P&G's new green business plan reflects consumers' burgeoning ethical and sustainable concerns

Procter & Gamble has announced its long-term plan of establishing itself as a leading sustainable business through focusing on recyclable materials and renewable energy. The company's strategy underlines the pressure on consumer packaged goods players, as consumer buy-in to the concepts of ethicality and sustainability continues to gain momentum.

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Cafe Coffee Day: looking to diversify into retail logistics

Indian coffee shop chain Cafe Coffee Day is looking to acquire a logistics company to service its increasing outlet network. Although the express cargo firm Gati has been put forward by industry commentators as a potential target, the company itself has so far denied that it is up for sale.

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New drinks review: customizable kicks arrive on the drinks market

This month, innovations include products which allow consumers to adulterate their drinks creatively. One such example is a drink 'spiking' kit that ferments juice into alcohol, while another is flavorless caffeine crystals that give drinks an energy boost. Both products show how manufacturers are looking to customizable products that offer consumers a more 'hands on' experience.

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Carlsberg: H1 2010 results paint a picture of growing profitability

According to its H1 2010 results, Carlsberg's operating profit has grown by 12% to DKK5.0 billion, largely due to strong margin improvements and market share gains across most of its businesses. While the results provide a lot of detail on operational performance, income, and cash flow, they also highlight some interesting points worthy of greater analysis from a consumer marketing perspective.

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New drinks review: Amazonian 'superherb' hits the market

The Amazon continues to be a source of new functional 'super' ingredients, as demonstrated by the recent launch of a tea made from the high caffeine, medicinal plant guayusa. Guayusa is just the latest in a line of Amazonian plants, from goji to guarana and acai, which are being appropriated by manufacturers to give their products an edge in the exotic and nutritional stakes.

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Pepsi: re-igniting the 'cola wars'

Pepsi has revived an old advertisement from 1995, giving it a contemporary makeover. In both adverts, two truck drivers - one working for Coca-Cola and the other for Pepsi - swap drinks, and the Coca-Cola employee finds that he prefers Pepsi to Coke. The campaign is an aggressive statement of superiority from Pepsi, fusing tradition and nostalgia with the modernity of more recent products.

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New drinks launches by category, February to April 2010: hot drinks warm market in Asia Pacific

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New drinks review: breathing new life into the coffee market

Inhalers, caffeine accelerators and superfruit antioxidants are just some of the ways in which drinks manufacturers are attempting to differentiate themselves in the crowded coffee market, as this month's roundup of new drinks launches reveals. These latest innovations demonstrate how producers are capitalizing on both health and convenience benefits to keep their products one step ahead.

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New drinks review: tea reveals its sporty side

This month's roundup of innovative new drinks launches focuses on developments in the tea category, in which manufacturers are pursuing new isotonic benefits and flavor directions. New flower flavor combinations are in evidence, while the launch of a bubblegum-flavored tea could be an attempt by companies to attract younger consumers to the category.

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New drinks review: relaxation drinks gain appeal as antidotes to a stressed lifestyle

This month's new drinks review focuses on innovations in the bottled water and functional drinks categories, with products claiming to relax, satiate and pep up the body all hitting the market. Such claims highlight consumers' current attraction to functional products that provide quick fixes for their body and cognitive needs.

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