Beverage labeling is helping drive growth in package printing with growth in niche segments such as sports drinks, coffee/tea, energy drinks and wines.

By Tom Polischuk

The importance of packaging and labeling in the product sales equation has grown over time and has been especially evident in beverage marketing. “The fast-changing beverage arena has evolved from mass standardization in the 1980s and ’90s to brand customization in the 21st century,” says Dan Muenzer, VP of marketing for Spear. “Each beverage brand is being positioned as its own entity, so its positioning is less dependent upon advertising and POS [point of sale] and more on the package. Label techniques are often the most economical way to differentiate a brand without having to go through the time and money of a structure change.”