General Mills plans hundreds of 2014 product launches

NEW YORK--General Mills Inc. (GIS) expects food retail prices to be mostly stable over the next year, and will rely on higher sales volume for the bulk of its sales growth over the next year.

"The cost environment is that we're seeing general price stability across all of our categories," General Mills Chairman and Chief Executive Ken Powell said Tuesday in an interview at the New York Stock Exchange.

Mr. Powell spoke ahead of an annual meeting with shareholders and investors, where the company was highlighting some of the more than 200 new products its plans to launch in the first half of fiscal 2014, ranging from a new version of its Yoplait Greek yogurt to protein-rich varieties of Nature Valley cereal.

The onslaught of new products is more than they launched last year, when products like Fiber One protein bars and a 100-calorie version of Greek Yogurt helped make General Mills's sales in its U.S. retail division, by far its largest division with more than $10 billion in annual sales, grow last year. In that same time frame, new products contributed 5 percentage points to the unit's growth, which was up just 1% overall.

The performance of new products will be key to increasing sales volume, something investors still crave out of food makers who have thus far only shown a slow recovery. General Mills in recent quarters has begun to finally show sales volumes increasing, including a 2% rise in the U.S. retail segment in its fiscal fourth quarter.

General Mills sees low-single digit sales growth for its recently begun fiscal year, and most of that increase will come from selling more product. Costs are expected to rise 3%, a level General Mills executives say is manageable.

New products are also being counted on to help revive two of the company's lagging businesses: cereal and yogurt.

The maker of Cheerios cereal lost some market share over the past year, after what it says was lackluster number of new products and less advertising by all the players in the category. In addition to new products, General Mills is also stepping up advertising behind older brands like Lucky Charms and Cheerios.

Yoplait yogurt, which over the past year lost its leading market-share position to Danone SA's (BN.FR) Dannon brand, meanwhile has revamped its Greek-yogurt product to better compete in the fast-growing segment.

Mr. Powell also said the company doesn't see the need to cut prices of any of its products further this year. Last year, General Mills used "selective" price cuts, lowering prices on items like Yoplait's core yogurt cups.

"Our pricing for all of our core and major brands is in the zone that we want it to be," he said.

General Mills shares were recently up 0.5% at $49.52, and have rallied 22.5% year-to-date. Shares have been boosted by investors looking for stable, dividend-paying stocks, and as valuations for food-makers rose in the wake of H.J. Heinz's $23 billion buyout by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKA, BRKB) and Brazilian private-equity firm 3G Capital.

Article written by Paul Ziobro for the Wall Street Journial. Original article can be found here. Write to Paul Ziobro at paul.ziobro@dowjones.com

Growlers Poured at New H-E-B Store: Craft Beer Goes Austin Weird

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas-brewed growlers are on the menu at H-E-B’s first in-store restaurant here.
Café Mueller offers six types of growlers-to-go, including 512 Pecan Porter, Live Oak Liberation Ale and Circle Envy Amber. Each is available in a 32- or 64-ounce growler. Prices range from $6 to $10.50, depending on the size and type of beer chosen, according to the menu posted on heb.com. Open for lunch and dinner, Café Mueller serves a variety of chef-inspired meals, rare wines and Texas craft brews on tap. It features indoor and outdoor patio seating.
The menu also includes Texas barbecue foods like brisket and spare ribs, as well as pasta bowls, Asian bowls and dessert.
As reported, the 75,000-square-foot store, known as H-E-B at Mueller, is registered for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and Austin Energy Green Building certification, the San Antonio-based retailer said. Its sustainable design incudes low flow toilets and faucets; refrigerated cases with shaded doors; computer adjusted LED lighting; reflective roofing material and solar panels. The store also offers covered bicycle parking and a community room.
The store, known as H-E-B at Mueller, is registered for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and Austin Energy Green Building certification, the San Antonio-based retailer said. Its sustainable design incudes low flow toilets and faucets; refrigerated cases with shaded doors; computer adjusted LED lighting; reflective roofing material and solar panels. The store also offers covered bicycle parking and a community room.
The 75,000-square-foot store includes HEB’s first in-store restaurant, known as Café Mueller, featuring chef-made meals, rare wines and a variety of tap beers with dining inside and outside. Store features include service meat, fish, deli, bakery, and cheese departments; an extensive wine department; pharmacy and Healthy Living departments with bulk goods and natural and organic food.
The unveiling of the new prototype drew hundreds of visitors Friday morning.
Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/h-e-b-debuts-new-austin-store#ixzz2aXkMsek5

