Topic: Beverages

Of Dogfish and Dad

In their quest to give people new things, companies often fail to understand that these things have to be worth trying. Don't compromise quality for the sake of variance -- hold the bubble gum flavored potato chips!READ»

5 Beers for the Long Weekend, and the Future

It's a good year for environmentally-conscious beer lovers; manufacturers have become  increasingly responsive to consumer demands for sustainable alcohol, and that means it's easier than ever to impress your Memorial Day BBQ ...READ»

Brandaq: The End of Marketing

Brandaq (bran-dak) also Brandex, BrandX: 1. n. An exchange for the buying and selling of lifetime loyalty contracts associated with consumer brands. 2. v. To unlock and commercialize any long-term value through a negotiated contract.READ»

Mollydooker Wines from McLaren Vale South Australia Supports California Charitable Organization through Hospice du Rhone Tasting

Live auction lot wins second highest bid - continuing the Australian Winery’s dedication to supporting charitable organizations around the world.READ»

Brewing up a storm

When I buy coffee beans from my local Starbucks, Ethiopian Sidamo wins hands down every time. But where does my brand loyalty lie? With Starbucks? Or with Sidamo? This week Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi and Starbucks CEO Jim ...READ»

FlowingData Graphs Your Life Via Twitter

Ever wonder how many cups of coffee you drink, or how many times you log into Facebook this month? Perhaps you’d like to track your caloric intake, and know what times of day it peaks and troughs. There's now an app for that, and all you have to do is Tweet your entire life.READ»

Savvy, With Hints Of Guile And Resourcefulness

Cameron Hughes turned his low-cost premium vintner into an $8 million business--and an unexpected hit at Costco--with no inventory or equipment. Now he's expanding from California to as many as 150 Costcos nationwide. Here's how Hughes makes nectar from nothing.READ»

Is MillerCoors the Most Environmentally Responsible Brewing Company?

This past May, we took a look at five of the most environmentally responsible beers--Cascade Green, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Grassroots Ale, Fat Tire, and Brooklyn Sustainable Porter. But as it turns out, a nice watered-down can of ...READ»

Bottled Up

Just When Cristal got kicked out of the party, Hip-hop fixture Branson B. was rolling out his own champagne. So where are his famous friends now? Hey, it's just business.READ»

Mix Mastery

The cult of the cocktail runs amok.READ»

Off the Vine, Now Online

In the ever-expanding wine universe, "white with fish, red with meat" only gets you so far. These blogs can take you from Syrah to petite sirah. READ»

Coke is What?

The many faces of no-cal Coke show what can happen when market segmentation runs amok.READ»

Trade Secrets

Equal Exchange's fair-trade coffee isn't just virtuous. Because of the company's innovative and collaborative ways of dealing with growers, it gets better beans. That makes for a darn good cup o' joe -- and caffeinated growth for Equal Exchange. Do companies that thrive by twisting their suppliers' arms have something to learn?READ»

It's Not About the Doughnuts

Can an old New England pastry purveyor find new life as a hip coffee shop? Dunkin' Donuts plans to give Starbucks a run for its latte.READ»

Ditch the Bottle? Microbreweries Say Can-Do

Craft brewers that have moved away from the classic beer bottle are reporting higher sales and lower operational costs, all while producing a beer that's better for the environment. Yes, they can.READ»

Thinking Outside The Cup

Surprise! Starbucks barista-in-chief Howard Schultz is making a big, bold push into the music business. He aims to transform the record industry -- and turn Starbucks into the world's biggest brand, period.READ»

Thinking Outside the Cup

Surprise! Starbucks barista-in-chief Howard Schultz is making a big, bold push into the music business. He aims to transform the record industry -- and turn Starbucks into the world's biggest brand, period.READ»

Customers First Honorable Mention: Best Cellars

Best Cellars I enjoy wine, but because I'm not a globetrotting consultant, I've spent a considerable amount of time looking for wines that I could enjoy with a nice homemade risotto or Bolognese sauce without having to worry about ...READ»

Wine Tasting Tour in Temecula Turns Terribly Tingly

A pleasant afternoon of Temecula Valley wine tasting is ruined by killer bees, but Chris and Sally Sadhart were at least prepared for the stinging contingency by their California Health Insurance agent.READ»

An All Natural Icon Reaches Beyond Whole Foods

As Reed’s ginger brew makes a play for the big leagues, the natural question arises: Can the brand's success be attributed to the marketing or is it all about the taste? READ»

• Has Pepsi Got Your Number?
• Jonesing for Soda

How a Coffee Event Attracts More People & You Can Too

Some of the most masterful baristas in the U.S. gathered in a hotel lobby in Minneapolis for their annual competition last month, judged by their peers. But this year was different. More excitement.And pressure. Coffee ...READ»

The Gift of Starbucks

There are few companies that I can honestly say walk their talk. I believe one of those also happens to be one of my favorite places to visit: Starbucks Coffee. Not every Barista Partner at every Starbucks location is as friendly as I ...READ»

Coca Cola and Honest Tea -- The Plot Thickens!

Since Coca Cola acquired a minority interest in Honest Tea back in February of this year, the organic beverage company has utilized the benefits of the partnership to come a long way, and according to CEO Seth Goldman, managed to ...READ»

A cuppa joe and a toaster, to go

This morning I had a really great cappuccino (and, I confess, a sinful sugared doughnut) out of a chic little cup while cruising the wares at the new Alessi store in Soho. Why should you care (except for a justifiable concern about ...READ»

Blogging for Business?

Nicolas Lemann, dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University wrote in the last issue of the new Yorker that blogs, useful and often times fun as they may be, have not yet risen "to the level of a journalistic ...READ»