As we finally begin the approach to warmer weather here in the Mid-Atlantic, I have a couple of new products to tell you about. First off is something you might want to keep in mind for summer BBQs – two Wisconsin staples are teaming up and releasing a new beer-infused bratwurst. Leinenkugel’s and Johnsonville have introduced the Summer Shandy Beer Brat, a Johnsonville grilling sausage that is flavored with Leinenkugel’s iconic Summer Shandy beer. According to Christopher Doering’s recent story on Food Dive, the new product was developed after Johnsonville owner Shelly Stayer met fifth-generation Leinenkugel family member (and the brewery’s former president) Dick Leinenkugel last fall at a football game in Green Bay. The Leinenkugel brand was purchased by what is now Molson Coors in 1988. The Johnsonville Summer Shandy Beer Brats are currently available at select retailers in 19 states, but not in our marketing area. The good news is, they can also be bought online at www.Johnsonville.com.
Another new product that could be perfect for the warmer months ahead is Mingle Mocktails’ latest ready-to-drink variety, Sparkling Rosemary Rose. Marketed to the growing number of consumers looking to imbibe less alcohol, the new drink can be enjoyed on its own or as a mixer. According to the brand, the better-for-you beverage contains 35 percent less sugar than a traditional four ounce glass of rose. Other flavors the brand sells include Cucumber Melon Mojito, Blackberry Hibiscus Bellini and Cranberry Cosmo. The drinks can be found at most retailers.
According to Mintel, there should be a pretty big audience for the company’s offerings since 40 percent of the lucrative 21-24 age group reported drinking less alcohol last year. According to Food Dive, companies in the beverage space are developing a wide variety of products to fulfill shoppers’ desire for alcohol-free beverage options, particularly in RTD canned mocktails. According to Data Bridge Market Research, the mocktail market size is expected to reach $9.4 billion by 2028. Canned wine items have also seen significant growth in recent year with the number of people who consume those types of drinks on a weekly basis increasing from 56 to 72 percent between 2019 and 2022, according to analysis by IWSR.
If one of the reasons people are thinking about drinking less is because they hope it will help them to lose weight, there’s some Costco news they might be interested in, too. The wholesale club retailer has said it will begin offering weight loss drugs and corresponding health care to select members.
According to a release on Global Newswire, Sesame, a healthcare system for uninsured Americans and those with high-deductible plans, has unveiled an expansion of its already existing partnership with Costco in which the company will now offer healthcare specializing in weight loss to club members.
The cost for the program will be $179 for a weight loss program within the Sesame marketplace. The program will include three months of clinical consultation and club members will be able to select their doctors and have a live video consult. They will be able to message their clinician, receive a nutrition guide and then be helped to find a clinically appropriate treatment program.
To be prescribed weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, patients must be assessed by a doctor and determined to be candidates for this type of treatment. The drugs are subject to availability and are not part of the $179 program fee. According to Sesame’s website, these types of drugs can cost in the range of $950 to $1,600 per month without health insurance.
Costco and Sesame first announced a partnership in September 2023 in which the two companies team up to deliver low-price healthcare from Sesame’s extensive marketplace to Costco members. The types of services already provided include virtual primary care (starting at $29 for Costco members), health checkups, including labwork ($72 for members) and virtual mental therapy ($79).
I’ve written before about the growth in the use of drugs now being employed to help people lose weight. This fairly new class of drugs, which was initially approved for diabetes treatment before capturing the public’s and policymakers’ attention, has led to an increase in their off-label use for weight loss. The weight-loss benefits of these drugs have led to their prescribed use to treat obesity, but apparently Americans are paying way more for them than the rest of the world is.
A new analysis by KFF, an independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism, recently compared list prices for semaglutide – including Ozempic, which has been approved in the U.S. for diabetes, and Wegovy, which has the same active ingredient and has been approved for weight loss -and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) in the U.S. and other large, wealthy nations. They found that semaglutide prices are much higher in the U.S. than in other countries. Ozempic is more than five times as expensive in the U.S. ($936) as in Japan ($169), which has the second highest list price. Similarly, Wegovy is nearly four times as expensive in the U.S. ($1,349) as in Germany ($328).
Sadly, the U.S. has by far the highest rates of adults with obesity. A third of adults (33.6 percent) have obesity in the U.S. compared to an average of 17.1 percent across peer nations. With all the health complications that can arise from obesity, it’s a real shame that these new drugs, which seem to be so effective at battling it, are really beyond the reach of many people in this country.
This analysis – and much more – can be found on the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, an information hub dedicated to monitoring and assessing the performance of the U.S. health system, at www.healthsystemtracker.org.
Some good news on the environmental front – I just read a story about electronics giant Samsung reusing wastewater for chip production. Apparently, in the area of semiconductor manufacturing, water is a precious commodity with each chip requiring thousands of gallons of ultrapure water during its manufacture. According to a recent Retailwire story by Dennis Limmer, the water has to be purified meticulously to ensure it is free of all impurities such as fine particles and microorganisms. Apparently, according to the story, Samsung has figured out a way to purify wastewater for use in microchip production.
The current demand for water used in semiconductor chip production is expected to more than double by 2030 as the current global chip shortage intensifies the need for semiconductors. To handle this need while also addressing sustainability, Samsung is repurposing wastewater. The tech giant plans to purify 400 million liters (equivalent to 105.7 million gallons) of wastewater daily for chip manufacturing.
Wastewater sourced from local sewage will undergo rigorous treatment at Samsung’s Hwaseong plant in Seoul, South Korea. Multiple stages of filtration and purification will ensure that every drop of water will be cleansed of impurities to ensure it meets the strict standards required for semiconductor production.
Samsung said it aims to significantly reduce its reliance on freshwater solutions, contributing to broader water conservation efforts. This utilization of wastewater not only addresses the pressing water needs, but also showcases a forward-thinking approach toward environmental responsibility. Hopefully, there will be a ripple effect with other companies following suit. If that happens, it could be the beginning of a transformative shift toward more eco-friendly practices in business. That would be good news for all.
I got a press release from National Grocers Association (NGA) last month announcing that Coca-Cola Co. has signed on as the top-tier sponsor of Women Grocers of America (WGA), making a multiyear commitment of $50,000 annually in support of the grocery industry’s women leaders.
The partnership will include Coca-Cola’s participation at upcoming WGA events, including the introduction of the WGA general session speaker Randy Ross, CEO of Remarkable, a consulting and advisory firm specializing in team development and organizational health. WGA will also explore the possibility of hosting future events at Coke’s headquarters in Atlanta.
“Coca-Cola is proud to continue our longtime support of Women Grocers of America,” said Pamela Stewart, chief customer officer-retail at Coca-Cola NOAU. “Enhancing our support of the NGA Foundation’s mission to increase diversity in grocery industry leadership is an important part of how we live our purpose to refresh the world and make a difference.”
WGA is a professional development network for women operating under the NGA Foundation. Its mission is to inspire and empower women of the independent grocery industry through personal and professional development, cultivating connections and highlighting accomplishments and achievements. Highlights of WGA programming include the group’s prestigious Woman of the Year Award, scholarships for women students pursuing careers in grocery, an Executive Female Leadership Network and Emerging Female Leaders Share Group, as well as virtual professional development and educational sessions. If you’re interested in finding out more about WGA, go to www.nationalgrocers.org/foundation/women-grocers-of-america/.
As I sign off, I want to wish everyone a warm and sunny month of April!