As voted for by you the readers - effectively - and checked by us on Google Analytics, here are our Top 10 most read news stories of 2014 – from Constellation Brands attracting the ire of craft brewers to Dr Pepper’s stevia trials.
As a trade journalist I sometimes pinch myself – not too hard – and recall that I’m lucky enough to cover such an exciting industry and everything from Coke’s latest corporate shenanigans to nascent beverage taste trends.
GLG Life Tech Corporation has announced another milestone in its effort to breed new cultivars of the stevia plant. The company has developed a variety that expresses higher levels of Rebaudioside A, or Reb A, the most commercially important stevia fraction...
It’s time to get out our crystal balls and predict the hottest trends in the European food and drink sector for the year ahead. What’s in store for 2015?
Two new studies have suggested that many children and adolescents consuming energy drinks get too much caffeine, while suggesting the level of sugar and caffeinated drinks can lead to different metabolic effects.
Renewed calls to attack health problems by taxing sugary drinks have been slammed by a leading nutritionist, who claims cutting portion sizes and sugar content and tackling irresponsible retail promotions would be better.
Not all dietitians recommend the use of low-calorie sweeteners in weight management, a study published in The European Journal of Public Health has found.
Food and drink manufacturers must emphasise the role of exercise in reducing obesity or risk being sidelined in the debate and hit with stricter regulation, according to new research.
PREMIUM WATERS 2014, ZENITH INTERNATIONAL, DUBAI, DECEMBER 8-9
Waters connoisseur Michael Mascha believes hydration alone is boring and believes that premium water brands should push their epicurean credentials to emphasize distinctive terroir and taste.
A new and extensive review of the associations between food and drink groups and major diet-related diseases will guide the way for future research and policy interventions, say researchers.
New technologies are vital to the future growth of the food and nutrition industry, but their future success depends on much more than the science behind them.
An enzyme in the brain called glucokinase may drive our desire for glucose-rich starchy and sugary foods, according to research in rats from Imperial College London.
Indonesia plans to process half of its seaweed domestically by 2020, meaning the carrageenan supply chain could see massive geographic diversions in the future.
From Bowser Beer for dogs and a Japanese sports drink targeting a moon landing, to CSDs with jelly and China’s ban on ‘vampire drinks’ – 2014’s seen its fair share of wacky beverage news.
SPECIAL EDITION 2014, BEVERAGE SWEETENER INNOVATION
Mintel says the presence of nutritionally beneficial compounds could see stevia-based sweeteners of the future that combine functional benefits as well as calorie-free sweetness.
SPECIAL EDITION 2014, BEVERAGE SWEETENER INNOVATION
PureCircle has launched a new stevia blend called Sigma-D to target non-fermented, sweetened dairy drinks and other dairy products in what it says is a breakthrough category specific launch.
SPECIAL EDITION 2014, BEVERAGE SWEETENER INNOVATION
Almendra says Europe’s beverage industry has been ‘particularly victimized’ by poor quality stevia to date as the company works to rewrite the narrative dismissing Reb A alone as a crude first-generation stevia.
MARCH TOWARDS DEEP DISCOUNT RETAILERS 'BREATHTAKING', SAYS RESEARCH FIRM
Wine Intelligence warns that a bifurcating UK wine market means that more consumers are trading up, while more are also trading down, and predicts this will leave scant space for the mediocre in-between.
Sibberi tells BeverageDaily.com it has plans to launch the first UK-based birch water brand online in December 2014 and says preservation difficulties have slowed the segment’s take-off to date.
The Coca-Cola Company and SAB Miller have inked a deal to combine their non-alcoholic bottling operations in Southern and East Africa into a $2.9bn turnover business that will accelerate sales in 12 high-growth countries.
Consumers are generally able to use nutrition labelling systems to identify more and less healthy foods, but the use of different reference amounts may be confusing, say researchers.
WINE VISION 2014: COMBATING THE 'NEW-AGE PROHIBITIONISTS'
Eminent wine writer and economist Mike Veseth warns that the wine world needs to combat the threat of ‘new age prohibitionists’ and authentic, interesting and affordable spirits and beers.
WINE VISION 2014: THE AGE OF OPPORTUNITY & DIVERGENCE
Direct Wines CEO Simon McMurtrie insists that bringing ‘some of the magic’ associated with movie and perfume launches into the wine world will entice a new generation of wine drinkers.
Sales of herbal and other teas increased by 5.9% in the United States in 2013, capping off a decade of solid growth, according to a market report by the American Botanical Council. It was ABC’s first such report on the tea sector.
It is commonly believed that consumption of salty foods increases thirst, and could be a reason for increased consumption of sugary soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. But just how true is this notion?
Fruit juices and smoothies touted as healthy for children contain high amounts of sugar and should not count towards fruit and vegetable intakes, says UK-based campaign group Action on Sugar.
Food minister George Eustice has stressed the importance of the soft drinks industry to the UK economy and applauded its achievements in reducing its environmental impact.
More than four-fifths of food and consumer goods companies say that water poses a fundamental risk to their business, according to a new report from CDP.
DuPont’s nutrition & health division will play a big part in the launch of 4000 food-related products in the next six years, its chief said as the company celebrated 50 years at its Brabrand base in Aarhus, Denmark yesterday.
The Fairtrade Foundation has urged food companies and retailers to choose Fairtrade sugar, amid concerns that a sugar price slump and CAP reforms could push thousands of workers into poverty.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reassessed exposure to curcumin and found consumption is lower than previously thought – although some children consume close to the acceptable daily intake (ADI).
Rebel Kitchen is launching its children’s coconut ‘mylks’ in Tesco this week, just 10 months after CEO and entrepreneur Tamara Arbib started the business.
Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) says it is too early to ‘declare victory’ with stevia-sweetened cola Coca-Cola Life after September launches in Britain and Sweden.
“Artificial sweeteners may boost diabetes risk” ran the headline in the New York Times last month – but experts have said to take recent research with a pinch of salt.
Energy drink consumption among young people, particularly in connection with alcohol, presents a significant public health concern that warrants further research and regulation, according to a report authored by World Health Organisation (WHO) officials.
The food industry is failing to tailor foods to the elderly – and recognising their various needs and wants could help companies develop more successful products, according to a new study.
The natural sweeteners market has continued to grow as consumers seek to cut both sugar and artificial sweeteners from their diets – but it still has a long way to go to catch up with more established sweeteners.
