PURCHASE, N.Y. —

Prizes include everything from Pepsi and Mountain Dew-themed merchandise to once-in-a-lifetime experiences that only Pepsi or Mountain Dew could provide:

• Trip to MTV Video Music Awards in Brooklyn, NY
• Trip to iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas, NV
• Meet and greet with racing icon Jeff Gordon
• Meet and greet with racing superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr
• 2013 Winter Dew Tour Passes
• Bassmaster All Star Fishing Experience with professional anglers including Gerald Swindle
• Trip to the 2013 World Series
• Trip to Super Bowl XVIII

The program also includes a “Hometown Sweeps” component that enables Pepsi and Mountain Dew fans to enter for the chance to win unique experiences right in their own backyard including access to their hometown college and professional sports franchises and other local attractions.

Participating in the Iconic Summer program is easy…simply collect codes and combine icons and you could win. Fans can stop by local retailers and pick up specially marked packages of Pepsi or Mountain Dew, then check under-the-cap for codes to redeem online for “Icon” game pieces. “Icon” game pieces can be combined to unlock different tiers of prizes, or banked for future prizes.

“We’re thrilled to kick off the Iconic Summer, offering fans of Pepsi and Mountain Dew hundreds of thousands of opportunities to win prizes and experiences,” said Simon Lowden , Chief Marketing Officer, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. “For decades, Pepsi and Mountain Dew have partnered with influential celebrities and hosted epic events, and we’re taking this unique opportunity to bring it all together under one program to give fans a summer they will never forget.”

Beginning today, fans can collect codes from  more than half a million specially marked Pepsi and Mountain Dew 20-ounce, 1-liter, 2-liter and multipack PET bottles and fountain cups and begin redeeming them online for Icons at www.iconicsummer.com  to score gear and experiences that only Pepsi and Mountain Dew can provide. Summer is meant to be epic and Iconic Summer promises to deliver!

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo’s people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo’s promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate.

Harmless Harvest Coconut Water Dispenser at Whole Foods, Danbury Conn.

The folks at Harmless Harvest just can’t seem to shake the innovation bug. Having launched the first 100 percent “raw” and organic coconut water two years ago and recently unveiled a unique cold brewed drink made with raw tea leaves, the company has introduced a new bag-in-box coconut water dispenser. The dispenser was jointly developed with Whole Foods Market, a key strategic retail partner for Harmless Harvest.

The dispenser, which holds a 20 L bag of Harmless Harvest coconut water, enables consumers to fill 32 oz. reusable glass growlers. At $7.99 per refill (and $2.99 for an empty growler), Harmless Harvest co-founder Justin Guilbert hopes that its loyal legions of consumers will see the dispenser as an opportunity to save money (a 16 oz. bottle of the coconut water retails for $4.99) while using significantly less packaging. That being said, Guilbert noted that the dispenser is not intended to replace its single serve products, rather he views the 32 oz. bottle as a complementary package size intended for different use occasions.

Harmless Harvest’s first machine was recently installed at a new Whole Foods location in Danbury, Conn. and sits alongside the wide range of other coconut water brands carried by the retailer. Although it is currently the only dispenser on the market, Guilbert said that the company will install the dispenser at several strategic retail and food service partners later this year.

ST. LOUIS,  Mo. —

Andreas  Klingenberg,  Technical  Director,  Sensient  Colors Europe, said,  “Our  certified  environmental  management  system will enable us to minimize  energy,  water,  and raw materials consumption, as well as reduce waste and emissions to prevent environmental pollution.”

Achieving  this  certification  demonstrates Sensient’s commitment to environmental  protection in all its processes. Comprehensive team training for all aspects of environmental management together with enhanced risk assessment is included across all departments.

ABOUT SENSIENT COLORS LLC

Sensient Colors brings life to products, adding color and visual enjoyment to food and beverage applications worldwide.  Offering unparalleled color innovation and proprietary technologies for over 100 years, Sensient Food Colors applies industry defining color expertise, enhancing brand value through premium sensory appeal and performance. Sensient Colors LLC is a unit of Sensient Technologies Corporation, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of colors, flavors and fragrances. Sensient employs advanced technologies at facilities around the world to develop specialty food and beverage systems, cosmetic and pharmaceutical systems, inkjet and specialty inks and colors, and other specialty and fine chemicals.  The company’s customers include major international manufacturers representing many of the world’s best-known brands.

