Quotables/By the Numbers

BY THE NUMBERS $33.2bn

The brand value of Coca-Cola, which retains the title of world’s most valuable and strongest soft drink brand, according to rankings from Brand Finance; its value is almost double that of Pepsi, which comes in at second place at $18.4bn

65%

The percentage of consumers who prefer single-serve glass bottles for no/low-alcohol beverages, followed by multi-serve glass bottles at 48%, and single-serve plastic bottles at 46%, according to AMC Global

2,000

The number of shelf-stable products— from pantry staples to snacks, drinks, and supplements from around 400 vendors—that are now available through BUBBLE, a platform that enables new and emerging natural food brands to set up DTC operations

5.5%

The decline in calories per person from soda in 2020, leading to a total reduction of 11.8% since 2014 due to a switch to low- and zero-sugar versions, according to the Beverages Calorie Initiative “Experience has shown that care and scientific analysis is needed to ensure that an environmental measure actually achieves its objectives. For instance, if a refilling facility is too far away from a collection point, the emissions from transport may cancel out the benefits of a return scheme, and another method may make more environmental sense.”

–Christian Verschueren, Director-General of EuroCommerce, in an article from FoodNavigator.com, “Plastics recycling: Campaign for supermarkets to install reverse vending machines for bottles launches in Europe”

“We don’t really think that [PepsiCo and Coca-Cola] are going to morph into full-blown alcohol companies. I think this is out of their bailiwick, but we do think that they’ll look at areas where it makes sense. They’re just looking for any avenue where they can put a beverage in front of the consumer.”

–John Boylan Senior Equity Analyst, Edward Jones, in an article from Food Dive, “Coca-Cola and PepsiCo wade into booze amid an uncertain future”

“California consumers are dedicated to doing their part to recycle but many don’t understand that the HDPE used for plastic milk jugs is one of the most widely accepted plastics in recycling programs across the United States. It’s highly desirable by recyclers because of its value and ability to be turned into new materials. We want to encourage consumers who buy milk in the jug to make sure that jug makes it to the recycling bin to help keep plastic out of landfills.”

–John Talbot, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board, as quoted in a press release, “New Statewide Education Campaign Aims to Increase Recycling of Plastic Milk Jugs,” from CMAB

“The worker shortage is real—and it’s getting worse by the day. American businesses of every size, across every industry, in every state are reporting unprecedented challenges filling open jobs. The worker shortage is a national economic emergency, and it poses an imminent threat to our fragile recovery and America’s great resurgence.”

–Suzanne Clark, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, quoted in an article from the Flexible Packaging Association’s FlexPack Voice, “FPA Combats Critical Worker Shortage”