Financials
SoNu Beverages has swapped equity for endorsements from New York Mets Johan Santana and Jose Reyes. Each player’s stake amounts to about 1 percent of the company. Link • PepsiCo, Inc. reported first-quarter 2009 results. The company delivered 6 percent constant currency net revenue growth. The company’s first-quarter constant currency core EPS grew 8 percent. Reported EPS grew 3 percent and reported net revenue declined 1 percent. Link • Innovative Beverage Group Holdings, Inc. announced financial results for twelve months ending December 31, 2008. Gross revenue was $2,212,938 — an increase of 198.5 percent compared to $741,255 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2007. Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2008 was $171,193. Link • Coca-Cola said profit declined to $1.35 billion from $1.5 billion in the year-earlier quarter. Revenue dropped 3 percent to $7.17 billion. Link
Law, Policy and Advocacy
Texas state lawmakers are considering three bills that would lift the state’s ban on Sunday liquor sales. Link • Florida’s House Finance and Tax Council voted down a bill amendment to apply the state’s 6-cent sales tax to bottled water. Link • An investigator who worked with Erin Brockovich has told Paw Paw, Mich., residents that “Coca-Cola has parked a truck in your living room and they left it there.” Link • Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health suggested that U.S. beverage makers should adopt a new class of reduced-calorie beverages with no more than one gram of sugar per ounce. Link • A California Assembly bill that would impose a fee on the beer, wine, and liquor industries to mitigate costs to Californians for alcohol-related problems has advanced to its first hearing. Revenue from the fee would be used to establish a program that would help mitigate the costs alcohol creates. Link
Miscellaneous
Australian soda brand Solo is handing out promotional hairy chest bibs. Link • The American Beverage Association‘s “Sip & Savor” blog published a full list of major league baseball stadiums with beverage sponsorships. Link • Drinking at least one glass of low sodium vegetable juice daily may help overweight people with metabolic syndrome achieve better weight loss results, according to a study conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine and presented at this week’s Experimental Biology Meeting. Link • The Orlando Sentinel ran an article exploring the use of energy drinks in athletic settings. Link • Branding Strategy Insider published an opinion piece that suggests PepsiCo and Coca-Cola should take marketing lessons from tobacco companies. Link • Michigan’s Powers Distributing has taken delivery of 15 Hybrid tractors. Link • The Sugar Association congratulated Pepsi on its new sugar-based beverages. Link • AQUAMANTRA bottled water launched a new, 100 percent biodegradable/recyclable bottle in honor of Earth Day, 2009. Link
Distribution
CRUNK!!! Energy Drink announced that Crunk!!! is available in Southern California and that all three flavors are “recommended items” of the 7-Eleven Southwest Division. • Bill Pecoriello of ConsumerEdge Research said he believes that Wal-Mart has cut shelf space for Pepsi‘s and Coke’s bottled water brands by about 50 percent. Link • Dr. Tim‘s Juices announced it has expanded distribution to several new chains such as Albertson’s, Harmon’s Grocery and Bally’s Fitness Centers. Link • NuVim, Inc. announced that the United States Armed Forces have authorized the sale of NuVim 64 oz. refrigerated beverages in base commissaries in New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, DC, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois. Link • Bebida Beverage Company announced a new distribution partner, Alternative Beverages of the Carolinas. Link
Promotions/Appearances
The Palm Beach Post published a profile on DNA Beverage Corp. Link • Pepsi is now the official soft drink of K-C Raceway. Link • Apple’s iPhone app store includes a Red Bull Air Race game. Link • Nestea placed some potentially-offensive posters at bus stops in the Baltimore and D.C. area. Link • BAWLS Guarana will give advertising students in a Florida State University creative strategy class the opportunity to pitch their work to the beverage company. • Jones Soda Co. is its “Keeping It Real” sustainability program in honor of Earth Day. To kick off the initiative, the company will go off the electrical grid and power its Seattle headquarters solely with bicycle generated energy. Link • The News-Enterprise of Hardin County, Kentucky, ran a profile of Sex Drive Energy Drink. Link