Latest
America’s cult-favorite mineral water vanishes from shelves as demand explodes
A high-profile shortage of one of the hottest mineral water brands — combined with surging demand — is reshaping the beverage aisle.
Topo Chico, the cult-favorite sparkling mineral water owned by Coca-Cola, has been largely unavailable nationwide since February as the company upgrades facilities at its source in Mexico, with supply not expected to return until late 2026.
The disruption has left some shelves empty, with consumers turning to alternatives as other brands step in to fill the gap.
HEAVY SODA TREND FLOWS THROUGH US AS SUPER SWEET FOUNTAIN DRINKS SPARK BUZZ ONLINE
Demand for mineral water has been rising for years, and recent shortages are accelerating that trend, Forbes reported.
Unlike seltzer, which is typically made by adding carbonation to purified water and can be produced almost anywhere, mineral water must come from specific natural sources, making it harder to scale production when demand surges.
This distinction helps set mineral water apart from seltzer. It contains naturally occurring electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, giving it a more complex taste, a slightly salty edge and stronger, longer-lasting carbonation.
As people cut back on alcohol, mineral water is increasingly filling a role once occupied by wine and other alcoholic drinks, according to Ben Tannenbaum, an alcohol industry analyst in New York and vice president of partnerships at LineLeap, a nightlife technology platform.
“Mineral water is filling a slot that wine used to own — a drink that signals you’re paying attention without requiring explanation,” Tannenbaum told Fox News Digital.
‘BLOODBATH’ HITS WINE COUNTRY AS MILLENNIALS AND BOOMERS ABANDON ALCOHOL
“The bottle matters. A Topo Chico or San Pellegrino on the table communicates something that tap water, or even a generic seltzer, can’t.”
He added that branding tied to origin — similar to wine’s “terroir” — is resonating with consumers.
“People are ordering a place, not just a drink,” Tannenbaum said.
That positioning may help explain why premium bottled water has become a growing category, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
For years, flavored seltzers dominated the sparkling water boom as healthier, low-calorie alternatives to soda and alcohol.
WITH AMERICANS ‘ZEBRA STRIPING’ INSTEAD OF QUITTING DRINKING, MICHELOB ULTRA ZERO IS CASHING IN
But the category is now shifting toward simpler, more “ingredient-forward” options tied to natural sources.
Cocktail writer and educator Camper English said growing interest in hydration, along with confusion about water quality, is also fueling demand.
“People are bombarded with messaging about the need to hydrate and drink lots of water, and always carry water with them to work and the gym and everywhere else — often in huge fancy insulated water bottles,” English, based in San Francisco, told Fox News Digital.
He added that consumers are becoming more aware that even unflavored water can have distinct taste profiles, which he highlights in water-tasting classes.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
“There is a lot of pressure to know more about the ‘right’ water to drink,” he said. “That may mean the safest or trendiest or supposedly healthiest.”
He also said the shift away from alcohol is creating more opportunity for premium water.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
Topo Chico’s rapid growth in the U.S. following Coca-Cola’s 2017 acquisition has helped drive demand, potentially adding pressure on supply.
Coca-Cola said in a statement to Fox News Digital that updates to facilities at the water source and production sites in Mexico are tied to the company’s priorities of safety and quality.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“We aim to have Topo Chico Mineral Water back later this year,” the company said.
The company added that the change only involves Topo Chico Mineral Water, and that other Topo Chico drinks remain available in the U.S.
Even after the brand returns to shelves, analysts say the shift toward mineral water is likely to persist.
“The consumers driving this trend aren’t making trade-offs,” Tannenbaum said. “They’re not switching to tap because Topo Chico is out of stock. They’re looking for the next bottle that signals the same thing.”
Latest
WWE star Kit Wilson expresses support for Cody Rhodes after Pat McAfee promo, no animosity after ‘toxic’ move
Cody Rhodes was running hot earlier this month after Pat McAfee was inserted into his WrestleMania 42 feud with Randy Orton just days before their match was set to take place.
Kit Wilson was the punching bag after McAfee kicked Rhodes in the groin, ripped the pro wrestling business and said that Orton was going to save it. Wilson had just finished a match with The Miz against Damian Priest and R-Truth when Rhodes rushed the ring.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Rhodes targeted Wilson with a Cross Rhodes and cut the scathing promo on McAfee.