Amy Taylor, Red Bull

Amy Taylor, the VP/GM, Red Bull North America East, will add her views and observations to a panel on the role of culture at successful entrepreneurial beverage companies during this summer’s BevNET Live event.

Ms. Taylor, who was previously VP Marketing, Red Bull North America, was a featured speaker at BevNET Live in December, 2011, discussing the role of earned media in brand building.

During the summer’s BevNET Live, taking place on June 4 and 5 at the Metropolitan Pavilion, Ms. Taylor will join Vita Coco CEO Michael Kirban, Food Should Taste Good founder Peter Lescoe, and Sambazon CMO Greg Fleishman in the event’s final panel — a conversation on the roles that a distinct culture can have on its ability to grow and thrive.

With more than 8,000 employees, Red Bull is by far the largest and best established company represented on the panel. But the Red Bull culture remains infused with a highly entrepreneurial and experimental spirit and the company’s ethos continues to be expressed via its risk-taking marketing partnerships, which support a mission to “give wings to people and ideas.” The idea that it can continue to do so even at such a large scale is one that will undoubtedly be cited as an inspirational example — and operational lesson — throughout the discussion.

BevNET is delighted to welcome Ms. Taylor back to the BevNET Live event to further boost the aims and ideas of BevNET’s community of entrepreneurs.

About Amy Taylor

Ms. Taylor is VP/GM, Red Bull North America East. From 2007 to 2012, she served as VP, Marketing for Red Bull North America, with responsibility for the brand’s overall strategic marketing and positioning in North America. Prior to her current role, Amy held several field and HQ positions across sales and marketing at Red Bull.  She also logged about a decade in sports marketing, holding positions with the National Basketball Association’s Atlanta Hawks and producing events for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, among others.

About BevNET Live

BevNET Live is a two-day forum for beverage entrepreneurs, suppliers, distributors, retailers and investors to gather, speak, exchange ideas through interactive panels and lectures, and enhance their marketing and product development strategies. Attendees can tap the expertise of investment professionals who can help groom them to attract money, business owners with inspiring success stories, and the BevNET.com community, which has spent a decade dedicating itself to careful reporting on the fast-moving beverage industry. More than just a conference, BevNET LIVE includes networking options including the BevNET LIVE Expo, beverage breaks, a cocktail reception and more.

BevNET Live Summer 13 – Time is Running Out!; Reserve Your Seat Now!>>

CHICAGO —

“Our relationship with SPINS significantly expands IRI’s coverage within the natural/organic products industry and overall health and wellness sector,” said Robert I. Tomei, president of Consumer & Shopper Marketing, IRI. “It also enables us to collaborate with recognized domain experts to best understand business implications and offer the optimal natural and organic-based information, and consumer and shopper-based segmentation solutions to our clients.”

As a result of this collaborative, comprehensive approach to understanding and segmenting consumers, an innovative perspective of consumers in the rapidly growing natural and organic as well as health and wellness sectors is now possible. This unique perspective is based on an integrated view of how these unique consumers think, shop and buy, as well as insights to understand and anticipate their needs. Integrating and activating those insights with IRI’s core consumer and shopper solutions empowers marketers to effectively execute strategic plans for distribution, marketing, trade spending and new product development.

The IRI Consumer Network panel leverages in-home scanner-based purchase reporting and proprietary analytical solutions to assist manufacturers and retailers in assessing volume and share level trends based upon what is happening in the home: who is buying, where, how often, the level of brand and retailer loyalty, and the impact of consumer and shopper promotions.

“The natural products market topped $80 billion in 2012. In the past year, nearly every household in the U.S. purchased natural products and more than two-thirds of households are buying organic products,” said Tony Olson, owner and chief executive officer of SPINS. “The natural products industry continues to experience double-digit growth year over year, and to sustain this growth, the market needs complete solutions. We are thrilled to partner with IRI to provide manufacturer and retailer clients with advanced insights into the natural consumer so they can continue to respond to the growing demand and propel the industry forward.”

