Franco Davoli

Two hot topics within the current beverage alcohol industry are Gen-Z and Ready-to-Drink (RTD). According to Circana’s State of the CPG Beverage Alcohol Industry report, RTD reached $10.3 Billion in 2023. Part of that growth is due to Gen-Z members' strong preference for higher ABV offerings and unique packaging. But what are the top RTD cocktail brands among Gen-Zers according to Circana? 🔥 Buzzballz, LLC / Southern Champion 🎵 BeatBox 🍸 LIQS Cocktail Co. 👑 Crown Royal & Whiskey Cola 🍹 Monaco Cocktails 🥃 Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Read more about the State of the Alcohol Industry here: https://hubs.li/Q02xggvP0 #ReadyToDrink #GenZ #BeverageAlcohol #Circana

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Tequila!   Many large players such as White Claw, and The Boston Beer Company (maker of Truly) are expanding their offerings and releasing tequila-flavored ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails as consumers are increasingly turning to tequila offerings in the beverage alcohol sector.   I had the opportunity to share my insights and thoughts on this surging trend with The Food Institute. In the article, I emphasized how innovations in ready-to-drink (RTD) formats, including tequila-based seltzers and margaritas, are meeting consumer demand for novel flavors. Additionally, I pointed out that tequila production has remained stable despite global supply chain disruptions and highlighted the increasing consumer preference for high-quality artisanal spirits.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gB9f-3Ci   #Tequila #BeverageIndustry #MarketTrends #ConsumerInsights #RTDCocktails

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Today’s food & beverage market is as competitive as ever. More brands, with more ways to access those brands, equals more choices for consumers and more competition for producers. Contract manufacturing is a viable option for brands to flourish in this volatile market. Learn about some of the benefits of having an effective food contract manufacturer and what to consider when selecting a contract manufacturing company. https://lnkd.in/e9Ck5mUe

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Keeping an eye on #ENERGY. "C-store sales surged 10.8% for the year ending May 19, according to Chicago-based research firm Circana. And while inflation of about 3% on average was part of the sales growth, energy drinks also saw unit sales grow 7.5%." The energy drink market is evolving rapidly, with convenience stores leading the way in adapting to new trends. Plant-based ingredients and brain-boosting formulations are on the rise, catering to health-conscious consumers. The demand for functional beverages offering natural energy and cognitive benefits is also growing. Convenience stores are responding by offering a diverse range of innovative energy drinks to meet these changing preferences. This shift underscores a focus on health, functionality, and convenience in the energy drink industry. C-Store Dive Read more: https://lnkd.in/eZDjjKgW #beverage #functionalbeverage #convenience

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🎙Heard at #RLC2024 from Pete Cancro from Jersey Mike's Subs -- they have a $200M annual marketing budget. With 2720 stores that means the budget breaks down like this: - Per store per year: $73529.41 - Per store per month: $6127.45 - Per store per day: $201.45 Want to be a brand that's getting an offer for $8 billion to sale? You now know what you need to spend PER DAY on marketing ... #RLC #restaurantleadershipconference #restaurantbusiness #restauranttech #restaurantowners #restaurantmarketing #restaurantindustry #restaurantowner

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Looking for the BEST kosher beef frank for the upcoming summer season? Check out this review from Food & Wine and learn why one will always 'reign supreme'. If you don't have our Hebrew National beef franks on your menu, reach out and we'll get you connected with our chefs to help develop the right offering for your operation. Let the summer grilling season begin! #conagrafoodservice, #foodandwine, #hebrewnational, #reignsupreme #summergrillingseason

