IT’S BEEN A LONG YEAR, AND one that I think we’re all delighted to see get chucked into the recycling bin like so many re-launched Tropicana bottles.
From an innovation point of view it was truly exciting: BevNET’s Best of 2009 winner Monster Energy showed off a trio of hot new energy drinks, while consumers began to accept early stage growth of new functional products like relaxation drinks and alternative sports and nutrition products. New non-carbonated products from Adina, Sambazon, and Guayaki showed a willingness to meet consumers halfway, with lower calorie profiles and familiar packaging, while some smaller CSD companies fully embraced Stevia as a way to try to keep their category relevant.
But from a business point of view, things were tougher. The kind of breakout brands we saw in 2009 didn’t have the kind of critical mass we saw in 2008; some previously strong products like Gatorade and vitaminwater, as well as powerful categories like bottled water and juices, continued their sharp decline. At the consumer level and at the financing level, there wasn’t a lot of good news to report.
Which is why I was so overwhelmed by the recent show of community at BevNET Live in Santa Monica – it made for an exciting, encouraging way to end 2009, in that it allowed new companies brimming with the entrepreneurial energy that keeps the industry fresh to harness the experience and wisdom of those who have been able to turn their ideas into functioning businesses.
What struck me there wasn’t so much the opportunity to get people from the industry up on stage – although I’ll talk about that in a minute – but the spirit of sharing that was in place. During our “Beverage Breaks” and lunches, folks with small startups weren’t afraid to approach veterans like Greg Steltenpohl or Debbie Wildrick for advice and guidance. Investment bankers sat with companies whose business plans they’d normally ignore to offer them their connections and insight. Old friends compared marketing strategies and supplier names. Fellow travelers from the worlds of socially and environmentally conscious brands traded stories and tips. As it had in May, when we held our first event in Manhattan, the field seemed level for the new and the experienced alike.
I know that it might sound like I’m just heaping praise on our own party, but that’s not my intent. Actually, what I’m trying to do is praise its participants. Several of our speakers were brave souls who had never taken part in any kind of beverage conference before but decided they were ready to “give back;” others, veterans of the sales side of the business, were willing to drop the marketing artifice for a while to talk about the ways they had solved problems that can face so many companies as they try to grow and succeed.
That kind of support made the business seem a little less like an arena and a little more like a village. I know we write about the realities of marketplace competition and the decisions they make that enable some companies to succeed while others fail. We’ll keep on doing that, not pulling any punches. But it sure was nice that everyone was able to let their guard down for a while, to recognize how tough things can be, and applaud and encourage everyone who takes on the fight.
And for sticking it out for the past couple of years yourselves, I hope you can hear me clapping now. We’ll see you in 2010.