Moms declare war on Kraft's nude Zesty man

Kraft's saucy ad campaign (via ad agency Being) for its Zesty Italian salad dressing launched in early April, but it's taken a rebuke from One Million Moms to give it a sudden enormous boost of visibility. The moms are super pissed off about the print ad above, featuring the campaign's hunky model, Anderson Davis, enjoying a naked picnic. The ad is far from subtle—the picnic blanket has pretty obviously been pulled over Davis's privates in such a way that it looks somewhat obscene. This infuriated the moms, which write on their website: "Last week's issue of People magazine had the most disgusting ad on the inside front cover that we have ever seen Kraft produce. A full 2-page ad features a n*ked man lying on a picnic blanket with only a small portion of the blanket barely covering his g*nitals. It is easy to see what the ad is really selling." Nope, they can't even say the words naked or genitals. The moms add: "Christians will not be able to buy Kraft dressings or any of their products until they clean up their advertising." Kraft responded with this statement: "Our Kraft dressing's 'Let's Get Zesty' campaign is a playful and flirtatious way to reach our consumers. People have overwhelmingly said they're enjoying the campaign and having fun with it."

(Original article By Tim Nudd of Adweek and can be found here.)



The Manufacturing Powerhouse States You Never Thought of

"In fact, the manufacturing of durable goods -- things that last longer than three years, such as cars, appliances or software -- grew by more than 9% nationwide in 2012, according the BEA. It was the leading contributor to growth in 22 states, the bureau said." ~ By Steve Hargreaves @hargreavesCNN

On the Left: Intel Microships out of Oregon.

On the Right: Ball Mason Jars from Jarden Home Brands in Indiana. 

Guess which state had a manufacturing boom last year? It's not in the Rust Belt, nor the South, and autos have nothing to do with it.

Oregon comes out on top. With Indiana following in 2nd place.
Manufacturing made up 39% of Oregon's GDP last year -- more than any other state:

Oregon's gross domestic product grew 3.9% last year, making it the third fastest-growing state economy after North Dakota and Texas, according to Commerce Department data released last week. Unlike those states, which benefited from an energy boom, Oregon drew about two-thirds of its growth from durable goods manufacturing.
Digging deeper into the data reveals a meteoric rise at a time when manufacturing activity was stagnant, or even declining, in more traditional manufacturing states.

About 15 years ago, manufacturing only accounted for about $9 billion, or 9%, of Oregon's economy. By 2012, it had risen to $74 billion, or a whopping 39% of Oregon's entire economic output -- the highest proportion of any state.

Oregon isn't large. By GDP, it ranks 25th in size among the 50 states. But its manufacturing sector has risen so rapidly that Oregon now ranks sixth in manufacturing output, surpassing even states like Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Original Article writter by By Annalyn Kurtz June 10, 2013 for CNN: Money and can be found HERE.


Pepsi vending machine accepts FB likes instead of quarters

Pepsi vending machine accepts FB likes instead of quarters 

Free samples are sometimes a one-way street. Companies traditionally give out gratis products with the hope that doing so will result in future business, but it's never a sure thing. Pepsi combats this problem with its new "Like Machine," which essentially trades free Pepsi samples for a consumer's Facebook information.

