just-drinks authors and correspondents

Biography

Ben Cooper is just-drinks' sustainable business editor and specialises in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, policy issues and sustainability. He holds MAs from Cambridge University and the University of London, respectively in Social and Political Sciences and Social Policy.

He joined the just-drinks editorial team in 2000 and today works across both just-drinks and just-food, while also writing occasionally for just-style.

In addition to his regular features, Ben has written numerous in-depth management briefings on issues such as alcohol policy, sponsorship, the Fairtrade market, the use of food colourings and environmental issues facing the clothing industry. He also writes regularly for Ethical Corporation magazine which specialises in the corporate social responsibility field.

He lives in London where he also works as a professional singer.

Columns by Ben Cooper

Sustainability in Drinks

Every month, Ben Cooper casts his eye over sustainability efforts in the global drinks industry.

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Consumer Trends

Each month, Ben Cooper casts his eye over emerging trends that could be of use to drinks companies and their brands

Articles by Ben Cooper

The future of drinks flavours - Consumer Trends 13 September 2016

The broadening taste palate of consumers is spurring ever more adventurous flavour creations in the drinks sector, Ben Cooper writes, while growing sophistication in how consumers view flavour profiles in food and drink is leading to new opportunities in marketing, product development and food pairing.

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Seedlip - A smart move by Diageo in more ways than one - Sustainability Spotlight 30 August 2016

In this month's Sustainability Spotlight, Ben Cooper examines how Diageo's investment in a UK drinks start-up represents a commercial and sustainability win-win.

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How the Internet of Things is shaking up the cocktail market – Consumer Trends 4 August 2016

Rapid and constant connection to the Internet has already transformed how consumers interact with the market, but the digital revolution is by its very nature a continuing phenomenon. In this month’s Consumer Trends, Ben Cooper investigates the link between a recent multi-billion-pound tech deal and the Moscow Mule.

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Rum volumes set to fall over next five years - research 1 August 2016

The latest joint research from just-drinks and The IWSR has predicted that the global rum market will decline over the next five years. 

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Rum sector looks to capitalise on its diversity – Research in Focus 1 August 2016

On one level, rum is a relatively simple product. Easy to produce from an inexpensive and ubiquitous primary raw material, rum is made and consumed widely.

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The future for drinks industry's waste products - Sustainability Spotlight 27 July 2016

A fledgling partnership between Jose Cuervo and the Ford Motor Co underlines the potential for the innovative and environmentally positive re-utilisation of waste products from beverage production. Ben Cooper reports.

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The move away from alcohol and the soft drinks opportunity – Consumer Trends 7 July 2016

There has always been demand for non-alcoholic drinks for adults, but the adult soft drinks segment – and its consumers – are changing. Ben Cooper reports.

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Why has Heineken made a Formula 1 U-turn? - Sustainability Spotlight 30 June 2016

Corporate sustainability strategies are about balancing commercial priorities with environmental and social concerns. Ben Cooper asks whether Heineken has struck the right balance with its decision to embrace motorsport sponsorship.

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What the on-premise can teach us about the future - Consumer Trends 8 June 2016

The on-premise channel remains a key testing-ground for new drinks products and has always pointed the way for trends in the wider beverage arena. Ben Cooper looks at some recent research and examines why on-premise trends are so influential.

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How do Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo fare under Oxfam's spotlight? Part II – Sustainability Spotlight 6 June 2016

The world's two largest soft drinks producers, The Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo, are among the ten multinational companies included in Oxfam's 'Behind the Brands' report, which rates the global food and drinks businesses across seven criteria relating to their supply chain policies. Oxfam's scores and summaries of Coca-Cola's and PepsiCo's performance are detailed here, along with the companies' responses.