PepsiCo's move to purchase Rockstar reflects shifting consumer tastes, which have steadily moved away from soda to otherofferings such as tea-flavored beverages and low-calorie drinks.
The beverage company hopes to entice young people and former soda drinkers with four new fruity versions of Diet Coke. The decline in sales reflects a shift toward bottled water and flavored seltzer.
The company is holding a contest to find a new and natural, low-calorie sweetener. The challenge comes at a time when many Americans are cutting back on sugar due to obesity and diabetes risks.
Corporations in Atlanta have a long history of supporting a focus on business, not social conservatives' issues. Now the governor is vetoing a bill that LGBT groups say would lead to discrimination.