Here's how it works: The machine, which recently debuted at a Beyonce concert in Antwerp, Belgium, offers a free Pepsi to consumers who "like" Pepsi on Facebook via their smartphones or a touch screen on the machine's display.
It's certainly a novel way to boost Pepsi's reach on Facebook. A video featuring the machine shows throngs of people "liking" Pepsi and happily retrieving cans of soda. "Thanks to this new way of sampling, we know exactly who like, tried, and enjoyed an ice-cold Pepsi," says the video's narrator.
But to us the voiceover is almost ominous. If all companies operated this way, our Facebook feeds would suddenly be overrun with branded messages. There's also something unsettling about big companies having access to our personal information. Maybe we're being paranoid, but online tracking is already widespread. Time to update those privacy settings
What do you think of Pepsi's Like Machine?





Oscar Meyer crafts the fanciest velvet bacon box ever for Father's Day

Oscar Meyer crafts the fanciest bacon box ever for Father's Day 

The folks at Oscar Mayer are allowing consumers to ‘say it with bacon’ as they can purchase velvet boxes full of bacon. The gifts are apparently available for just four weeks beginning June 4, 2013.

According to the WSJ:
"Delicately bundled in a luxurious velvet jewelers box, the Oscar Mayer Original Collection includes 18-20 slices of delicious Oscar Mayer Original bacon, and is available in three personalized gift sets: The Commander, which comes with a stainless steel money-clip engraved with the words “Bringin’ it Home” and an image of a bacon strip; The Matador, which features two handsome bacon strip cufflinks; and The Woodsman, which includes a rugged 12 function multitool with a bacon strip image carved into the handle."

You can purchase the boxes for around $22-28 each, only at www.SayItWithBacon.com from June 4 to July 1, 2013. Also, the video is hilarious…

New hires: Who’s on the move in June 2013? PepsiCo, ConAgra, Hershey, Hillshire Brands, Pinnacle Foods, Coca-Cola, GOED

Checkout who is moving on up and onward in the US Food Industry in June 2013!

The people over at Food Navigator - USA have put together a little Food CPG Movers and Shakers Slideshow to showcase the new hires for the companies who are making moves this month; Check it out here at FoodNavigator.com

J.M. Smucker’s Rules For Success

J.M. Smucker’s Rules For Success

(Article authored by Robert Stevenson, Guest Author for Jexet.net)

In an article I wrote a while back called Corporate Culture Counts, I briefly wrote about the J.M. Smucker Company. I believe this company is an excellent role model to follow for teach-ing anyone how to successfully run a business today. Founded in 1897, this company now employs over 4,800 employees and is doing over $4.7 billion in sales. Tim and Richard Smucker are the Co-CEOs for the J.M. Smucker Company and they believe they serve 6 constituents:
“the consumer, the retailer, our employees, our suppliers, our communities, and our shareholders. We believe if we take care of the first five, the sixth will automatically be taken care of.”

They live and work by the creed, You Will Reap What You Sow. Here are their rules for achieving success in business:
•Let the Golden Rule guide every decision.

•Don’t have secret strategies – make sure everyone knows the strategy and knows their role.

•Have a culture that promises people a better tomorrow based on their good work.

•Don’t be content; you’re responsible for making things better.

•Doubt your own infallibility.

•Have faith. Believe in a higher force.

•Don’t do what you know only for material rewards – be called to your life’s work and have a purpose.

•Laugh and have a sense of humor.

In a world where corrupt deception abounds, it is refreshing to have such a prominent company set a great example of just the opposite. But their written words are only a guide to follow; it is your leadership, your example, your culture that will determine your success.

About the author: “Robert Stevenson is a highly sought after, internationally know speaker. He is the author of the best-selling books “How to Soar Like An Eagle in a World Full of Turkeys” and “52 Essential Habits For Success.” Robert is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and is a former All-American Ath-lete. He started his first business at 24 and has owned several companies. Robert has international sales experience dealing in over 20 countries and his client list reads like a Who’s Who in Business. He has shared the podium with such renowned names as General Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf, Former President George H.W. Bush, Anthony Robbins and Steven Covey. www.robertstevenson.org “

Meijer to Open 200th Store





GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer will open its 200th store in Swartz Creek, Mich. on May 16, the retailer here said.