About SPINS

SPINS LLC is a passionate advocate for the natural and specialty products industry. Established in 1995, SPINS provides market measurement information and specialized insights into the trends that are top of mind for health and wellness consumers.

About IRI

IRI is a leader in delivering powerful market and shopper information, predictive analysis and the foresight that leads to action. We go beyond the data to ignite extraordinary growth for our clients in the CPG, retail and over-the-counter healthcare industries by pinpointing what matters and illuminating how it can impact their businesses across sales and marketing.

LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, Mass. — Do you have a friend, relative or community member whose selfless attitude and giving spirit makes his or her community better? The folks at Ocean Spray – inspired by the launch of their latest juice drink – Ocean Spray Cran-Lemonade™ – are on the search to find and celebrate a person who makes every day more sunny. The winner, as well as nominator, will receive a sunny getaway of their choice, compliments of Ocean Spray and JetBlue Airways.

“You know this person,” said Kristen Borsari, Director of Marketing, Ocean Spray. “He’s your child’s teacher or after-school tutor, the dedicated volunteer at your local library or soup kitchen … she’s your caring neighbor or friend. Now it’s your chance to return the favor, by giving back a little of the sunshine they spread to others.”

Beginning June 8^th, the cooperative will spotlight a nominee per day via their Facebook page before selecting three finalists, whose stories will be shared via video for fan vote in July.

Nominate Them If …

• They are a community volunteer, teacher, civil servant
• Family members or friends are welcome too
• Their simple acts of kindness make your world (or the lives of others) better

How It Works

Nominations are open at www.Facebook.com/OceanSpray and should be at least 200 words, but no more than 500. Photos and video are welcome but not required. Important contest dates are:

• May 20 – June 7: Nominations open at www.Facebook.com/OceanSpray
• June 7: Submission deadline
• June 28: Finalists announced; video profiles featured on Facebook
• June 28 – July 11: Fan voting
• July 12: Grand prize winner announced; winner (and nominator) receive sunny getaway anywhere in the continental U.S. (see Official Rules for complete details)

Cran-Lemonade® Juice Drinks

Offering 100% of your daily requirement of vitamin C in each serving, Cran-Lemonade™ Juice Drinks combine sun-ripened cranberries and sweet lemons to create a fresh flavor twist consumers can enjoy year round. The new juice drink line is available in stores nationwide in Original and Diet (just 5 little calories!).

Looking for more mouth-watering ways to enjoy Cran-Lemonade? Free yourself from the glass with these refreshing new recipes inspired by Cran-Lemonade™: Cosmo Pops, Cran-Lemonade Parfaits, Stuffed Cran-Lemonade Cupcakes.

About Ocean Spray

Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry and grapefruit growers in the United States, Canada, and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. Formed in 1930, Ocean Spray is now the world’s leading producer of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries, and is the best-selling brand in the bottled juice category. The cooperative’s cranberries are currently featured in more than 1,000 great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 50 countries worldwide. With more than 2,000 employees and nearly 20 cranberry receiving and processing facilities, Ocean Spray is committed to managing our business in a way that respects our communities, employees and the environment. In fiscal year 2012, Ocean Spray posted record-high gross sales of $2.2 billion and net proceeds of $338 million.

Hiball Coconut Water is a non-carbonated product is made with 100 percent organic coconut water sourced from the Philippians and infused with brand’s proprietary blend of energy ingredients, which includes organic caffeine, ginseng and guarana. Hiball founder Todd Berardi told BevNET that the hybrid, multifunctional product is aimed at energy drink consumers seeking additional benefits of hydration and recovery that are commonly associated with coconut water. The beverage will debut nationally at Whole Foods, which has a 90 day exclusive on the beverage beginning on June 1.

Additionally, Hiball is in the final stages of development for a chocolate-flavored line extension that Berardi hopes to launch on Aug. 1. The beverage contains 85 percent coconut water and is made with organic, Fair Trade-certified cocoa and sugar. Berardi described the product as more of an indulgent drink than the regular coconut water, but noted that the chocolate variety will contain a reasonable calorie count — under 140 per 15 oz. can.

