Episode 36: Should Soda Bottlers Sell Alcohol? And can they?

Beverage Digest Editor & Publisher Duane Stanford and industry expert John Sicher dig into whether Coke and Pepsi bottlers should get serious about distributing alcohol, and why the three-tier system makes it far harder than it seems to “just put it on the truck.” Along the way, they unpack PepsiCo’s Blue Cloud experiment and Coke’s licensing-first strategy. They also take a few minutes to assess whether Coca-Cola’s new prebiotic versions of Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, and Fresca are a scalable path to growth. • post-COVID crossover rush between non-alcoholic and alcohol companies  • why declining volumes make bottlers crave more truck tonnage  • the trade-offs between bottler upside and franchisor distraction risk  • how the three-tier system and state-by-state rules limit vertical integration  • what PepsiCo’s Blue Cloud tried to do and why regulators pushed back  • why Coke’s licensing model avoids distribution warfare  • how prebiotic soda creates “permission to drink” and whether the segment has the staying power of energy drinks • the “jelly bean rule” context for functional claims in soft drinks  Visit our website to learn more about our products and subscribe to our newsletter: www.beverage digest.com. Text us thoughts, questions, or topic suggestions.