Contact:
Kelly McDowell
608-259-1212, ext. 2
Kelly@martinschreiber.com
Name Change Reflects Innovative Industry Responsive to Changing Consumer Needs and Interests
Madison – The Wisconsin Soft Drink Association today announced it has changed its name to better reflect the expanded range of non-alcoholic beverages the industry provides Wisconsin consumers. Renamed the Wisconsin Beverage Association, the association represents the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages, including bottled water, teas, juices, juice drinks, sport drinks, zero-calorie and mid-calorie carbonated soft drinks, and regular soft drinks.
“Our members are meeting consumer demand by offering a wider array of beverages than ever before, and we think it’s important for our association’s name to reflect that,” said Kelly McDowell, Legislative Counsel. “Americans still love traditional soft drinks, but now there are many more options available to enable consumers of all ages to choose the beverage that’s appropriate for them at any given time.”
McDowell cited the increasing sales of bottled water, sports drinks, and diet soft drinks, and the introduction of thousands of new non-alcoholic beverages into the U.S. last year, as examples of how the industry continues to change and follow its consumers. Single-serve bottled water sales increased 21.5 percent and single-serve sport drink sales increased by 17.9 percent in 2003. The growth of diet soft drinks has increased for the last four years, and the category now represents 28.6 percent of all carbonated soft drinks sold in the U.S. According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database, more than 5,200 new ready-to-drink, non-alcoholic beverages were introduced in the U.S. in 2003 alone.
The Washington-based National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) also recently changed its name to the American Beverage Association to more accurately reflect the broad range of beverages manufactured and distributed by its member companies today.
“From organic green tea and fortified juice, to low-carb soft drinks and vitamin water, our member companies have provided consumers with an explosion of beverage choices, and we decided to change our name to better communicate that,” McDowell said. “Consumer demand for more choices has really spawned a ‘bevolution.’”
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The Wisconsin Beverage Association represents companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in Wisconsin.