Berardi noted that the products have been in development for about a year and played a significant role in the brand’s packaging shift from glass bottles to aluminum cans. With a retail price tag of $3.99, the beverages are certainly positioned as premium products, yet Berardi said the price is justified by the rather expensive cost to produce the drinks. In addition to using high quality ingredients, the beverages must undergo a complex cold fill process in order to make them shelf-stable and maintain an 18-month shelf life.

Although the can that Hiball uses for its coconut water will – unlike its other cans – not feature a cold-activated label, the new package has been a boon for the company and key driver of distribution gains in natural and grocery channels. In recent weeks, Hiball has landed new retail authorizations at Wegmans, Sprouts and nationally at Safeway, where the brand is positioned in the mainline energy set in 1,400 of the grocer’s locations and in the natural set in the remaining 500 stores. Additionally, Hiball will be sold in specialty retailers Fresh & Easy and Lunds/Byerlys this month and, in perhaps the biggest win for the brand, gain shelf space for its entire product line at 1,500 Kroger and Kroger-affiliated stores.

Berardi hopes to continue the brand’s tremendous gains in distribution, and will look to expand and solidify availability of Hiball. He noted that the company is currently evaluating new opportunities in club, mass, drug and DSD channels through its partnership with brand incubator L.A. Libations.

With year over year sales growth well into the triple digits, Berardi sees the new coconut water products as a key to maintaining, and even surpassing, its upward surge. And despite a category that nearing saturation, Berardi said that Hiball’s coconut water is not coming into compete with current brands. Rather, the new product is “doing something different” and that at its heart, Hiball remains an energy drink company first and foremost.

Held on Monday, June 3,  the day before BevNET Live begins, Beverage School is an intensive, half-day “Beverages 101″ program that will provide participants with valuable information geared toward early-stage entrepreneurs and industry newcomers, including lessons on product development, sales and marketing, supply chain management, distribution, and more.

The session is open exclusively to attendees of BevNET Live who are new (or relatively new) beverage company entrepreneurs.

There is no additional cost for the program, however, only a limited number of seats remain for Beverage School.

If you have already signed up for BevNET Live and wish to attend Beverage School, notify BevNET sales representative Jon Landis TODAY.

Reserve Your Seat at Beverage School >>

Here is the agenda in full:

GREENWOOD, S.C. —

“We are extremely honored to represent our home state of South Carolina as the official beverages of the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association.  Our partnership will help us in many ways to educate our youth and continue our fight against obesity and diabetes”, said CEO Sammy Nasrollahi of Hydro One Beverages.

“The goal of the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association is to provide the best tools, through partnerships, to educate and develop our coaches into the best they can become.  Through our partnership with Hydro One Premium Beverages we now have an “All Natural” sports beverage to offer our student athletes.  Hydro One Premium Beverages is not only providing great beverages with their BODE Sport but also educating our children on proper nutritional hydration that will last a lifetime. I feel very strongly that our relationship with Hydro One Premium Beverages will empower all of our members with the knowledge and ability to hydrate our athletes for peak performance as well as help fight against the continuous spread of obesity and diabetes among our students and student athletes”. R. Shell Dula Executive Director, SCACA

About Hydro One Premium Beverages

We are committed to providing healthier beverage alternatives for our society while developing into a world leader in the promotion and education of proper nutritional values.

MATAWAN, N.J. —

Caffeinated energy shots are one of the fastest growing retail categories with 2012 sales exceeding $1.4 billion.  Although 164 million adults are daily consumers of caffeinated products, only 8% of adults regularly purchase energy shots. The overwhelming majority of consumers are reluctant to use energy shots because of their chemical composition, which they feel is unhealthy and skepticism regarding their effectiveness.  Even 47% of energy shot users report their consumption would increase if there was a natural alternative. Proven all-natural Body Glove SURGE is a game changer because it will significantly expand the energy shot category.