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In light of Goldman Sachs Equity Research's recent analysis of NielsenIQ retail scanner data, some interesting insights about the non-alcoholic beverage industry emerge. Here are the key points to note: •   The industry's overall dollar sales grew by +3.5% in the two-week period, although these figures slowed down from +4.2% in the four-week period. •   Carbonated soft drink sales grew by +3% in the two-week period, with a slight drop in volume sales at -2.9% and a spike in average pricing by +6%. • Energy drinks faced declines, with dollar sales down by -1.1% while volume sales fell by -2.3%, and average pricing remained consistent at +1.2%. •   Bottled water saw noteworthy growth of +5.2% in the two-week period with fairly consistent volume sales at +6.1% and a decline in average pricing by -0.9%. •   Sports drinks emerged as a positive area with an increase of +9.1% and growth in volume sales by +6.3%. The average pricing also saw a significant rise of +2.6%. •   The coconut water category sustained robust growth, up +24.4% in the two-week period, supported by a rise in volume sales and a decrease in average pricing. A few brands that stood out: Vita Coco is leading the fast-growing coconut water category and grew +21.7%. Keep your eyes out for 100 Coconuts. They are making some impressive waves. Spindrift Beverage Co, Inc. was up +24.2% in sparkling water sales. Hydration-focused products are doing well as a category. Electrolit USA +35.9% and PRIME -29.7% Energy Drink leaders Red Bull and Monster Energy were down, while many others are still experiencing nice growth. CELSIUS Holdings, Inc. I +15.9%, Nutrabolt +21.1%, Alani Nutrition +57.1%. poppi is not slowing down at all +154.5% and Zevia also grew their sales by +8.2% The non-alcoholic beverage sector reflects fascinating patterns in sales and pricing across different beverage categories and subcategories. These trends pose potential implications for competitive strategies, branding, and product offerings within the industry. I look forward to your valuable input as we collaborate to comprehend the evolving dynamics of the non-alcoholic beverage sector. What stands out to you? #BeverageIndustry #NonAlcoholicBeverage #IndustryTrends #Insights #InnovationInBeverages #MarketTrends

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Do you have what it takes to create a winning food or beverage new product launch? Let’s deconstruct some recent success stories of today’s hottest products, and gather some helpful clues.

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This study sheds light on the evolving consumer drinking habits over the past four years post-COVID-19. The research highlights the profound influence of health and wellness concerns on altering drinking behaviors across all age groups. For more cohort-specific insights, check out the study here: https://lnkd.in/gJ5ED32f

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What a fun recipe. Check out how to elevate your desserts

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📰 Snack Trends Alert! 📰 Dive into the latest article "Sizing Up Snacks" from CStore Decisions to uncover the hottest trends shaping the snack industry today. 🍿🍫 From healthy options to indulgent treats, this comprehensive guide breaks down what consumers are craving. With snacking habits evolving rapidly, staying ahead of these trends is crucial for c-store success.📈🍪 Read full article here --->: https://bit.ly/3S5Sww8

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Beverage alcohol consumption has undergone significant changes in recent years, influenced heavily by the pandemic and evolving preferences of younger consumers aged 21 and older. I joined Joan Holleran Driggs for an episode of Circana’s Growth Insights podcast to explore these shifts and offer insights into what we can expect for 2024 and beyond. Here are the key takeaways: 🍺 Traditionally, adults aged 21+ started with beer or wine. Now, many young adults are beginning with ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, particularly spirits-based options. 📉 Despite a plethora of choices, overall beverage alcohol consumption is softening across generations. However, premium beverages are still experiencing growth. 🥤 The appeal of RTD beverage alcohol among younger consumers is largely due to innovative packaging, including on-the-go options like ball form, slim cans, and aseptic packaging. 🥃 Whiskey, tequila, spirits-based RTDs, and imported beer from Mexico continue to drive the beverage alcohol market. Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gqRdf9Xd #Circana #BeverageAlcohol #RTD #GenerationalTrends #PremiumBeverages #CircanaGrowthInsights

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I'll be at 👉 (https://lnkd.in/geS8v3aq) the NielsenIQ C360 conference in Phoenix - May 13-16 as The CPG Guys. Will you be there as a senior leader to discuss today's important #cpgindustry topics? 1.) Total store optimization in a post pandemic world? 2.) What does today's truly #omnichannel shopper journey look like? Have #retailmedia networks changed full funnel #omnichannelmarketing? 3.) Of course, all about #artificalintelligence 4.) #innovation - most large brands temporarily slowed it down over the pandemic - now its back to the mayhem. Shelf space is not unlimited - who wins, who loses and who doesn't belong on the shelf in the first place. Watch Liz Buchanan (NA, president), Jamie Clarke (NA retail), Andrew Criezis (President, #ecommerce) and so much more.

