Headlines

Sparkling Fruit2O Goes National With Dr Pepper Snapple As a Key Partner

Following a successful limited distribution launch in the Northeast, Sunny Delight Beverages Co. has announced plans to roll out Sparkling Fruit2O to the rest of the country. The line of zero-calorie, flavored, sparkling waters-- one of several new brands with marketing and positioning parallel to that of category juggernaut Sparkling ICE -- will be distributed through the Dr Pepper Snapple system as well as other existing DSD partners of Sunny Delight.

Friendly Grenades: Marketing Kids Beverages

When marketing kids beverages, companies typically have two consumers in mind: the kid, who they hope will be drawn to the packaging and flavor, and the mom, who they’re looking to satisfy with the ingredients and price point.

Premium Hydration Overtakes Enhanced Water

Amid rising consumer disdain for high-calorie beverages, a convergence in demand for simple refreshment and functionality is starting to give rise to a broad, catch-all category: premium hydration.

Fred Water Aims for the Back Pocket

The new Fred focuses on three messages: what happened to the image of water, the flask’s compatibility with pockets and the push for endless refills.

The Battle For Breakfast

It shouldn’t be surprising to see traditional breakfast food producers chasing the liquid breakfast market, however; that’s because it’s becoming a can’t-beat-them-so-you-join-them-proposition.

New Wrongful Death Lawsuit Targets Red Bull

The New York Daily News today reported that the family of Brooklyn man who consumed a can of Red Bull shortly before suffering a heart attack is planning to file an $85 million wrongful death lawsuit against the energy drink company. While Monster Beverage Company is facing at least two lawsuits claiming wrongful death as a result of consumption of the company’s energy drinks, this new case is believed to be the first of its kind filed against Red Bull.

AriZona Launches Water Enhancers With Familiar Flavors

Wesley Vultaggio, AriZona's owner and creative director, told BevNET that while MiO brings new, untested flavors to the market, AriZona’s water enhancers benefit from the established success of its flavors. The company has been selling these flavors in cans for years, now they just have a different form.

Distribution Roundup: Kroger Not Done Yet

As part of its Taste of Tomorrow program, Kroger has taken on Just Chill, KonaRed, AquaBall and Fred Water. Meanwhile, Red Jacket Juice and AMAZON Beverages have secured distribution with smaller independent retailers.

Non-GMO: Runa Co-Founder MacCombie Details Certification Process

It’s fraught with controversy, but the latest in certifications -- which have in the past decade ranged from carbon impact statements to recycled content, from Organic to Fair Trade to Kosher and Gluten-Free -- is non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms). Runa co-founder and co-CEO Dan MacCombie recently volunteered to help BevNET readers understand some of the work involved in the process, as his company found it to be fraught with speed bumps. Here’s his story.

Channel Check: Asceptic Juice Drinks

While our sources don’t necessarily sort by marketed demographic, here’s an interesting look at some of the top kids’ beverages via a look at the $1.1 billion aseptic juice drinks category. No surprise that Capri Sun is the leader here, but there are rising brands in the mix, including Honest Kids and V8 V-Fusion.

Marley Lead Investor: We Were Never Asked for Sales Help

In a wide-ranging interview with BevNET, Gary Shiffman gave his side of the story: that the former management team, run by CEO Kevin McClafferty, had left the company with too small a staff to satisfy a wide network, and that it had only been in the past six to seven months that Shiffman and other investors had absorbed the details.