Coca-Cola has responded to the COVID-19 crisis with a touchless update to the company’s Freestyle fountain. Consumers can choose to scan a QR code with their smartphone camera and use their own phone screen to select and pour a beverage while bypassing the Freestyle’s touchscreen...

Coca-Cola Consolidated said it will begin construction this month on a $55 million, 400,000-square-foot automated warehouse and distribution center in the Indianapolis suburb of Whitestown. That will free up space

Annually, BD publishes estimated volume and value sales data for US liquid refreshment beverages (LRB) and carbonated soft drinks (CSD). The data included in this special issue estimates beverage consumption for all measured and unmeasured channels, including packaged retail, fountain and vending. Data for juice, tea, coffee and dairy categories focus on single-serve, direct-store-delivered beverages and generally do not include warehouse-delivered or refrigerated products by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper. CSD estimates in this report include traditional soft drinks and energy drinks, which are both carbonated and share similar manufacturing and distribution methods. The fountain channel includes everything from restaurants, such as McDonald’s and Taco Bell, to sports venues.

On April 28, PepsiCo announced an exclusive agreement with Vital Pharmaceuticals to distribute Bang Energy in the US (BD News Alert 4/28/20). The alliance gives PepsiCo access to a brand that has surpassed Rockstar as the third largest energy drink, and to a performance energy category that has attracted new competitors including...

Same-store gasoline sales in the US fell during the week ending March 14, according to data released late last week by the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS). Initial data for the week ending March 21 indicates the decline could be...

Pantry loading this month by US consumers reacting to the COVID-19 crisis wasn’t limited to large hydration categories, according to all-outlet US data provided to BD by Nielsen. As shown in the table on the next page, categories and segments ranging from carbonated soft drinks to kombucha saw significant...