Beverage Manufacturing

Coordinating with a beverage manufacturing plant to process and bottle the product is not an easy task. Whether to choose a contract beverage manufacturer or filler (or both) will depend on a host of factors beginning with location. Ideally, it is preferable to have a beverage manufacturing plant that is in close proximity to the network of distributors. A distant location could adversely affect profit margins or ultimately the price, due to added shipping costs, storage fees, labor and other collateral expenses. Identifying a beverage manufacturing plant that has existing capabilities to meet the processing needs is another criterion. That allows for expediting the product development cycle. Other key components to beverage manufacturing are quality control and safety. This requires close monitoring of all established food safety procedures. The ramifications of choosing an inappropriate beverage manufacturing plant for the product could be disastrous. The beverage manufacturer should be able to provide quality and consistency during the manufacturing process in order to meet consumer expectations and adhere to regulatory guidelines. Once the product has gone to market, it is still important that product development cycles remain fast and adjustable. Meeting the demands of retailers and consumers is paramount at this stage. Delays in the manufacturing process can be costly. Lost orders due to lack of inventory, vacant storage facilities, and competitors lying in wait, can wreak havoc. Consumers can switch brands in an eye blink, paving the way for trial of a competing brand. Use manufacturing companies who use sophisticated, integrated systems and solutions to keep the production running smoothly. Collaborating with a reputable beverage industry expert will offer the best shot succeeding in this challenging sector and seek to establish rapport with this strategic partner.

Carbonated Soft Drinks History

Currently, Coca-Cola is still the largest soft drink manufacturer in the world. The American beverage industry is comprised of many different categories. Carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) and their diet counterparts, continue to be some of the most popular, hence the extensive network of soft drink manufacturers. Since the early days of our nation's history, carbonated soft drinks have occupied a unique place in the hearts, minds and palates of the American consumer thanks to the soft drink manufacturers. The term soft drink comes from the phrase 'soda water,' dating back to 1798. Local pharmacists handled soft drink creation and soda fountains. Experience with chemistry and medicine were the needed skills. As the local drugstore evolved into the central attraction in most American towns and neighborhoods, the pharmacist was integral in providing beverages that were part pharmacology and part refreshment. In 1835, the first bottled soda water marked the beginning of carbonated soft drink manufacturing in the U.S. By 1876, root beer entered the marketplace, but it was not until five years later that the first cola-flavored beverage was unveiled. Soft drink manufacturers were about to become very busy. It would be more than 70 years before the introduction of the first 'official' diet soft drink in 1952. This marked a significant change for the soft drink manufacturing industry. In 1958, RC Cola introduced Diet Rite, the first nationally distributed diet soft drink. Tab, Fresca and Diet Pepsi entered the marketplace in the 1960s; Sugar-free 7UP in 1970; and Diet Coke made its debut in 1982. Soft drink manufacturers were in full stride by this point. According to Beverage Digest, in 2006 the U.S. carbonated soft drink market totaled 10.16 billion cases. Most of these products came from the American soft drink manufacturing industry.