The weather can be crazy sometimes. For example, sometimes it can look sunny when facing the north and partly cloudy in the south, but there are menacing storm clouds to the west.

What is going on in the beverage segment? Like several other categories, overall, the skies are cloudy, with little rain predicted. Sales in the vast category are mixed year-over-year (YoY), but there are plenty signs of strength. Declining subcategories certainly did not take it on the chin, perhaps a good sign for the industry.

Last year in this feature, we stated ice cream and frozen novelties would have a difficult time matching a “Super Bowl champion”-level performance put forth by the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, which occurred for ice cream during the COVID-19 pandemic when consumers sought a home indulgence.

Queens and Staten Island merged with New York City. The Bronx Zoo opened. The inventor of basketball, Dr. James Naismith, was coaching Kansas University’s new basketball team. AND in 1899, Dairy Foods (via its predecessor Dairy Record) was established. 

On Sept. 23, Danone offered to pay some $283 million — $25 per share — to purchase the 76.6% of Lifeway Foods it didn't own. The plan was rejected.CEO Julie Smolyansky talks about the company's history and success with Dairy Foods.

The battle of dairy versus plant-based products continues to intensify with recent campaigns featuring celebrities on both sides of the coin. The “Got Milk?,” “Milk Does a Body Good” and newer campaigns have faced competition from “Ditch Milk” and other anti-milk advertising efforts. 

Although eCommerce may not be for all dairy processors, it can definitely be an option for additional revenues. In fact, Euromonitor International reported the number of Americans utilizing online grocery services skyrocketed from 13% before the pandemic to some 26% in 2022. 

Ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages are a story of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Our chart showcases which brands are hot in RFG RTD coffee. Where does Starbucks rank?

I want to devote much of my editorial space this month to thank Sharon Gerdes, author of the “Health and Wellness” column, for everything she has done for Dairy Foods during the past 21 years. 

Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters LLC, joins Dairy Foods to discuss the latest trends in food service, how health and wellness is affecting today’s consumer trends and much more.