The Swartz Creek store is the first of six new stores Meijer will open this year in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. It also represents a portion of the more than $160 million planned investment in new and remodeled stores Meijer is making this year throughout the Midwest.

At approximately 190,000 square feet, the Swartz Creek Meijer was built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. It will include a drive-through pharmacy, a gas station, a wide selection of general merchandise, including apparel, electronics and pet items, as well as a full grocery department.

(Original article posted on SupermarketNews.com - Read More -
Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/meijer-open-200th-store#ixzz2StfJ3pAD

Ball and Its Mason Jars Get Better With Age -- Thanks to Pinterest, DIY

Ball and Its Mason Jars Get Better With Age -- Thanks to Pinterest, DIY

 A Recognizable Name, a New Approach to Marketing and a Perfect Storm of Trends Has Jarden's Jars Riding High.

(Article written by Rupal Parekh Agency Editor for Advertising Age and can be located here.)

Thousands of people across America are eagerly awaiting a case of the blue Balls.

Jarden Home Brands -- which licenses one of the oldest brands in America, Ball Home Canning -- has released a limited-edition "Heritage Collection" line to mark the centennial of the innovation commonly known as the mason jar. A commemorative note etched onto each pale cyan glass container is marked with "100 Years of American Heritage" and the year 1913, denoting the date the Ball Brothers, a group of five U.S. industrialists, integrated the construction of the jars so it was no longer a lid made by one person and a jar made by another.

This homage to old-school jars is just the latest way that Ball, a brand more than 125 years old yet experiencing its best sales in history, is catering to a fervent fan base. More than ever, Americans are eager to rediscover the art of canning.

The brand revival began a few years ago when Ball realized it was in, er, a bit of a jam.

It may sound like a homey little brand, but Ball is acutally part of a huge consumer products company based in Rye, N.Y. The $6.7 billion portfolio for Jarden spans outdoor and kitchen products including Marmot, Coleman, CrockPot, Mr. Coffee, Oster and Sunbeam. (Jarden does not break out sales for Ball.)

With over 96% brand awareness, name recognition wasn't a problem for Ball. But research showed there were many misperceptions about canning that prevented people from trying the process -- including worries that it was time consuming, too complex and unsafe. There was also the matter of fighting off competition from the likes of big private labelers like Walmart and other retailers. With the help of its agency of record, Kansas City, Mo.-based Barkley, and 360 Public Relations, Ball has gotten its bearings on a low budget.

Over the past two years, it's undertaken social-media campaigns and online canning demonstrations to expand its reach. It has modernized communication, leaping from the pages of Good Housekeeping to Pinterest and Facebook, and in the past year has devoted attention to developing new products to connect with a younger audience.

Timing helped. The recession fueled a resurgence in home canning and DIY projects while Americans' focus on healthy homemade and artisan foods made with fresh ingredients has been a boon for Ball. And as a heritage brand, it's riding the throwback trend -- when not used for actual canning, the jars often serve as simple centerpieces at outdoor weddings or as glasses at comfort-food restaurants.

Peruse Pinterest and the fandom is evident. There you'll find all manner of ideas of novel ideas for repurposing Ball Jars, including one page dedicated to 101 different uses. They range from making layered salads in a jar; creating a hanging light; making a DIY air-freshener; and using Ball Jars as a bathroom accessory to hold cotton balls and swabs.

Traditionally, there were two main brands when it came to mason jars: Ball and Kerr, with Ball being used primarily east of the Mississippi River and Kerr being used west of it. Both are licensed by Jarden, so they're not quite competitors. But the most loyal and passionate fans over the years have been for Ball, and it's where the majority of the marketing support has gone as the brand migrates across the country.

Passing the passion around

For a sense of how passionate home canners are about Ball, go back to 1992. At the time, there was a Twinkie-like run on the jars when news reports about a spin-off prompted worries the company was in trouble. Ball had to publicly reassure its stockpiling consumer base that it was going to be around for a long time to come.

