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Financials
• Coca-Cola Enterprises said second quarter business trends are broadly in line with expectations and affirmed its full-year 2009 earnings guidance. Link
• Innovative Beverage Group Holdings reported a net income of $170,256 for first quarter ended March 31, 2009, compared to a net loss of $101,410 for the same quarter of 2008.
• Officials with the Virginia-based Meadwesvaco say the company will shut down operations at one of its packaging plants by August, citing falling demand. Link
• SKINNY NUTRITIONAL CORP. announced revenues of $1,125,700 for the three months ending March 31, 2009, an increase of $1,082,200 over revenues of $43,400 for the three months ending March 31, 2008. Link
• O.C. Beverages, Inc. announced that they have selected Flavor Infusion as its exclusive supplier for their new patented cap. Link
• Dr Pepper Snapple Group acquired a Wisconsin distributor, Seven-UP Bottling Co. of Sheboygan. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Link
• United Natural Foods, Inc. announced that it intends to release its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2009 before the market opens on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. Management will conduct a conference call and audio webcast at 11:00 a.m. ET on June 2, 2009 to review the Company's quarterly results, market trends and future outlook. Link
• Beverage Business Insights reported that Coca-Cola and Group Danone will end their Evian marketing partnership effective July 4.
• The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. announced a Letter of Intent to acquire Pepsi-Cola Bottlers for the Merrimack Valley, Inc. Link
• Argus Capital Partners announced Tuesday that it acquired a majority stake in Big Red Inc., makers of Big Red soft drink, but Big Red’s CEO said no such thing happened. Argus is a small investor, said Big Red CEO Gary Smith, and there has been no change in control over the company.
Law, Policy and Advocacy
• A Toronto law firm has filed a class action suit proposal involving a number of energy drink companies for failing to warn Ontario consumers about the health risks of drinking their products. Link
• Bottle return rates in Hawaii hit a record 77 percent. Link
• Chicago passed a city-wide ban on the sale of baby bottles and sippy cups containing BPA, Link a move that the America Chemistry Council said cuts contrary to global consensus on the safety of the chemical. Link
• Congress is considering a federal tax on sugar-sweetened drinks Link something former president Bill Clinton is opposed to. Link
• Freedom Works, a conservative group that advocates for lower taxes and less government, hit cyberspace with an email soliciting support for staving off a possible increase in the excise tax on soda. Link
• Nestle issued a response to challenges to the New York state "Bigger Better Bottle Bill." Link
Miscellaneous
• Washington Post blogger Jennifer Huget asked whether or not Nestle's Juicy Juice claims run afoul of the same FDA guidelines that recently snagged Cheerios. Link
• Advertising Age ran an article about Gatorade integrating the brand into the NBA 2K9 video came through the games "Gatorade Thirst Meter." Link
• Zico Coconut Water was highlighted in the Men's Fitness "What's Hot" section.
• PepsiCo omitted its new logo from some international Pepsi commercials. Link
• The Chicago Tribune published a story focusing on L-Theanine. Link
• Time published a piece on anti-energy drinks. Link
• Live Nation and Red Bull UK today announced a three-year marketing alliance. Link
• Sports Illustrated published a story on nutritional supplements that included an interview with VPX head Jack Owoc. Link
• Krones Inc. announced the availability of its new NitroHotFill System. Link
• Dorn Wenninger, Corporate VP Supply Chain with PureCircle announced today that Reb A is now fully competitive with sugar for global brands with global volume. Link
• Plastic Technologies, Inc. developed a lightweight foamed polyethylene bottle/jar blow molding process. Link
People
• Tazo Tea Co. founder Steve Smith has started another tea venture. Link
• H2Om announced that it has appointed Wayne Addison as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Link
New SKUs
• vitaminwater launched a new flavor, sync, with a free music promotion in partnership with MySpace. Link
• Bigelow Tea and AriZona Beverage announced a line of organic green teas. Link
Distribution
• avitae launched the brand at Columbus-based PromoWest concert venues.
• CytoSport added independent Pepsi distributor G&J Pepsi-Cola, serving Ohio and Ky., to its distribution network.
• Effective May 2009 Beaver Natural Soda Canadian Cola, Retro Root Beer and Saskatoon Berry will be available in Shell Canada from BC to Ontario. Link
• Lifestyle Beverages announced a distribution agreement with Top Shelf Distributors for distribution of TrimWater throughout the Baltimore-Washington D.C./Mid-Atlantic region. Link
• Hawaiian Airlines chose PRIMO Water for its premium meal program. Link
• Isbre Holding Corp. announced placement into the four Mother Earth's Natural Food & Vitamin Centers located in Southern New York State. Link
• Innovative Beverage Group Holdings, Inc. announced an agreement with Intrastate Distributors Inc. to bring drank to the Detroit area. Link
Promotions/Appearances
• Olympian Michael Phelps has renewed his push behind PureSport powdered recovery drink. Link
• PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said the world needs a new breed of CEOs. Link
• Pepsi has crafted retro-themed spots to run on Hulu, an online video site, with a selection of TV shows from the 1970s and '80,. Link and they can be seen at AdFreak.com Link
• Subway and Coca-Cola will team up to sponsor a NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday night, July 3 at Daytona International Speedway. Link
• Coca-Cola Recycling and Anheuser-Busch Recycling joined forces to help race fans support the environment at the Coca-Cola 600 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Link
• PepsiCo is offering out-of-work journalists a gig to cover Internet Week events using various forms of digital media. Link
• Dr Pepper launched its Vida23 Hispanic-focused program with Club23, a Dr Pepper-themed mobile dance club and gaming arcade that will travel the country. Link
• TeaZazz Sparkling Tea sponsored the 7th Annual May Ride To Support Our Troops in San Diego on May 17th as well as the Time to Shine event for the TeaZazz for Tough Timez Contest Winner, The Santa Clarita Autism Asperger Network, on May 17th.
• 7UP launched the 7UP "7 Dias de Sevenisima" contest, running May 18 through August 2 nationwide. Nine winners will receive prizes ranging from a family vacation, to gift cards. Link
• Honest Tea CEO Seth Goldman had a busy week. He answered questions for the Washington Post, Link appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box, Link and wrote an opinion piece for the Huffington Post. Link He also appeared at BevNET Live.
• XYIENCE brought Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald to Wal-Mart for the UFC Undisputed Video Game Launch. The brand also hosted a media event during UFC 98.
Source: BevNET.com Staff