity Vodka with Caffeine
# Slingshot Vodka with Caffeine
# Smirnoff Espresso Flavored Vodka with Caffeine
# Smirnoff Raw Tea Malt Beverage with Tea and Caffeine
# Smirnoff Vodka and Guarana
# Southern Tier Mokah Stout with Chocoloate and Coffee
# Spykes Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
# Stella di Natale Ale with Green Tea
# Stirrings Liqueur with Espresso
# Stone Brewing Coconut Porter with Kona Coffee
# Surly Coffee Bender Beer with Coffee
# Surly Four Stout with Coffee
# Swamphead Midnight Oil Ale with Coffee
# Sweet Horizon Ale with Coffee
# Tenure Espresso Flavored Vodka
# Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Beer with Coffee
# Terrapin Depth Charge Espresso Milt Stout with Coffee
# Thirdrail Beer with Caffeine
# Three Olives Vodka with Caffeine
# Torque Malt Beverage with Caffeine and Guarana
# Tosta Ale with Cacao
# Trader Joe's Vodka with Chocolate and Espresso
# Troll Liqueur with Guarana
# Twin Shot Java Cream Vodka with Espresso
# Twisted Pine Espresso Stout Malt Beverage with Espresso
# Twisted Tea Malt Beverage with Tea
# Tyranena Porter Brewed with Coffee Beans
# Underground Grain Neutral Spirits with Guarana and Ginseng
# V2 Vodka with Caffeine
# VAD Vodka with Caffeine, Guarana and Ginseng
# Valdamor Grappa with Coffee
# Van Gogh Double Caffeine Coffee Flavored Vodka
# Vicious Vodka with Caffeine
# Vinergy Table Flavored Wine with Caffeine
# Volta Vodka with Caffeine, Guarana and Yerba Mate
# Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur with Black Tea
# W. Willy's Wine with Caffeine and Taurine
# Walders Coffee Liqueur Made with Coffee
# White Birch Malt Beverage with Coffee
# Wide Eye Liqueur with Caffeine
# Williamsburg Coffeehouse Stout Ale with Roasted Coffee
# Wolaver's Ale with Coffee
# XZO Vodka with Caffeine and Guarana
# Yeti Great Divide Stout with Coffee
# Zen Green Tea Liqueur
# Zygo Citrus Flavored Vodka with Guarana and Yerba Mate

The Rush To Judgement

Over the past week since I first wrote the Four Loko post Oklahoma, Washington and now New York have pulled the drink off retail shelves- all accompanied by suitably outraged politicians and shocked media.

We can now await the crackdown on Vodka/Red Bull, rum & coke and Irish Coffee with baited breath...

Fascinating Cocaine Infographic

From http://www.pharmacytechnician.net/ - click on the image to see it full size.

Especially like the Coca Cola trivia.


Via: Pharmacy Technician

Four Loko And the End of RTD Caffeine/Alcohol Beverages

Sometime in July, I had arrived at the Mad Dogs cricket ground in Greenwich, CT and had begun the process of getting ready for the game. I unlocked the front gate and the club house - all pretty normal. Our ground is located by the local recycling center (ok, the dump) and is often used by the local teens to do what teens do. They disappear into the nearby woods during the day to get high. And at night they hang outside our clubhouse to drink a beer or three. Normally this ends with the ritual smashing of bottles on our steps, requiring some clean up. But not this time.

The alcohol of choice for the previous evening - and would be for the rest of the summer - was Four Loko.

Four Loko is a caffeinated malt liquor. As an article in Fast Company put it, one 23.5 oz can contains the equivalent alcohol of a six pack of Budweiser (yes, its over 12% alcohol by volume) and the caffeine equivalent of two Red Bulls (around 160 mg).

At the time, I was happy that we just had a few cans to throw away, somewhat surprised to see another alcohol/caffeine product and noticed how spilled product more resembled a New Age juice drink in smell and color, rather than a beer.

Later at the local bodega (yes, there are some in Greenwich), I saw the cans, on the bottom shelf, and priced at $3 each (double the normal price), I asked the owner how it was selling. He responded "Like you would not believe".

I googled the product at home to discover that 4 Ohio State grads had started the brand and were trying to get their idea off the ground. Unsurprisingly however, they were becoming the new bete noir of the campaign against alcohol/caffeine.

The "caffeine+alcohol" issue has been under debate since last year. The argument is that the depressant effects of alcohol are masked by caffeine's stimulant effects, thereby enabling the drinker to imbibe for longer, and causing them to drink too much, which results in more people drinking and driving, getting into fights and generally becoming a menace to society.

And we all know how much the media  likes a "menace to society". In 1976 it was the Sex Pistols (well at least in the UK), In 1988 it was wine coolers, in 1997 it was Smirnoff Ice, Zima and other "alcopops", in 2000 it was Red Bull and Vodka, last year it was Sparks (only 6% alcohol), and today it is Four Loko.

This is a simple and easy story for local TV, and its easy to get a dramatic quote from parents, college presidents etc etc.

A few examples of the hysteria are here:







New Mexico



OK... a few observations

The real insight here is that Four Loko has a real value proposition. - Fruit taste, and a significant kick that does not put you to sleep - all for around $3.

The image and reputation of the product are creating the phenomena...  getting the names "liquid cocaine" and "blackout in a can" are great for their young male purchasers - but a real scare for the rest of puritan American society. Remember prohibition only ended 78 years ago.

Four Loko has also become a favorite for young urban black and hispanic drinkers. And they are also making viral videos for the brand.



Youtube is also the location of viral videos in competition to see who can chug the product fastest.



Or Shotgun it



or Beer Bong it...




Alcohol and caffeine is not inherently bad for you. Like other recreational substances, it is about your tolerance and ability to be responsible with it. Four Loko has combined taste, effect, branding and price into a powerful proposition that engages and excites its consumers - while scaring just about everyone else.

So go and buy one for the experience now - I would guess that it will only be available on the black market by 2011.