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