Combining protein, honey, green tea, coconut water, pomegranate and other high-antioxidant fruits, all natural Body Glove SURGE has been studied by researchers at Montana State University. The study, which will be presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting, showed Body Glove SURGE was more effective than 5-hour EnergyÒ in speeding reaction times, extending endurance, improving alertness and raising mental focus.

CHICAGO —

Made with premium Jamaican coffee, real cane sugar and all-natural ingredients, Marley’s One Drop is available in coffee, mocha and vanilla light flavors. The company hopes this new package will help it further capitalize on the continued growth in the ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee segment.

Originally introduced in 9.5oz. glass bottles, Marley Beverages chose to move into the Rexam SLEEK can because of its durability, portability and brand differentiation as it helps the beverage stand out on retail shelves. Marley’s also benefits from the fact that aluminum cans are the most sustainable packaging choice in the world, as they are recycled at more than double the rate of any other beverage package.

“There is nothing better than drinking an iced cold coffee beverage from a can,” said Lee Brody , global marketing director, Marley Beverage Company. “We wanted to showcase the premium look of our Marley’s One Drop line and help it stand out on the shelf. We were able to achieve both in a very powerful way with the Rexam SLEEK can.”

Rich Grimley , president and CEO, Rexam BCNA, says the beverage can is the right choice to package coffee beverage growth. “Specialty coffee brands are recognizing the value of aluminum beverage can packaging in building their business. Marley’s is a valued customer of ours and we’re excited to help them extend their brand with the best in graphics display, filling and distribution economics and sustainability superiority.”

Marley Beverages remains committed to spreading the positive message to embrace charities, causes and ideas that can change the world. Marley’s beverages products benefit 1Love.org, the Marley family non-profit initiative, which works to promote the legacy of their father by supporting charities that empower youth, protect the planet and promote peace.

Marley’s One Drop cans are working their way into retailers nationwide.

About Marley Beverage Company
Marley Beverage Company is a partnership with the family of legendary reggae artist Bob Marley . Marley Beverage Company develops and promotes a wide range of healthy, natural drinks.

About Rexam
Rexam is a global consumer packaging company. We are one of the leading global beverage can makers and a major global player in rigid plastic packaging for healthcare applications. We are business partners to some of the world’s most famous and successful consumer brands. Our vision is to be the best global consumer packaging company.

We have 67 plants in 24 countries and employ 11,100 people. Our sales from ongoing operations in 2012 were in the region of$6 billion. Rexam is a member of the FTSE 100 and its ordinary shares are listed with the UK Listing Authority and trade on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol REX.

LOS ANGELES —

As a BODYARMOR SuperDrink™ partner, the San Francisco star will participate in regional and national events, promotions, and more.

“The baseball season is long and especially as a catcher, you need the right nutrition and hydration in your system to perform all season. More than any other solution I’ve tried, BODYARMOR SuperDrink has the electrolytes, antioxidants, and vitamins to help keep me going,” Posey said. “I started drinking the product during Spring Training, and once I saw how it helped me perform, joining the BODYARMOR team was something I wanted to do. BODYARMOR works.”

“We’re excited to have Buster, one of the most dynamic young superstars in baseball, on the BODYARMOR SuperDrink™ Team,” said Mike Repole, Chairman of BODYARMOR SuperDrink™. “We see only super things in his future and our future, as Buster is both an All-Star talent and genuinely great guy.”

Since entering the big leagues in 2010, the 26-year-old Posey has made an immediate impact, having helped guide his team to a world championship and winning Rookie of the Year honors. Posey led his team to the world title once again in 2012, while also earning the league MVP and batting title.

BODYARMOR SuperDrink™, creator of the SuperDrink™ beverage category, is packed with a proprietary blend of electrolytes, antioxidants, and vitamins that provide an unparalleled combination of Superior Nutrition and Superior Hydration. BODYARMOR SuperDrink™ is leading the next generation of active lifestyle functional beverages helping consumers perform both on and off the field.

BODYARMOR SuperDrink™ comes in six delicious flavors: Strawberry Banana, Fruit Punch, Tropical Citrus, Orange Mango, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Mixed Berry.