While Ball was a trusted brand, back then it wasn't growing or innovating. Sales of home-preservation products were flat through the 1990s, and there wasn't much new in product strategy or innovation.

Chris Carlisle, senior director-marketing for the Ball home-canning products, said the trick is to strike a balance between keeping relationships with longtime fans and bringing millennials into the fold.

"We want to preserve the authenticity of Ball, but you have to show that you're moving forward," he said, noting that the company has been focused on a product strategy that simultaneously shows where Ball "has been historically and where we want to go."

That thinking bred a new appliance called the "FreshTech Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker." Users can just dump in some fresh fruit, sugar and pectin, and jam is created in under 30 minutes, cooking and stirring the ingredients for you. "We understand [cooking is] time sensitive today and the making of fresh jams and jellies is a bit of a lost art," Mr. Carlisle said. "Our job is to pass the passion around."

It's also expanding beyond jams, jellies and pickling with fresh-food innovations such as a wet herb keeper that extends the life of fresh herbs.

Private-label competition

Keeping at the forefront of product development is crucial at a time when Ball's core product faces competition from private labelers. Walmart has launched a line of private-label products under its Mainstays brand, while the upmarket Williams Sonoma has been

Kilner jars from England. Ball jars retail for $12 a dozen, while Kilners can run as high as $25 for four.

"Part of our protection as a brand is the notion of authenticity and what that means -- particularly to younger consumers -- is staying true to our roots," said Mr. Carlisle. "Our jars and lids are still made in the USA, and if you look across the competitive set … they are sourcing their jars from China. (Ball jars are predominantly made in Indiana, with some production also occurring at plant in Salem, N.J). He added: "None of those other brands have a communication strategy that facilitates storytelling, while our consumers get to participate in a two-way conversation."

Ball has changed its media-allocation strategy to largely shift from marketing in cooking magazines toward social media and events. (According to Kantar in 2012, measured media was $1 million, but digital spending takes the figure much higher.) The company hired Barkley in 2010, which has since launched a campaign called "Shine Through," indicating that an individual's personality and creativity can shine through with the use of Ball products. The strategy involves a total revamp of the Ball website, renaming it freshpreserving.com; a streamlined e-commerce interface; and an easy-to-use recipe section.

"Ball's challenge was to re-energize the category as the category leader, and take share -- and that's tough to do -- but they did it," said Jeff Fromm, exec VP at Barkley and co-author of "Marketing to Millennials," which is due in July. He attributes much of the growth to paying attention to the ways that younger consumers may want to interact with the brand. "Some of the interesting things we know about millennials is that they are interested in being enviro-friendly and they like sharing things with their friends. That trait is shareworthiness. It's not about the brand, it's about them. If you enable their sharing and self-expression, then they like your brand."

How did Ball make itself shareworthy? An expanded social strategy on Facebook allowed new canners to learn from experienced ones. Ball also held events with well-known canners and launched national "Can-It-Forward" day events at farmers markets where canning demonstrations were held concurrently in person and online.

Over the holidays, Barkley ran a promotion on Facebook called the 25 days of anti-gift cards. Each day running down to Christmas, the campaign offered new uses for the jar, for example, as part of a vodka-infusing kit or way to store keepsakes from favorite vacations.

In the span of a year, Facebook fans increased by 40% and website visits increased by 30%, bringing the company firmly back into the conversation again. And on one of the ultimate sharing sites, Pinterest, Ball is approaching 4,000 fans. With the help of 360 Public Relations, Pinterest is now one of the top 10 referral sites to freshpreserving.com for e-commerce, which it only began in earnest in 2011.

But most important, this can-do attitude has led to strong sales. Mr. Carlisle said "2012 was far and away our best sales year ever -- we grew 20%. It changed the profile of the brand and we saw a big leap in our sales growth." Not bad for a brand born before the advent of touch typing. And Ball thinks the future looks even brighter. "We continue to see momentum in 2013," said Mr. Carlisle, anticipating the company's biggest volume months ever this June, July and August.

Or in Ball terminology, he believes the brand will shine through.

