Beverage

A host of innovations are being tried to divert single-use hot-drink containers from landfills, from cup sharing to “clever cups” that can order and pay for a refill. Here’s a sampling.

For restaurant operators, it’s a given that iced tea is the most-profitable non-alcoholic beverage they can sell. However, the operators who sell the most iced tea don’t take it for granted—they know the brand power of a premium, fresh-brewed iced tea, and they know that when guests don’t see their favorite beverage brands on the menu, they often default to ordering tap water.

The moves that consumers have been making toward health in the last few years can no longer be considered just a trend—they’re now the norm, and retailers and foodservice operators have had to answer the call for healthier options in order to compete for share of stomach.