Wilson told Fox News Digital that he didn’t know Rhodes was coming and that he would be targeted. However, he praised Rhodes’ message.
WWE CHAMP JADE CARGILL VERY HOPEFUL TO MEET ‘STONE COLD’ STEVE AUSTIN AT HALL OF FAME CEREMONY
“I was just trying to look out for my mentor, The Miz. I was just trying to do the right thing by him. Yeah, I had no idea it was coming,” Wilson said. “It was interesting because I think Cody was speaking from the heart there and what he had to say was quite informational and important in the current zeitgeist of the world.”
Wilson said that he did think Rhodes’ decision to take his anger out on him was “toxic” but he had no ill will toward “The American Nightmare.”
“So yeah, I think he was taking his anger out on me,” Wilson continued. “I don’t appreciate it. I do think it was toxic. But I see the side of him that had a lot of things to say. In my own way, I think I’ve forgiven him.”
Rhodes and Orton will battle for the Undisputed WWE Championship on Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. McAfee is sure to be at ringside in Orton’s corner, much to Rhodes and fans’ chagrin.
Latest
Charlie Kirk podcast pans Utah Valley University citing ‘safety concerns’ in scrapping controversial speaker
The producers of “The Charlie Kirk Show” panned the stated reason Utah Valley University (UVU) canceled the commencement speaker invitation of author and educator Sharon McMahon, whose selection sparked outrage among supporters of the late conservative leader, who was murdered on its campus.
On Thursday, UVU issued a statement saying, “Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and in consultation with public safety professionals and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without a featured commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony.”
The statement didn’t sit well with podcast co-hosts Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff.
“Here’s what’s annoying,” Neff reacted. “They say it’s not because ‘Oh, we picked a terrible speaker and that was our bad.’ They say they have ‘increased safety concerns’ about what happened.”
“Basically it’s our fault we were engaged in menacing behavior, they say,” Neff continued. “But regardless, it’s a speaker they shouldn’t have chosen… Nobody was making any threats about this. Not on this show or anywhere else.”
“We were saying it was a bad idea,” Kolvet responded before saying, “Hallelujah.”
Representatives for UVU did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital‘s request for comment.
EXPERTS DEBUNK TYLER ROBINSON’S BALLISTICS CLAIM: ‘UNABLE TO IDENTIFY IS NOT THE SAME AS RULED OUT’
UVU came under fire for its selection of McMahon, who attacked Kirk just days after his assassination.
“Millions of people feel they were harmed, and the murder that was horrific and should never have happened does not magically erase what was said or done,” McMahon wrote on X at the time.
The now-deleted social media post sent two days after Kirk’s death also included a pair of quotes that many Kirk supporters said were taken out of context.
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words, and the ensuing actions his followers took,” McMahon said.
The university’s selection of McMahon as its commencement speaker drew outrage among Kirk’s supporters. A spokesperson for McMahon declined comment.
Her team previously dismissed the notion that she celebrated Kirk’s death, telling Utah outlets that she “unequivocally condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk, repeatedly and publicly, calling his death a tragedy and stressing that public debate must never be met with violence.
The 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder was participating in a public speaking event sponsored by the campus chapter of Turning Point when he was shot and killed on Sept. 10. The suspect, now 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, was charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
Fox News’ Max Bacall contributed to this report.
Latest
Doctors warn of ‘looksmaxxing’ dangers after influencer’s livestream emergency
“Clavicular,” the controversial “looksmaxxing” influencer, was reportedly hospitalized due to a suspected overdose Tuesday night during a livestream.
The Miami content creator, 20, posted a photo of his bloody face and commented on X Wednesday.
“Just got home, that was brutal. All of the substances are just [to] cope, trying to feel neurotypical while being in public, but obviously, that isn’t a real solution. The worst part of tonight was my face descending from the life support mask.”
WHAT IS BUTT MICRONEEDLING? BEHIND THE ‘DESPERATE’ PROCEDURE KELLY RIPA TRIED
The influencer, whose real name is Braden Peters, was hospitalized after his livestream was cut short when he began slurring his words and repeating phrases, according to reports.
Looksmaxxing is a social media trend focused on enhancing appearance, ranging from basic skin care to extreme practices like hitting cheekbones with hammers to alter facial structure.
The potentially dangerous trend has been popular with young males, plastic surgeons told Fox News Digital.
