PLA Innovation of the Week: ready-to-drink liquid hot chocolate made from pure melted chocolate

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Kraft Foods: expanding in rapidly growing area of Northeastern Brazil

A new plant has been inaugurated by Kraft Foods in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil, as part of its expansion in developing countries. While Brazil is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and provides a fertile environment for multinational investments, competition with local and long-established players needs to be anticipated and addressed for any investment to be a success.

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New drinks review: soft drink helps smokers get their fix

Aiming to encapsulate the experience of smoking in a bottle, a new tobacco-based beverage heads this month's summary of the most recent innovative launches from the drinks industry. In other news, a novel extract has made its debut in Russia, while in the Philippines the coconut fruit has inspired unusual packaging.

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Kraft: new water enhancer represents a promising approach to innovation

The launch of the liquid water enhancer Mio - Italian for "mine" - is a breakthrough that will create a number of good news stories for Kraft. The broad potential represented by the brand should demonstrate to investors that the company is pursuing an original approach to added-value innovation in the face of growing competition from private labels and me-too products.

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New drinks review: baked goods sector inspires fragrant vodka

This month's rundown of the latest novel drinks industry launches shows that creative packaging and unusual aromas are helping manufacturers add premium appeal in the spirits category. Elsewhere, other packaging innovations see sports bottles positioned as suitable for babies, while a juice pack which is made completely from biodegradable plastic has also hit the shelves.

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Coke Zero's new ad campaign must be supported by product development

Coca-Cola has launched a new campaign supported by a movie-style TV advertisement for Coke Zero. By communicating its claim to deliver a great taste with no sugar, the beverage giant is seeking to enlarge its target audience and strengthen its competitive position relative to its rival Pepsi. Marketing is only one side of the coin, however, as consumers remain focused on sensory benefits.

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Heinz: giving its ketchup bottles a green makeover

In an effort to enhance its sustainability credentials, Heinz has announced that it will partner with Coca-Cola to replace its conventional Heinz Ketchup bottle with a plant-based alternative in the US. This high-profile collaboration will undoubtedly raise consumer and industry awareness of plant-based materials and serve to further drive the move towards greener food and beverage packaging.

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Whitbread: acquisition of Coffee Nation paves the way for Costa Express outlets

Whitbread has completed the purchase of self-serve coffee operator Coffee Nation at a cost of GBP59.5m. The company has stated its intention to convert existing Coffee Nation sites into a new Costa Express format to complement its existing Costa outlets. The move signals Whitbread's intention to tap into the convenience trend, but it must be wary of retaining brand credentials.

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PepsiCo taps into culture of thinness with new skinny can design

PepsiCo's new Diet Pepsi "skinny can" has been launched at New York Fashion Week. Following Pepsi's tradition of celebrating women through iconic fashion imagery campaigns, the new design is expected to reinforce the low-calorie consumption habit and strengthen Pepsi's brand image. However, it also highlights the controversy of the fashion industry being seen to overemphasize waif-like body types.

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New drinks review: soft drink market hots up

Innovative taste experiences predominate in this month's rundown of the latest novel product launches in the drinks industry. New developments include unusual fruit flavors, as well as a jelly-textured drink that is designed to be consumed hot. In other news, packaging made from precious metals is pushing the boundaries in the spirits category.

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