Posey is represented by CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

About BODYARMOR Nutrition, LLC

Award-winning entrepreneur and beverage industry veteran Lance Collins, creator of FUZE® Beverage and NOS® Energy Drink (sold to the Coca-Cola Company in 2007), brings new innovation to the beverage marketplace with BODYARMOR SuperDrink™. Leadership includes Chairman Mike Repole, co-founder and president of vitaminwater® (also sold to Coca-Cola in 2007). Each bottle of BODYARMORSuperDrink™ is formulated with electrolytes, antioxidants, and vitamins providing consumers Superior Nutrition and Superior Hydration. BODYARMOR SuperDrink™ has twice the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, 100% DV antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, as well as 200% DV B vitamins. BODYARMOR SuperDrink™ is sold by select convenience, natural foods, fitness, drug, and grocery retailers across the country.

ATLANTA — 

To celebrate the spirit of independent stylists and fashionistas everywhere, Diet Coke is launching the second season of its annual Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge – an opportunity of a lifetime for a style maven to become the next great fashion designer. Diet Coke is the number one calorie-free brand and number two beverage in the country behind Coca-Cola. The brand is inviting creative individuals to submit a Diet Coke-branded T-shirt design inspired by the extraordinary style of its new partner Taylor Swift for the chance to have their original creation featured in all U.S. Target stores this fall. Fans can submit their design through May 31 at DietCoke.com/DesignerChallenge.

While submissions were only accepted from students at select design schools last year, the fashionable twist in 2013 is that anyone in the U.S. with a creative and inspired idea can submit a Diet Coke T-shirt design.

Adding to the excitement, acclaimed fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff, along with the top creative minds at Diet Coke and Target, will select the winning Diet Coke T-shirt design. The judges will select the top design from a pool of 10 finalists, which will be determined from an online public vote in June.

“The Diet Coke brand is the epitome of style, and I’m delighted to be involved in this unique design challenge as a judge,” said Minkoff. “As someone who took a chance and moved to New York to chase a dream, I can’t wait to join Diet Coke and Taylor Swift to support a young, talented individual in pursuing their own dreams.”

In addition to having his or her design available in the soft drink aisle in all U.S. Target stores beginning September 1, the grand-prize winner also will receive a $10,000 cash prize to pursue creative endeavors, plus a fly-away trip to meet Swift at one of her final U.S. RED Tour stops in Nashville, Tenn., this September.

“Season two of the Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge gives all of our fans the extraordinary opportunity to make their dreams of becoming the next big designer a reality,” said Erik Jenkins, Diet Coke Brand Manager. “We’re excited to see how fans infuse the aspirational and modern Diet Coke brand and Taylor’s chic style into their design submissions.”

Fans interested in submitting a T-shirt design can visit DietCoke.com/DesignerChallenge to view inspirational photos and contest rules, download hi-res assets and learn more about the Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge. Budding designers also will find creative inspiration from a video featuring Swift sharing her thoughts on personal style and how she approaches fashion. T-shirt designs must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, May 31.

The top 20 designs will be posted online at DietCoke.com/DesignerChallenge beginning June 16. Through June 30, people who vote for their favorite Diet Coke T-shirt design will have the opportunity to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Nashville, Tenn., this September to meet Swift and attend one of the final concerts on her U.S. RED Tour.

The grand-prize winner of the contest will be announced later this summer. To encourage the talented finalists to continue pursuing their creative passions, two runners-up also selected by Minkoff and the judging panel each will receive $2,500. The remaining 17 finalists will receive $250 each. The winner of the 2012 Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge was Gustavo Alonso, an up-and-coming design student at Miami International University of Art and Design, who wowed the judging panel with his design featuring a mysterious woman in a chic, red trench coat.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, our Company’s portfolio features 16 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of more than 1.8 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system employees.

