Drinks With Caroline

Young people aren't drinking less because they're health nuts—they're just broke. New data shows Gen Z spends 30% less of their income on alcohol than millennials did at the same age. Is this the end of premiumization or just the beginning?

"Sugar is the 2,000-pound gorilla" says Dr. Robert Lustig. The renowned expert reveals how ultra-processed foods drive chronic disease by causing mitochondrial dysfunction. Want better health? Reducing sugar might be more effective than expensive medications. #NutritionFacts

Whether you're a business leader navigating market uncertainty, an investor seeking strategic insights, or simply curious about the forces reshaping consumer behavior, this episode offers a master class in thinking beyond conventional boundaries to prepare for a rapidly changing future.

The beverage landscape isn't just evolving—it's completely transforming. Today's consumers aren't thinking "I'll have a beer" but rather "How do I want to FEEL right now?" Fascinating insights from beverage expert Brandy Rand on the future of drinking. #BeverageTrends

An Analyst’s Guide to Beverage Stocks

Climb inside the mind of a pro for a road map to understanding the beverage industry. We journey through the eras of global expansion (creation of beer giant ABI) and volume-at-any-price ($0.89 2-liters) to the newer driver of value creation, namely “revenue growth management”, i.e., the skill of managing price, package, channel and brands to deliver profitable growth. 

Learn about the birth of modern sodas, non-alc adult beverages and protein drinks. We will get you thinking about GLP-1s, food-as-medicine and much more. 

Some companies discussed: KO, PEP, KDP, ABI, MNST, Red Bull, Liquid Death, Olipop, SAM, Athletic Brewing Co., Bellring Brands

In this episode, we discuss the tribulations of selling distributors and retailers on a new category, the value of having a co-founder with opposite talents, and the advantage of investors with long horizons. 

Marketing maestro, Mike Cessario describes Liquid Death as an entertainment company.

He calls Amazon the great equalizer, and articulates his goal to build a multi-category, healthy beverage platform.

His advice to entrepreneurs is “to de-risk the offer” and “pursue something you know better than anyone else.”  

Caroline's first guest is investor's long-time favorite, no-holds-barred beer industry expert, Harry Schuhmacher. In this episode, Harry opines on the growing power of beer distributors, gets bullish on Anheuser-Busch, and predicts that non-alcoholic beer will hit a 5% share of the giant U.S. market.