Beverages

CEO Paul Polman details how brands that have made sustainability central to their brand proposition or product innovation accelerated sales during 2012.

Nearly 1,900 new products hit retail shelves across the United States in 2011/12. Yet, only 11 percent of those launches achieved exceptional first-year sales. Here's a look at the top 20 products, including Dannon Oikos and Starbucks K-Cups, that beat daunting new product odds and stimulated growth despite a challenging economic environment.

These include an all-cash tender offer of USD 9.15 per share by AB InBev for all the outstanding Grupo Modelo shares it does not already own and, upon completion of the tender offer, the sale of Grupo Modelo's Piedras Negras brewery and stake in Crown to Constellation.

Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. rolls out beverage innovations with entries into new categories, beer and cider, and providing new ways for consumers to enjoy mike's hard lemonade flavors.

PepsiCo brand managers believe that analyzing data helps them in understanding consumer choices, at depths sufficient enough to get insight into the products they should likely retain, discard or even revalue.

Based on glowing reader nominations, CGT presents 14 small to mid-sized companies, including KEEN, Popcorn, Indiana and Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt, with the title of 2013 Standout SMB. Find out what they've been up to over the last year and what plans they have for the future.