About Taylor Swift

Lauded by The New York Times as “one of the most important pop artists of the last decade,” and by Rolling Stone as “one of the few genuine rock stars we’ve got these days,” 23 year-old Taylor Swift is a seven-time GRAMMY winner, and is the youngest winner in history of the music industry’s highest honor, the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. With the 2012 release of her album RED, she is the only female artist in music history (and just the fourth artist ever) to twice have an album hit the 1 million first-week sales figure. She holds the record for the biggest digital sales week ever for a song by a woman, and for the second-largest song sales week overall, as well as the worldwide iTunes record for highest ever first-week album sales. With RED, Taylor became the first artist since the Beatles (and the only female artist in history) to log six or more weeks at #1 with three consecutive studio albums.

Taylor has an album on Rolling Stone‘s prestigious The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time (by women) list, and Time magazine has named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. She is Billboard‘s youngest-ever Woman of the Year, and her more than 100 industry award wins have included the American Music Awards’ Artist of the Year, the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year and three European Music Awards.

Taylor, who writes all of her own songs, has career record sales in excess of 26 million albums and 75 million song downloads worldwide, and her two most recent albums are two of only 18 albums in the entire history of music to sell more than 1 million copies in a single week. She has had singles top both the country and pop radio charts around the globe, and has thus far scored 13 #1 singles across multiple radio formats. She is one of the top 5-selling digital music artists worldwide, and is the top-selling digital artist in country music history.

About Rebecca Minkoff

With a vision of building a lifestyle brand for the downtown romantic, San Diego-born designer Rebecca Minkoff founded her company in 2001 after she developed a small apparel line. She spent the next few years working on the small collection until 2005 when Rebecca developed the “Morning After Bag”. The bag became an overnight sensation and Rebecca began solely concentrating on developing additional styles to build out her romantically themed day-to-night handbag collection. After four years of consistent growth in accessories under her belt, Rebecca returned to her original love of apparel design and introduced a ready-to-wear collection in 2009. Rebecca Minkoff’s designs are a favorite for modern, trend-setting everyday women and celebrities alike.

About Target

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at 1,832 stores – 1,784 in the United States and 48 in Canada – and at Target.com. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $4 million a week.

PURCHASE, N.Y. —

To bring the campaign to life, Manzanita Sol enlisted world-renowned percussionist, Rafael Padilla , and international flautist,Pedro Eustache , to create the music for the brand’s award-winning TV commercial using only Manzanita Sol bottles, caps and straws, showcasing a truly creative and unique production technique.

“Manzanita Sol’s true-to-fruit flavors have always been a refreshing alternative to lemon-lime and cola beverages, and now, with the addition of Mango Citrus Sol and Pina Sol , our consumers have even more of an enjoyable selection to choose from,” saidMartha Bermudez , Brand Director, Manzanita Sol.  “From our unique flavors to our innovative commercial music, Manzanita Sol has embraced what it means to ‘do what’s different’ and we’re excited to invite consumers to do the same.”

Starting today, Manzanita Sol ambassadors will begin sharing how they “Do What’s Different” in their hometowns across visual arts, music, mixology and fashion. Ambassadors include:

• Carlos Donjuan , visual artist from Dallas, Texas
• Antonio & Jesus Estrada , fashion designers from San Diego, Cali.
• Goldie Garcia , visual artist and jewelry maker from Albuquerque, N.M.
• Sergio Serna , mixology expert from Chicago, Ill.
• Jorge Villanueva , musician from Los Angeles, Cali.

Beginning May 31 through October, Manzanita Sol will visit major Hispanic festivals and retailers in California, Texas andChicago to give consumers an opportunity to sample all five flavors in unique and unexpected ways – while doing the limbo, hitting a pinata, playing the drums, dribbling a soccer ball – and share photos of those fun experiences via their social channels.

Mango Citrus Sol and Pina Sol will be available by Memorial Day weekend in key markets, including California, New Mexico,Texas, Chicago and Las Vegas. The new flavors will be available in 12-oz. single-serve glass bottles (suggested retail price of$0.99-$1.25) and 2-liter multi-serve bottles.

About Manzanita Sol:

With its distinctive, true-to-fruit apple flavor, Manzanita Sol arrived in the U.S. from Mexico in 2005 and has become a refreshing alternative to the usual lemon-lime and cola flavors ever since. Manzanita Sol is joined by four other great tasting flavors – Toronja Sol, Tamarindo Sol, Mango Citrus Sol and Pina Sol – that provide the perfect options for those who want more from life and to try something different.