Newcastle drops a new ale, and it's a bombshell!

Newcastle drops a new ale, and it's a bombshell

(Written by Brian Warmoth for Food Dive and can be found here)

Dive Summary:

• Newcastle announced Wednesday that it would release a new Newcastle Bombshell pale blonde ale for the U.S. in May, making it available through July.
• The labels for the beer will feature a blue color scheme and illustration of a blonde woman.
• It will be sold in 6-bottle and 12-bottle packs.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Newcastle, the No Bollocks beer brand, today announced the release of its limited edition Newcastle Bombshell pale blonde ale. Available nationwide between May and July 2013, Newcastle Bombshell is a refreshing new addition to the Newcastle portfolio featuring an eye-catching blonde on the label intended to catch the eye of beer drinkers nationally. And sell more beer.

"An Englishman's first love will always be his brown ale, but now he can have a summer fling with a beautiful blonde," said Charles van Es, Brand Director, Newcastle Brown Ale. "With its golden ale color, light aroma and silky smooth finish, Newcastle Bombshell is a real British beauty worth waiting for, with a label as alluring as the beer inside."

Newcastle Bombshell is an English-style blonde ale that offers a floral hop aroma, a balanced and bittersweet flavor with toasted biscuit notes and a smooth clean finish with hints of caramel sweetness. Brewed with a combination of Cascade, Hellertau and Northdown hops, Newcastle Bombshell has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.4 percent with 28 International Bittering Units (IBUs). In other words, it's a great beer.

To support the release of Newcastle Bombshell, Newcastle is rolling out a series of consumer sampling events across the country and is also unveiling a new TV spot called "Bombshell," created by Droga5 New York. Featuring an array of pigment-challenged sunbathers, the spot proudly points out the similarities between the smooth, refreshing, new blonde ale and an Englishman in the midst of summer. Namely: they're both pale. "Bombshell" is the latest asset in the brand's No Bollocks 2013 marketing campaign dedicated to honesty and transparency in the beer category.

Newcastle Bombshell is available nationally in 6-bottle and 12-bottle packs priced comparably to Newcastle Brown Ale and may also be found on draught in most markets.

To view the new Newcastle "Bombshell" spot, visit www.youtube.com/newcastle. For more information about Newcastle Brown Ale and Newcastle Bombshell visit www.facebook.com/newcastle.

About Newcastle Brown Ale

A No Bollocks beer brand, Newcastle Brown Ale was first brewed in 1927 to satisfy thirst of hardworking Englishmen. Colonel Jim Porter crafted the ale with its own distinct golden brown color, lightly hopped taste and character that quickly became a local favorite. Best served cold, Newcastle Brown Ale has since become a world favorite as a dark beer that's easy to drink. Newcastle Brown Ale is imported by the nation's premier beer importer, HEINEKEN USA, headquartered in White Plains, New York. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/newcastle.

About HEINEKEN USA

HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation's leading upscale beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, the world's most international brewer. European brands imported into the U.S. include Heineken Lager, the world's most international beer brand, Heineken Light , Amstel Light, Newcastle Brown Ale, and Strongbow cider. HEINEKEN USA also imports the Dos Equis portfolio, Tecate portfolio, Sol, Indio, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from Mexico. For a safe ride home, download the HEINEKEN USA-sponsored Taxi Magic™ application from your smartphone at taximagic.heineken.com. 

As Coffee Rust Devastates Latin America... What's in Store for the CPG Coffee Segment Forecast?

After the CPG coffee sector has seen such tremendous growth in the few years, this put quite the hurt on the double digit 2013 forecasts for coffee. I had no idea. Take a look at the graph on volume and value growth, then read the article. ~ William Thompson

(Graph pulled from Coffee 2013: Ready for Take-Off - International Coffee Organization)

As Coffee Rust Devastates Latin America, Colombia's Cenicafé Leads The Resistance 

(Article by Rachel Tepper, Huffington Post on 3.25.13 Read original article posting here)

The British have long favored tea as their caffeinated beverage of choice, but another drink had its moment during the glory days of the British empire -- coffee.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the British controlled vast coffee plantations across southern India and Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. But a strange fungal disease called coffee rust became widespread by the mid-19th century, crippling the industry and forcing producers to switch to tea cultivation. The change effectively altered beverage preferences across the empire as coffee drinkers were forced to switch as well, according to The Nature of Disease in Plants. Today, the region that was Ceylon is best known for the teas grown there.

