soft drinks

Coca-Cola's strong earnings drew only a tepid response from investors. One reason could be the company's go-slow approach to unloading global bottling operations that it has painstakingly rebuilt. But Muhtar Kent says he's not going to rush any sales.

Daniel Birnbaum, CEO of SodaStream, is betting he can turn carbonated-drink dispensers (100 flavors -- mix your own) into a household necessity. Based on his company's initial stock offering in early November, it looks like Wall Street agrees. [Video]

We started with Citi Investment Research's top global retail picks for an "hourglass" recovery (benefiting retailers on the high and low ends). After drilling down into the fundamentals and valuations, here are our five favorites.

The Mexican version of Coke -- made with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup and served in glass bottles rather than plastic -- is making great inroads in the U.S. market. And it's not just Hispanic consumers who are buying.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes your server looks slightly annoyed when you tell them you're having water with your meal? Or that she is more worried about the level in your wine glass than you? Or why many restaurants went to free re-fills on soda a few years back without batting an eye?...

The CEO of the Coca-Cola, the world's largest beverage company, still believes the U.S. is "a great market for growth." Says Muhtar Kent: "We believe that everything that we've done to course-correct in the U.S. in the last three years is working."

The report this week that McDonald's Corp. and Coca-Cola are pushing McDonald's indie franchises to lower the price of all sodas to $1 this summer makes little difference to consumers. At any price, we get screwed. I know, I know. Railing against the mark-up of fountain soft drinks is as useful as...

PepsiCo will stop selling its full-sugar drinks in primary and secondary schools around the world by 2012.

With America mired in recession, beverage giant Coca-Cola relied on its global operations to pick up the slack. And its laser focus on the two big international markets where the growth is -- India and China -- paid off smartly in the fourth quarter.

If you're drinking a fountain beverage from a restaurant right now, you probably want to skip to the next blog entry. You've been warned. A team of microbiologists from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia have conducted one of those studies that we never -- ever -- like to hear about. They...