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Why do Duopolies tend to dominate in so many aspects of modern business and what does this mean for emerging CPG? The news last week was that The Walt Disney Company and HBO are teaming up to offer a massive streaming bundle to complete with Netflix. It seems like a very predictable cycle unfolded here…After a few years of disruptive innovation, investors started to lose patience with negative EBITDA, which results in waves of consolidation until we have a De Facto Duopoly in streaming media. Nilesh Sharma wrote an interesting article on how this is common across many industries(link in comments)…there are so many examples: Coke/Pepsi, Apple/Android, and in national retail grocery distribution UNFI/KeHE is obvious. If not for antitrust regulations, these duopolies would more often than not eventually merge into monopolies until some disruptive force comes along to change the paradigm. 👉CPG brands: take a look at national market share in the subcategory you operate in. There is a good chance that it is dominated by two brands, and if not, there is at least trend toward this outcome. 👉Is your product different ENOUGH, to break this cycle? 👉Retailers, in any given metro market, who are the dominant two mainline grocery chains in your market by total share? 👉Are you differentiated ENOUGH from them to compel consumers to change their habits? We all have one thing in common as innovators: we’re trying to break the cycle and acquire market share from what tends to be the natural order of things. In order for us to disrupt, we need to think outside the box. Slightly better versions of what already exists won’t get it done. Pod Foods has been able to take so much national share in the past few years, BECAUSE it is so radically different from the inbumbent model…the same thing is true for ANY disruptive brand. I’ll be at Sweets & Snacks Expo this week and looking forward to seeing a lot of you there. What I’ll be looking for is the product that is the MOST different from the status quo and how we can reach early adopters with it. #disruptiveinnovation #Disneymaxbundle #emergingcpg #podfoods Flowspace Total Quality Logistics Green Spoon Sales Melissa Pashko Caroline Grace https://lnkd.in/d7dYis2C

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TECH RUINED US. You hear stories of companies doing Series after Series - it seems so glamorous to raise so much money!! But is it really? The same thing eventually happened in CPG. Easy access to money. Companies doing raise after raise after raise. Impressive... I learned the hard way that this in fact is not glamourous. Raising money is not something to really brag about no matter how great it feels. I know CPG brands that sell to MILLIONS of consumers. Yes MILLIONS. And yes its incredibly impressive to do so. But does anyone talk about what happens after? What could possibly happen when you are competing in a category where your price on shelf is $4 and under? You NEED to raise money and you NEED to have millions of customers. This is NOT tech. And those are the companies that reach that threshold. How about the ones that never get there? The story goes that you launch, raise money, spend EVERYTHING on marketing to attract customers and HOPE you get acquired. I too believed this. By the time founders get acquired they've almost completely diluted themselves anyways. I will share more on this in the weeks to come... #cpg #marketing #entrepreneurship

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Saro Cider is the perfect addition to your beverage round-up! Whether it's a refreshing NA or a seasonal favorite, we add to a well-rounded cooler, beverage cart, or fridge for all of your adventures. What Saro Cider do you always have on hand? #cidergang #cider #glutenfree #sarocider

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CPG Is Constantly Changing - Except When It's Not (part 16 in a series) 'We're A Preferred Supplier' - Great, But at What Cost? If you've followed these posts, or seen a couple, there are a variety that focus on the value (or significant lack of value) of Off Invoice (OI) promotions, particularly to distributors. Other than it's quite simple to give $ away. For the time the OI is passed through, there is limited performance or incremental volume unless you add a scan promotion on top of it. There goes simplicity out the window, why not make the whole deal a scan? And very often the timing is off, so the OI is not reflected anyway. When I speak with brands about why they do it, the most common response is 'Well, we're a preferred supplier at Distributor X; we won't be if we stop OI's'. So, the logical follow up is, 'Well, what benefits do you get?'. Almost always the response turns into the areas they will lose, not what they gain. So, what the price of being a preferred vendor? In quick math, if I plan a 15% quarterly OI (very common), the distributor will bridge the deals. Suggesting 80% sold to the distributor on an OI is quite conservative. We don't need Excel for this one - it's quite simple. If I'm a $5M brand, doing 80% of my business through these distributors, it's pretty simple - it's about 15% x $5M x 80%. It's $600,000. If you're a $1M brand, it's $120,000. If you're just starting out, and at $100K, it's $12K. You get the idea. There's a decision here for everyone - is the OI worth the benefits with all the other challenges you face, or would it be a 'nice to have'? Also, if you've read this down to here, you have some quick decisions to make - I just saw another post this weekend stating 2025 deals are due shortly! 1Q 2026 is a long way off to be stuck with an expense you may not be able to afford! ________________________________________________________________ To follow all my posts, or to contact me, feel free to DM me here on Linked In or visit my website: www.schroedercpg.com .

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