Now the shift could be happening again in the "New World," as coffee rust strikes at crops across Central and South America. A recent outbreak is causing the worst devastation since the disease was first spotted in the Western Hemisphere in 1970; Guatemala has declared a national emergency, 2013-2014 harvests in some parts of Costa Rica may be half of what they were last year and there are troubling reports of the disease in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Mexico.

The pestilence is especially concerning when you consider that a significant chunk of the coffee consumed in the U.S. and abroad derives from beans grown in Central and South America. Data from the U.S. Department Of Agriculture puts Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala and Mexico as some of the top 10 coffee producing countries in the world.

But coffee culture in the Americas may not be doomed. Leading the charge is Colombia's Cenicafé, a research organization funded by the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia). The federation represents the interests of more than 500,000 producers, the vast majority of them small farms.

"[Y]ou can actually take care of the rust and control it," Cenicafé's Alvaro Gaitan said in an interview with The Huffington Post. Gaitan is the research center's head of plant pathology. But, he cautioned, "with coffee rust, you can not wait until the water is around your neck. You have to work really fast."

Thanks to early research, Cenicafé was ready with a rust-resistant coffee plant variety a year before the pestilence first struck Colombian operations in 1983, according to Gaitan. The so-called "Colombian" variety is a cross between the Caturra variety, which thrives in Colombian climates, and Southeast Asia's Timor hybrid, which was discovered to be coffee-rust-resistant in the 1960s by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. A second generation of the variety, called Castillo, was released in 2005.

Cenicafé's foresight has been helpful during this most recent coffee rust outbreak, especially since Colombia was initially hit harder than other nations, Gaitan said. This is partly due to the ocean-atmosphere phenomenon La Niña, which brought heavy rains to parts of the region. Between 2008 and 2011, the increased rainfall provided an ideal environment for the fungus in some areas, and in August of 2011, Colombian coffee exports fell to their lowest level since 1988 following a particularly bad string of weather. "At some point, everything comes together and creates the perfect storm," Gaitan explained.

Cenicafé had initially struggled to convince farmers to switch over their crops; family businesses were reluctant to part with their traditional varieties and unwilling to forgo profits in the three years it usually takes for coffee plants to reach maturity. In years before the outbreak, only about 25 percent of Colombian farmers were growing the resistant Colombia variety, according to Gaitan.

But, he noted, seeing an entire crop blighted is a compelling incentive to replant with a resistant variety. Today, more than 55 percent of farmers grow both Colombia and castilla varieties by Cenicafé estimates. The results are striking: in 2011, more than 40 percent of all Colombian plantations were infected with coffee rust. As of 2013, Cenicafé puts that number at 5 percent.

Colombia's success in combating coffee rust could be a useful lesson to farmers elsewhere in Central and South America, only 3 percent of whom plant resistant varietals, Gaitan said. Many rely on fertilizers and fungicides to stave off the disease, but Gaitan believes these are short term solutions. He estimates that most other nations are dealing with infection rates of up to 30 percent. "If you go over 30 percent, there's almost no way you can recover the plant for that harvest," Gaitan warned.

Starbucks may be answering the call; the chain recently purchased its first farm in Costa Rica with the goal of developing new coffee varieties and testing defenses against coffee rust. A few other research programs studying the disease exist in other countries as well, including the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and CABI in the U.K.

But, Gaitan said, it's important for nations to conduct their own research to determine which varietals works best in native climates. For instance, he cautioned, "Castillo might not work in Central America."

UPDATE: This story has been updated to highlight a supporting text,
The Nature of Disease in Plants by Robert P. Scheffer.