USA

The US economy will moderate slightly in 2019. Economic growth is slowing as fiscal policy becomes less supportive, and headwinds from a weaker global outlook, as well as trade and political uncertainties, weigh on activity. The labour market remains...

Catering to modern consumers can be a challenging task for packaged food players. For manufacturers and retailers, pressure to adapt and innovate comes in the form of changing dietary preferences, shifting ethical beliefs, the desire for new and ...

On the whole, soft drinks in the US are headed towards a healthier and more functional future. Consumers usually reach for a bottled or canned soft drink out of convenience. With the rise of fitness culture, and with younger consumers growing ...

Among persistent volume declines, carbonates is beginning to resemble other categories fated for a slow and consistent decline. Soda has faced negative public opinion due to the health concerns associated with the drink’s high sugar and low ...

Reduced sugar sports drinks has seen unexpected success over the review period. Until recently, reduced sugar sports drinks had been lagging behind. The artificial sweeteners within the drinks have been facing wide consumer scepticism. Reduced sugar ...

Liquid concentrates have seen a surprising return to growth. The growth is led by Mio, SodaStream and private label brands. Functionality trends seem to be leaving few categories behind. Both Mio and the growing private label segment have been ...

The energy drinks category continues to diversify with new product launches and the expansion of use occasions through innovation. One of the most sought-after functional beverage benefits is energy. This has assured the energy drinks category’s ...

As the most popular soft drinks category, bottled water has faced the harshest criticism in regard to sustainability concerns over its sourcing and packaging. To counteract this reputation, more and more brands are beginning to shift to canned ...

Long-declining juice drinks saw growth in value sales in 2019 thanks to the notable performance of the Bai brand. While the overall category continues to be dogged by health and wellness trends which favour waters, juice drink brands which contain ...

The carbonated segment remains the standout of RTD tea in the US. Nearly the entirety of the subcategory is now made up of kombuchas, a sparkling probiotic tea whose sales continue to surge. GT’s, which largely created the subcategory at retail, ...

The functional RTD coffee segment continues to grow with leading brands Java Monster and Starbucks Doubleshot toeing the line between the coffee and energy drinks categories. The success of these brands exemplifies the similar appeal of the two ...

The category Asian speciality drinks is not found in the US, and there are no signs that such drinks will be available in the near future....

The country’s weak stance on pollution prevention and the more relevant global warming issue is making the US more likely to experience more frequent natural disasters. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement in 2019 could result in significantly...

Fortified/functional and reduced fat chocolate based powdered drinks have gone into declines in the review period. In recent years, the categories have been able to retain growth by meeting consumer needs in terms of health and wellness while still ...

Premiumisation has had a hand in shaping the hot drinks market for a long time. During this review period, it has become apparent how online retailing plays into the premiumisation trend and how it has led to some shifts in the market. Bigger ...

The two biggest fresh coffee categories, fresh ground coffee and coffee pods, have seen unit price drops. Premiumisation is still relevant to the coffee category, but consumers are beginning to look for quality within the whole bean and organic ...

The organic segment is alive and well within hot tea, seeing some of the highest growth. While organic alternatives have lessened in significance across other drink categories, with exception to juice, the segment has emerged as a significant growth ...

In the second half of 2019, the global growth outlook has deteriorated, with worsening trade tariff risks, greater geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East, worsening business and consumer confidence, and slower output growth. We have downgraded...

Tequila is the fastest-growing of the major spirits categories, thanks to booming demand from its two key markets of Mexico and the US. The core of the category remains in the value brands that are still driving volume growth, but the attention is ...

As the costs of online customer acquisition and digital marketing have grown in recent years, DNVBs are increasingly considering their physical presence, leading many brands to open temporary and permanent brick-and-mortar stores. Some DNVBs have ...