Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - What Does Ray Say?
By: Ray Rowlands
Ray Rowlands from market research firm DrinksInfo gives his monthly view on the latest issues affecting the soft drinks & water categories
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Fishy Moves in the Cola Market
8 May 2013
Ray Rowlands of Drinksinfo Ltd considers some of the product innovations that have shaped the US cola market following news of the pending launch of an omega-3 variant.
Comment – Soft Drinks & Water - Where Next for Pepsi Next?
9 April 2013
Just over six months ago, PepsiCo garnered quite a few headlines when it launched Pepsi Next in Australia. What caught the industry's eye was that this marked the first time that the company had used stevia in the reduced-sugar brand. Ray Rowlands of Drinksinfo Ltd takes a closer look at the variant and asks: What's next?
Comment – Soft Drinks & Water - Soft Drink or Objet D’Art?
14 March 2013
Ray Rowlands of Drinksinfo Ltd looks at some of the pack designs being implemented for soft drinks and asks, is the industry in the business of selling beverages, or has it inappropriately diversified into the art world?
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - A Monster Gain, But For Whom?
25 February 2013
Earlier this month, Monster Beverage said it would reclassify its namesake energy drinks range from being a dietary supplement to a “conventional food”. Ray Rowlands, director of beverage research company Drinksinfo Ltd, investigates the proposed change and considers whether the changes merely serve the interests of the brand owner with no real benefit to the actual consumer.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Let’s End the CSD Witch Hunt
17 January 2013
Ray Rowlands, director of beverage research company Drinksinfo Ltd, is hoping to tone down the hysteria surrounding the negative effects of drinking carbonated soft drinks. Do you fancy his chances?
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Bottled Water in Nigeria
2 November 2012
This month, Ray Rowlands, from independent beverage research company Drinksinfo, takes a closer look at the massive and constantly-expanding Nigerian packaged water market.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - India and Multi-Nationalism
16 October 2012
This month, Ray Rowlands of independent beverage research company Drinksinfo investigates the recent outrage caused by the intended opening of the Indian retail market to foreign investors, and compares the impact that a similar development has had on the country’s soft drinks market.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Crisis Looming Down Under?
4 September 2012
In his latest column, Ray Rowlands, of independent research agency Drinksinfo, looks at the soft drinks market in Australia: a sector in a country that many had previously thought could ride out the global economic downturn.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - ThaiBev: Asia’s Hidden Giant
9 August 2012
This month, Ray Rowlands turns the spotlight on ThaiBev and explores how, by stealth and shrewd planning, the liquor conglomerate has also developed into a leading player in the Thai soft drinks market.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Iced Tea, Baby!
14 June 2012
This month, Ray Rowlands of Drinksinfo Ltd casts his gaze in the direction of iced tea, and the category's development from its early beginnings to today’s multi-billion dollar business.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Responsible Packaging
16 May 2012
This month, Ray Rowlands, takes a look at the developing role of PET in soft drinks and its environmental impact.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Energise Me!
19 April 2012
This month, Ray Rowlands of Drinksinfo Ltd revisits the energy drinks category to see what has been going on in the evolution of what has been the soft drinks industry's star performer in recent years.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - 4-MEI Inviting 'New Coke' Repeat?
20 March 2012
A change in legislation in California this month has put The Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo in a soft drink pickle. Ray Rowlands, for one, fears a case of history repeating itself.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Shifting Focus at Coca-Cola Co
1 March 2012
The Coca-Cola Co has spent the last 20 years diversifying its portfolio. Where once the rest of the stable cowered in Coke's shadow, more of the company's brands are now grabbing the spotlight and delivering growth. Ray Rowlands looks at how the firm has benefitted from covering bases.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - India Calling
24 January 2012
The soft drinks industry has been buzzing about China for quite some time. But, look in its shadow, and one can see India - a market that could eclipse its neighbour in the future. Ray Rowlands casts his eye over the market.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - Stevia Poised to Burst Obesity Bubble?
24 November 2011
This month, Ray Rowlands, of independent research agency Drinksinfo, focuses on the issue of soft drinks-related obesity and the potential opportunities that this offers for stevia, the natural sugar-free sweetener that is hogging the headlines this month.
Comment – Soft Drinks & Water – So, What's Next?
31 October 2011
It's crystal ball time for Ray Rowlands from DrinksInfo. This month, Ray takes a guess at what future trends in soft drinks and water will shape the categories in the months and years to come.
Comment - Soft Drinks & Water - The Future? Plastics!
27 September 2011
The soft drinks and water categories are not short on controversial issues. One of the most actively-argued areas is packaging. This month, Ray Rowlands looks at what direction drinks producers are heading in when it comes to what holds their products.
Comment – Soft Drinks & Water - The Future of Bottled Water
9 August 2011
Drinksinfo's Ray Rowlands takes a look at the impact that the recession has had on the bottled water market and considers the future for the category.
Comment – Soft Drinks & Water – Coca-Cola Amatil and SABMiller: A Profitable Separation
30 June 2011
Ray Rowlands of independent research consultancy Drinksinfo Ltd considers the potential outcome for Australia's Coca-Cola Amatil should SABMiller eventually succeed in its bid for the Foster’s Group's beer business.
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