Daily Industry Digest — Monday, July 20, 2026
Slow weekend-and-Monday news window: most standing storylines (RNDC/Reyes consolidation, Southern Glazer's restructuring, Kroger–Giant Eagle) had no fresh developments in the past 72 hours and are excluded as already covered.
- Slow weekend-and-Monday news window: most standing storylines (RNDC/Reyes consolidation, Southern Glazer's restructuring, Kroger–Giant Eagle) had no fresh developments in the past 72 hours and are excluded as already covered.
- Retail: Kroger unveiled a chain-exclusive Sprite + Tea Peach (regular and Zero Sugar) — the latest retailer-exclusive soda meant to pull traffic from Walmart and Aldi (announced July 19).
- CPG: A light new-product wire (July 17) featured a Nichols/THG partnership to launch Myprotein Clear Whey Protein Water and a Capri Sun ice-lolly extension — clear-protein and heritage-brand format stretches continue.
- Digital Ads: Axios reported (July 18) that nearly half of major media networks launched since 2022 are non-retailers, as "commerce media" widens beyond retail.
- Distribution & DSD: Quiet in-window — no development cleared the 72-hour freshness bar.
- Ahead: Coca-Cola Q2 earnings land July 22, the next read on North American sparkling volumes.
Kroger is rolling out a chain-exclusive Sprite + Tea Peach
available only at Kroger-owned banners in both regular and Zero Sugar, with a limited-time July release (announced July 19).
Protein water and format extensions led a thin NPD week
(BeverageDaily new-launch roundup, July 17). Nichols (the Vimto owner) and THG's Myprotein are partnering to launch Myprotein Clear Whey Protein Water — 15g of clear whey per 500ml bottle, sugar-free, in Vimto and…
"Commerce media" keeps widening beyond retailers
(Axios, July 18): nearly half of major media networks launched since 2022 are non-retailers, as publishers and non-retail platforms build ad businesses around shopper and first-party data.
- Coca-Cola Q2 2026 earnings (due July 22): the next read on North American sparkling volumes and pricing after PepsiCo flagged a soft NA beverage quarter.
- Kroger: staged price-cut testing under CEO Greg Foran and early Giant Eagle integration signals.
- Functional beverage: whether the "clear protein water" format (Myprotein/Nichols and peers) migrates to US retail shelves.
- Retail media: the pace of non-retailer commerce-media launches and how brands reallocate budgets away from the top two networks.
AxiosCommerce media expands beyond retailers as more launch ad networks (July 18, 2026)
BeverageDailyNew beverage launches: Capri Sun ice lollies, Nichols x Myprotein and more (July 17, 2026)
TheStreetKroger supermarkets add exclusive Sprite soda (Sprite + Tea Peach)