Added 20 February, 2014
Brick and mortar stores like Sears in the US and Harvey Nichols in England are fighting back against Internet shops by letting customers purchase on the Web then pick up the same-day from their stores. They are counting on people's desire for instant gratification to prop up sales. Now Starbucks is taking a page from this business model with a...
Added 18 February, 2014
Green and eco trends are some of the most enduring of this decade, touching almost every part of our lives. We've already written about small distillers like Fair Quinoa Vodka that are incorporating trendy, sustainable, organic ingredients. Now, Bacardi, the world’s largest rum distiller has announced it will obtain 100 percent of the...
Added 18 February, 2014
Every few years we've heard alarm bells going off in Britain about the loss of an institution: the cherished pub. Statistics show that, over the last 20 years, the country has lost about 20 percent of their pubs. And the closures are accelerating. At least 7000 have called it quits since 2008 alone. Now the losses have become so grave that...
Added 16 February, 2014
In many ways, trends are self-fulfilling prophesies. When one large company makes a move in response to consumer demand, others often follow. In the past few months we have seen several major food brands rework their ingredients to make their offerings healthier. Kraft Foods just said they will eliminate preservatives from their American cheese...
Added 13 February, 2014
They say that in the 1950s, businessmen (and they were all men) used to have three-martini lunches. What they don't tell you, however, is that each one of those drinks was far smaller than they are served today. Portion size of cocktails has grown commensurate with the portion size of food, which is why many people today are fatter and drink more...
Added 5 February, 2014
The fizzy drinks industry is once again going through a change as consumers turn away from super sugary sodas and chemical-laden diet drinks as well. Gaining traction in their place is a new category of carbonated drinks that have some sweetness, but not so much to be cloying. Xumma is a good example of this trend: a semi sweet cola that contains...
Added 4 February, 2014
A few months ago on WkiTrend we wrote about smoked water, one of the newest ingredients in the bartenders arsenal. Now the smoky cocktail trend has gone even further with drinks that are mixed with tobacco-infused sugar syrup. Adding an unusual flavor profile that goes well with darker alcohols, tobacco is showing up in high-end drinks across the...
Added 3 February, 2014
Travelers often look for a theme to wrap their explorations around to give a reason to what might otherwise be seen as aimless travel. Sports stadium trips are perennially popular. As are those to see a variety of national parks or taste wines. In Scotland, touring whisky distilleries has a long and noble tradition. In the USA (and elsewhere),...
Added 29 January, 2014
Due to the laws of supply and demand, chocolate prices are now at an all-time high. One of the factors that has made it so popular is the widespread belief that dark chocolate – which represents about 20-percent of the market – is loaded with substances called flavanols that contribute to heart health. Now Crest, one of the world's largest...
Added 24 January, 2014
Energy drinks were one of the fastest-growing segments of the bottled drink sector in the last decade. From Red Bull to Rock Star, people have been downing these glow-colored and foul-tasting cocktails by the barrelful. But as they say, what goes up must come down, so perhaps it was inevitable that the next line of offence to hit grocery shelves...