About PepsiCo:

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales.  Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world.  PepsiCo’s people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo.  We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo’s promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate.

LOS ANGELES — 

“Timing Jason’s hire to coincide with the launch of our new fund allows us to hit the ground running as we add new brands to our portfolio,” said William Anderson, founder and CEO of First Beverage Group. “Jason’s multi-faceted experience with building great consumer brands will be an enormous asset to our company, our team and our partners.”

“Jason has diverse talents and a deep knowledge of this industry,” said Tom First, managing partner of First Beverage Group, who previously worked with Camillos at the juice company First co-founded, Nantucket Nectars.  “He has been a key player in the success of several great brands and I’m excited to work with him again.”

Camillos, who has over 21 years of experience in the food and beverage industries, is an expert at driving success with emerging brands and will be responsible for managing all operating activities of First Beverage’s portfolio companies. Before joining First Beverage, Camillos most recently led market development efforts at Unreal Brands, a candy start-up company based in Boston. Prior to that, he was senior vice president of business development at Glaceau, where he established a business planning and commercial operations infrastructure that was critical to the successful management of the fast-growing enhanced water business. His efforts helped to position the company for sale to the Coca-Cola Company in 2007 for the historic sum of $4.2B. Camillos has a BA in English from Princeton University and lives in Connecticut.

“I have always been passionate about creating and building things, whether a brand, a company or a team,” said Camillos. “We have seen so much innovation in the beverage industry over the last 20 years, and the pace at which new ideas come to market seems only to grow quicker. It will be a thrill to be at the forefront of this activity and to be a promoter of change in this incredibly dynamic industry.”

About First Beverage Group

First Beverage Group is a full-service financial services firm dedicated exclusively to the beverage industry. First Beverage focuses on providing growth solutions to leading operators in all segments of the beverage industry through a comprehensive range of products, including investment funds for growth capital and investment banking. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Boston and New York, the First Beverage team has over 200 years of experience in the beverage industry.

Move over, soy… almond products are hotter than ever. In its quarterly earnings call, WhiteWave Foods CEO Gregg Engles announced that almond-based food and beverages sold under the company’s Silk brand grew by an astounding 55 percent in the first four months of 2013 compared to the same period last year. While net sales of all Silk branded plant-based products grew by 13 percent in the first quarter of 2013, Engles called out the “torrid growth” of its almond business, and noted that sales of its almond products are “quickly approaching the size” of its soy-based foods and drinks, according to an article on FoodNavigator-USA.com.

Although demand for almond products appears to be thriving, it’s rather unlikely that we’ll see an almond-based energy drink anytime soon. The same can be said about Monster Beverage Corp’s Monster Ultra Pink, a planned extension of the company’s Zero Ultra line. First announced in December, the female-targeted, zero-calorie, zero-sugar energy drink turned some heads with its hot pink-colored can. However, Monster has shelved plans to bring the product to market, according to BeverageDaily.com, although it’s not entirely clear as to why it did so. In its fourth quarter 2012 earnings call, Monster CEO Rodney Sacks said that the company decided to defer the launch of Ultra Pink “for now.” In its place, Monster will introduce a similarly-named line extension called “Monster Ultra Blue” sometime in the first half of 2013.

While Monster’s use of the word “ultra” to label an energy drink line is more about branding than anything else, it’s perhaps the best adjective to describe the level of quality and freshness of Suja’s range of raw juice products. In order to maintain the integrity of the products, the high-pressure processed juices must remain at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. As a way to protect its premium positioning in the market, the company recently introduced a program called “TempTrips” in which a temperature-tracking radio frequency device is randomly placed in one box of each pallet shipped to its retailers, including its largest, Whole Foods Market. Upon receipt, retailers are asked to return the device to Suja to make sure that the temperature inside the box has not gone above 39 degrees. As an incentive, for every TempTrip device that Suja receives back from Whole Foods, the company will make a $25 donation to the retailer’s Whole Planet Foundation, a global micro-lending program.