Healthy Beverage Expo Points to Seven Key Changes the Beverage Industry Must Accept

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Why are consumers trending toward healthy beverages? Will they ever stop buying soft drinks? What changes are in store for the beverage industry? A new white paper, from the Advisory Board of Healthy Beverage Expo, considers these questions and reveals "Seven Key Changes the Beverage Industry Must Accept." The report – featuring Supermarket Guru and Healthy Beverage Expo keynoter Phil Lempert, among other leading experts – looks at the critical issues the industry should address. The white paper is available now at www.HealthyBeverageExpo.com.

Healthy Beverage Expo takes place June 7 – 9 in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event is co-located with World Tea Expo, the most prominent annual event for the tea industry (www.WorldTeaExpo.com).

The "Seven Key Changes the Beverage Industry Must Accept" paper features leading experts and Healthy Beverage Expo Advisory Board members, including:

• Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru and an expert analyst on consumer behavior, marketing trends, new products and the changing retail landscape;
• Rob McCaleb, the founder and president of the Herb Research Foundation, an advisor for natural product development, labeling, marketing and promotion;
• Ian McLean, founder and creative director of McLean Design, who has helped shape the beverage industry with breakthrough work for top brands;
• Brian Keating, founder of the Sage Group, a specialty tea think tank, publisher and natural beverage products consultancy;
• and James Tonkin, president of Healthy Brand Builders, who has focused on branding initiatives in soft drink, bottled water, functional and non-carbonated beverages.

According to Healthy Beverage Expo – the brand new trade show that's dedicated to supporting and fueling the healthy drink segment of the beverage market – a healthy beverage is defined as "nutritious and functional beverages made from high quality ingredients and pure water, marked by an undeniable accountability for the effects of processing, packaging and distribution."

All of the Healthy Beverage Expo Advisory Board members believe that products not fitting in the healthy beverage definition will no longer hold favor with the new crop of intelligent consumers. "Beverage manufacturers of all kinds should prepare for this certain change," the experts advise in the white paper.

The new report says the healthy beverage market is specifically driven by a current change in business practices and thoughts of younger industry leaders. "It seems that just buying into tradition will not suit the desires of this demographic," notes the white paper. "They are pushing the industry into a realm that may be uncomfortable for antiquated businesses. By challenging the quality of ingredients, the purity of water, the method of distribution and the impact all of the above has on our environment, the younger generation of beverage entrepreneurs are steering the industry towards more healthy and viable options."

Overall, Healthy Beverage Expo focuses on numerous types of drinks, including: bottled water, dairy, juice drinks, sports and nutritional beverages, herbal extracts and other alternative products that are beneficial for consumers. Delegates include beverage buyers, distributors and retailers, as well as food service professionals, independent merchants, product developers, health practitioners, dieticians, scientists and other decision makers. Attendees can preview and compare an extensive range of beverages, explore newly launched products, source vendors, participate in exclusive taste-test competitions, hear from top imbibe experts, establish key relationships and evaluate opportunities to capitalize on this fast-growing segment.

Visit www.HealthyBeverageExpo.com to register for the event or to view the free white paper, "Seven Key Changes the Beverage Industry Must Accept: The Future of Beverages."

About World Tea Media
World Tea Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc., is an integrated media company dedicated to providing business solutions to the global beverage industry. Events include the new Healthy Beverage Expo, the annual World Tea Expo, the most prominent event for the industry, and World Tea East, the regional event for the northeast, mid-Atlantic and southeast United States. World Tea Media also produces the North American Tea Championship and World Tea News. The North American Tea Championship is the only professional and independent competition that distinguishes the highest quality and best tasting teas commercially available in the North American marketplace. World Tea News is an online portal that offers in-depth news, features and business insight for the global tea industry. World Tea Media is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev.

About F+W Media, Inc.
F+W Media is a community-focused, content creator and marketer of products and services for enthusiasts. The Company offers a diversified portfolio of books, ebooks, magazines, events, competitions, ecommerce, education, video and more. The Company serves 20 different markets, including writing, fine art, genealogy, antiques and collectibles, design, outdoors and horticulture. Its growing portfolio includes print and online properties, free and for-fee subscription sites, educational programs, competitions and events. www.FWMedia.com

SOURCE World Tea Media