While the global sugar industry has been beaten down by a supply surplus in the recent period, data suggests the worst is yet to come.Bloomberg says that raw sugar’s 16% decline ranks it at the very bottom of the 22 raw materials on the Bloomberg Commodity Index.As demand in India wanes and a European oversupply drives down prices, analysts suggests decades of stable demand growth are officially over for sugar suppliers.Bloomberg indicates that this year’s sugar price crash is just the beginning of trouble for the $150 billion industry, as the world heads for a “tipping point” and shoppers “turn against the cola and candy blamed for an obesity epidemic in the rich world.” To the further detriment of sugar, the industry has been forced to compete with more cost-efficient alternatives such as syrups used in processed foods.Research from the U.S.Department of Agriculture indicates that sugar demand has declined for the first time in a quarter century, a sharp reversal from a near doubling in demand per capita since the 1960s.

As demand for sugar has declined to its lowest level since the global financial crisis, companies such as the Coca-Cola Co.(KO) and Nestle SA (NSRGY), the world’s largest food company, have been forced to evolve or lose out to new Millennial-friendly brands.(See also: How “Sugar” Helps Boost Coke Sales.)“There is undoubtedly a move by global bottlers and by a lot of global food manufacturers to reduce the sugar content in their products,” said Tom McNeill, managing director of Green Pool, an Australian soft-commodities research firm, which forecasts growth in 2017-18 to come in below the standard 2% secured over the past 10 years.Pressured by rapidly changing consumer preferences for healthier products and new government regulation intended to keep health care costs down, beverage giants such as Coke and PepsiCo Inc.(PEP) along with chocolate makers, packaged food leaders and meat processing giants have vowed to go more “natural,” in many cases promising to reduce the sugar content in products.

Overall, the move has been successful for the companies, as PepsiCo secured an earnings beat in the recent period, driven by strong demand for its new “guilt-free” product line.(See also: General Mills, Mondelez Eye 'Wellness' Millennials.)Moving forward, investor understand that the war on sugar won’t be over any time soon, aside from short-term price shocks.As a result, a close eye should be kept on food and beverage players’ strategy to weather against the health storm with brand revamps and new investments.6, 2017 | by One of the more interesting discussions during the Digital Money Forum Wednesday at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was whether the payments industry has come to a tipping point with consumer adoption of mobile payments in the U.S.Nana Murugesan, vice president and general manager of services and new business at Samsung, wasn't ready to say that point had been reached in the first few days of 2017."Itdepends on the tipping point definition," he said in one of many panel discussions during the forum.

"If your definition is softer where mobile is a more preferred method [with consumers], I think we're getting close — maybe three years away."Murugesan'sbitcoin sign raw transactionview is shared by many executives in an industry that once believed this imaginary tipping point would be in the rearview mirror by now.bitcoin centos rpmBut year after year, the industry has had to push that goal back.gta bitcoin miner"Let's look at the year 2020," is a rallying cry of sorts for executives.Meantime, executives will keep waiting ... and asking the same questions about adoption ... and responding with mostly the same answers.bitcoin difficulty history data

But the industry is seeing progress with each passing year.One popular talking point at tech conferences and forums has been the link between rewards and mobile payments.kapan bitcoin naikIn 2016, Mobile Payments Today published at least a half dozen viewpoints on the topic.It's a question we'll keep asking until the tipping point is reached: Do rewards really increase mobile payments adoption by consumers?Starbucks is the standby answer, but the company had a rewards system in place before launching its mobile app in 2009.ethereum chrome pluginStill, the app undeniably makes it easier for consumers to enroll in the program, pay for orders and track rewards.As for third-party mobile wallets, Samsung is claiming early success with a new rewards system tied to Samsung Pay.Murugesan said that the number of Samsung Pay transactions daily has nearly doubled since Samsung Rewards debuted some six weeks ago.The program works much like a typical credit card scheme that awards points for purchases.

Samsung Rewards points can be redeemed for products (from Samsung, of course) such as the Gear Fit2, the Fast Charge Battery Pack and Gear VR headset.While Samsung has not revealed specific transaction numbers, Murugesan's remark bolsters the argument that rewards can help increase consumer adoption of third-party mobile wallets."Innovationslike Samsung Rewards are giving consumers a real incentive to embrace Samsung Pay," he said."We are seeing that people are more likely than ever before to try mobile payments."LaterWednesday, Samsung revealed that the number of Samsung Pay "power users" — those who make mobile purchases almost daily — has more than doubled each week.The number of monthly users has surged as well, according to the company.Judging by news releases over the past four weeks, Apple soon might be able to make similar claims about Apple Pay.Last month, Blackhawk Network announced that it will integrate gift cards, e-gifts, loyalty and rewards programs into the mobile payment system.