“In my practice, we’ve seen it primarily in young men in their 20s,” Dr. Josef Hadeed, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, told Fox News Digital. “We have had a few women, but I’d say by and large, it’s been mostly men who have come into our office wanting these various looksmaxxing procedures.”
THE REAL REASON FOR SAGGING JOWLS, AND WHAT WILL AND WON’T HELP, ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT
“Patients are increasingly seeking to align how they look with how they feel,” he said. “The difference today is that the tools and technologies available to achieve that have never been more advanced or more accessible.”
Looksmaxxing can be divided into two categories: “softmaxxing” and “hardmaxxing,” according to Hadeed. Softmaxxing is a more simple, non-invasive approach to improving one’s looks.
“It’s really like self-care or grooming – things like going to the gym on a regular basis to try to improve your body composition, or using various skincare products to try to improve your skin texture,” the surgeon said.
Softmaxxing techniques – which can also include teeth whitening, beard grooming, or upgrading a wardrobe or hairstyle – are not usually a problem, according to Hadeed. Hardmaxxing, which involves more extreme measures, can have riskier consequences.
Some individuals in the looksmaxxing online community do things like “bone smashing,” Hadeed said.
“[It’s] literally what it sounds like, where you smash the bones to change the facial structure, and that is obviously not recommended because it can lead to potential complications,” he warned.
“Once you cross that line and start getting into more extreme things, I feel like that’s where most plastic surgeons should draw the line.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Dr. C. Bob Basu, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said the biggest safety risks with the looksmaxxing trend come from pursuing treatments without proper medical guidance.
“Social media can make procedures seem easy or risk-free, but even minimally invasive treatments carry real risks if performed incorrectly or by an untrained provider,” the Houston-based plastic surgeon told Fox News Digital.
To achieve quality results, it is critical to be treated by a board-certified plastic surgeon who understands both safety and anatomy, Basu advised.
The convergence of social media, constant digital visibility and “unprecedented access to aesthetic treatments” – along with a cultural shift toward optimizing wellness and longevity – are fueling the looksmaxxing trend, according to Basu.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Hadeed agreed, noting that social media puts pressure on individuals to look perfect.
“People are constantly comparing themselves to other people online,” he told Fox News Digital. “It can quickly develop into body dysmorphia for a lot of people, and that’s when they start pursuing more and more procedures that they don’t need by any stretch – it’s kind of like keeping up with the Joneses.”
Dr. Nancy Frye, a professor in the psychology department at Long Island University in Brookville, New York, also weighed in on what’s driving the looksmaxxing craze.
“We figure out how attractive we might be by comparing what we see in ourselves to what we see in others,” she told Fox News Digital. “This social comparison is especially problematic with social media and filters, as people compare themselves to filtered versions of others.”
While experts warn of the risks of looksmaxxing, they say a thoughtful approach can have some benefits, including pride in one’s appearance and health.
The most tangible benefits are associated with the softmaxxing approach, which includes following a fitness routine, eating a clean diet and following regular skin care routines, according to Hadeed.
With healthy guidance, aesthetic care can “enhance confidence and self-esteem, helping patients feel more aligned with their sense of self,” Basu added.
Both plastic surgeons emphasized the importance of taking a responsible approach when considering the looksmaxxing trend.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“The goal should always be thoughtful self-improvement, not perfection,” Basu said. “It should never be about looking like someone else or a filtered version of yourself, but rather about becoming a confident, natural and authentic version of you.”
Anyone considering this trend should consult a licensed healthcare professional rather than relying on advice from social media influencers, the doctors advised.
-
Latest3 days agoVance Leaves Meeting, Looks Straight Into Camera, Announces Stunning Arrest
-
News7 days agoAll Hell Breaks Loose On Fox When Jesse Watters Asks Fetterman One Question
-
Latest7 days agoMelania Gets Huge Surprise 24 Hours After Making Epstein Announcement
-
News3 days agoNBC Stops LIVE Broadcast — Breaks Big Trump News
-
News4 days agoFar Left Democrat ‘Squad’ Member LOSES — She’s Out
-
News3 days agoSwalwell Facing Jail Time After Sickening New Video Leaks
-
Latest3 days agoSupreme Curt Sides With Trump — He Can Remove The All
-
News7 days agoTucker Carlson Makes Trump Immediately Regret Publicly Attacking Him
