Juices, smoothies and waters once the darlings of the soft drinks market had a tough time last year as cash-strapped consumers down-traded to cheaper options in the case of juices and smoothies, and to taps in the case of water.

Christmas seems to come earlier every year, and with the news that Selfridges in Oxford Street launched its Christmas season on August 2, the festive season will be on us very soon.

Breakfasts represent a massive business opportunity. More than 16 billion are eaten in home in the UK every year, and according to research company Kantar nearly two thirds of them feature cereal. Nielsen puts the annual value of the cereal market at £1.468bn, and while the multiples dominate sales in the sector, the biggest supplier believes there is a big opportunity in the wholesale channel, and is investing to develop the market.

Sales of tobacco in the wholesale sector have been buoyant with companies such as Booker reporting sales up 5.8% in their most recent results, but government plans for a retail display ban threaten turmoil over the next few years.

Cutting back on little treats is one thing, but some chores continue to need doing. Consumers appear to be working on the theory that a tried and tested product is worth the money. They want their washing powder or toilet cleaner to do the job, so they are sticking to the brands that they know work.

In a highly competitive marketplace investment in technology and equipment can mean the difference between success and failure in the wholesale channel. Buy the right IT and it can enable a smaller player to compete with larger ones on an equal footing, but get it wrong and it can cause turmoil as even massive companies such as Sainsbury's have shown. Following are details of some of the companies that specialise in technology and equipment for the wholesale channel.

While beer sales are currently declining and cider has achieved several years of strong growth, the trends would have to continue for many more years before cider eclipsed the huge influence that beer has on the market.

Consumers have adapted their habits, following the recent economy fluctuations, and seem to be continuing to want to treat themselves every now and then. But with money potentially being an issue, they are looking for something special that provides value for money. Suppliers are looking to offer products that have added extras or have the theme of back to basics.

Soft drinks are consumed all year round whether eating out, taking part in a sporting event, with breakfast or on the go. Not surprisingly the weather can play a big part in soft drink consumption and the soft drink producers, wholesalers and independents alike are holding their breath for a good summer.

Bread is the second most purchased item in convenience stores after milk, according to a new YouGov SixthSense report on local shopping. In a survey of 1,469 shoppers undertaken in February, YouGov found that 55% were buying bread from their local store (68% were buying milk).

While tobacco, alcohol and impulse are the three biggest categories in the wholesale channel, research suggests petfood is also a valuable category for wholesalers' customers.

According to folklore, if you've had a cold winter and a late spring, you'll get a hot summer. Whether or not this is the case for us this year is still to be seen, but if we could combine some hot weather with a good showing from the England squad then sales potential for barbecue products would be high.

Although the rest of the home countries drew a blank in competition for the World Cup Finals, England's involvement ensures there will be wall-to-wall coverage across all types of media in the first round at least. No wonder then that many brands, particularly in the impulse sector, are trying to associate themselves with the biggest sporting event of the summer.

The latest findings from him! research & consulting's Recession Track study show positive signs for the foodservice sector with the percentage of UK adults visiting a foodservice outlet in a typical week increasing steadily since September 2009. In particular there are more people saying they are visiting a restaurant, pub for food, fast food outlet and a coffee shop in a typical week.

The frozen food category deserves a massive pat on the pack. That's because the manufacturers involved have done a splendid job in communicating the benefits of frozen food against the backdrop of the worst recession in years. Their message has been clear frozen food represents value for money because consumers use only what they need and put the rest back in the freezer; and frozen food can be good for you, retaining many of the vitamins and minerals that can be lost in the storage and transportation of fresh food.