Sunday, May 20, 2012

The End of Soda? - The Atlantic


MAY 18 2012, 3:40 PM ET
 19

Sales of soft drinks are falling in the United States. But don't start writing the industry's obituary.
615_Coca_Cola_Reuters.jpg
(Reuters)

If the New York Times is to be believed, the soft drink business is facing a moment of truth. This week, the newspaper reported that beverage industry titans Coca Cola and PepsiCo have increasingly been forced to rely on the sales of alternative products like bottled water, tea, and sports drinks to make up for the flagging sales of their sweet and fizzy standbys. Since 1998, American per-capita consumption has dropped 16 percent.
"What began as a slow decline accelerated in the middle of the last decade and now threatens some of the best-known brands in the business," the paper reported.
Could it be? Are we truly witnessing the first stages of soda's demise, the early signs of decay in America's 200-year love affair with soft-drinks? And if so, does that mean trouble for drink makers? 
STILL FIZZING, NOT FIZZLING
There are two major reasons to skeptical about the end of soda. First, soda sales haven't fallen that drastically. Second, even if U.S. consumers are shying away from soft drinks, the global market is still looking pretty sweet.  
To get some additional statistics, I called up John Sicher, the publisher of Beverage Digest who provided the Times with their data. He told me that U.S. soda consumption is indeed falling overall, not just per person. Since 2006, Sicher said, the total volume of carbonated soft drink sales has fallen about 11 percent, from 10.2 billion cases to 9.3 billion. Some of that drop is the result of changing consumer preferences. Parts of the population are becoming more health conscious. Tastes are changing. We want energy drinks, Gatorade, organic tea, and artificially flavored, 0 calorie, vitamin-enhanced "water." 


Read on... The End of Soda? - The Atlantic

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

On a personal note - RX Drugs Kill Kids - Parents, TAKE ACTION


Did you know that my area - Orange County, CA we are #2 in the nation for accidental overdoses on RX drugs? Kids are getting in your cupboards and in their friends cupboards. We need to educate our YOUNG ones, and for me that is ages 12 and up.  Being this problem was in my household  in my late teens, with siblings and family, my kids had no choice but to hear from me since they were 6 years old on how these drugs - are not candy - and drugs destroy families.  This was to answer their questions on why their Uncle isn't present in their cousins lives, and when he is, why is he so strangely behaved? And who is this elusive Aunt they have never met? Why doesn't Grandpa come over when there are games? Birthdays? Holidays?
Jodi Barber puts up flyers at a Fatburger restaraunt 
in South Orange County, this poster displays many of
those that have lost their lives to OPIOID's


This is an open letter from me, Desiree Nelson, a mom in Orange County, California to our nation -- please take this entry in my blog as my sense of urgency in promoting a more proactive, natural preventative, and natural lifestyle - meaning find your cures in diet and exercise...and from the earth as directly as possible!  (When at all possible).  We need more Naturopaths to consult us than ER's, where most of these destructive drugs are prescribed.

To fellow neighbors and parents - clean out the RX in your cupboards and learn how to destroy and dispose of them properly.  Get on board with these amazing moms of teens that have died and who have stepped out with a documentary called "Overtaken" (soon to be in Newport Beach Film Contest):  http://www.soberliving.com/blog/orange-county-mom-overtaken-drug-abuse-documentary-sons-drug-addiction-overdose .  Watch the video at the end, and donate.  Host a party for your pre-teens and teach them young, FORGET WHAT THE MOM's THAT DON'T GET IT THINK!  Be involved in their precious lives daily,  more than when they were toddlers! Make the sacrifices necessary to do so, which I KNOW is so ANTI OC, right???  God forbid if we keep up with our kids lives, more than we pound the desktops and jobs to keep up with the Joneses!

On proper RX disposal, here is what my local City has on its website:


How should drugs be properly disposed?

   

Disposing of medications down the toilet or the drain harms the environment.  California pharmacists who once supported the method of drain disposal are now launching the "No Drugs Down the Drain" campaign, a public outreach program designed to educate residents about the problems associated with flushing unused, unwanted, and expired medications down the toilet or drain, and to provide safe and proper disposal choices.

The California Pharmacists Association, along with the California Poison Control System, offer simple steps for safe disposal: pharmaceuticals should be taken to a hazardous waste collection center or event; if no hazardous waste facilities or events exist in your area, medications should be sealed in a sturdy container and placed into a trash not accessible to children and pets. 


The general intention of my blog is to keep my friends in the Tea Industry abreast of industry trends and teachings.  But sometimes, there is more to life than work, so forgive this display of a passionate need to express my affinity for a natural products and living by telling a bit more as to why I love my industry and the Natural Product industry - I choose this path due to the pain of living with those who choose to mask pain with Drugs. I believe there is a better way, and pray we all will seek it out.  


I hope this helps you.


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Need Healthy Funding? Sorry I didn't post this sooner! Go For IT!!!



Healthy Corner Store Conversion Request For Proposals  Now Available  (California Specific)


The California FreshWorks Fund announces the availability of $1 million in capital to support Healthy Corner Store Conversion programs throughout California.
FreshWorks will award up to ten $100,000 capital investments to qualified intermediaries that work with store owners to implement conversion activities that promote the sale of healthy foods including fresh produce and dairy, low-sugar drinks and healthy snacks. The capital investments will take the form of low-interest loans, with partial forgiveness of loan principal available based on performance. 

The due date for applications is May 7th, 2012.

Awards will be announced July 9th, 2012. 

A complete RFP and related application materials can be found on either the NCB Capital Impact website (http://www.ncbcapitalimpact.org) or the California FreshWorks website (http://www.cafreshworks.com)  or by following this link.

FreshWorks staff will answer calls related to the application during conference calls on April 9th and 27th. Complete details are in the RFP application.

No individuals calls will be accepted.





_______________________________________________________________________
Elizabeth Day | Project Coordinator | 
NCB Capital Impact
1333 Broadway | Suite 602 | Oakland, CA 94612
Tel (510) 496-2227 | Fax (510) 496-0404 | 
eday@ncbcapitalimpact.org
Twitter: innovate4impact | YouTube.com/NCBcapitalimpact |NCB Capital Impact Facebook Fan Page

Helping people and communities reach their highest potential at every stage of life.

CNN features video on Rooibos

Well deserved highlighted video, a must watch to learn on Rooibos.

http://cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/business/2012/04/30/exp-marketplace-africa-rooibos-redbush-tea-a.cnn.html

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Munson Blenders, featuring Harney Teas and how to blend tea

So you have created a monster.  Your tea blends and masterful concoctions of herbs or tea are huge sellers, or have an opportunity to mass market.  But you only have two hands, require sleep, and you are already re-defining the term 'carpel tunnel syndrome'.

What is a passionate hands-on person like you to do?  GIVE UP CONTROL!  Keep the Artisan Teas for a premium price, but go big with a commercial type modification and borrow money from you Grandpa Louie to buy a warehouse with one of these bad boys!

Of course, you will need a QA team, and certifications galore, but hey - do your homework.  Either get a warehouse and go for it, using locally farmed and herbs - or find someone (ahem!) that has this type of capability to do it for you.

Happy viewing...tea blending...thought of the day!

http://www.munsonmachinery.com/casehistories/article.asp?ArtID=842&playID=true&utm_source=Email+Created+2012%2F04%2F03%2C+4%3A11+PM&utm_campaign=Z-1106+EMailBlast&utm_medium=ema