Headlines

PepsiCo Back to Using All-Florida Juice for Tropicana Pure Premium PepsiCo Back to Using All-Florida Juice for Tropicana Pure Premium

PepsiCo Back to Using All-Florida Juice for Tropicana Pure Premium

by Ray Latif,

After nearly five years of using orange juice from a variety of sources, PepsiCo will return to using 100 percent Florida orange juice in its Tropicana Pure Premium products, according to a new report by Beverage Digest, an industry newsletter. The report comes only days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted shipments orange juice from Brazil while it tested for traces of carbendazim, an anti-fungal chemical banned in the U.S. Despite the FDA’s recent decision to halt Brazilian orange juice shipments, a PepsiCo executive said that the decision to return to 100 percent juice from Florida was made “some months ago.”

Piña Pullback: Zico Changes SKU Names Piña Pullback: Zico Changes SKU Names

Piña Pullback: Zico Changes SKU Names

by Jeffrey Klineman,

As a product class, coconut water is heading to the mainstream. But at least one company has decided that, in some cases, the liquid is exotic enough without the extra…

Beverage Companies Flooding the Snack Aisle Beverage Companies Flooding the Snack Aisle

Beverage Companies Flooding the Snack Aisle

by Jeffrey Klineman,

Just when you thought it couldn't get any more crowded with beverage company relations, particularly given the dueling investments from Glaceau millionaires Rohan Oza (Popchips) and Mike Repole and Darius Bikoff (Pirate's Booty) the snack aisle is once again facing incursions from its liquid relations. Which is a complicated way of saying that iced tea and juice titan AriZona is heading into the snack food business with AriZona Chips 'n Dip, a square package with separate compartments for tortilla chips and either cheese dip or salsa.

Press Clips: Coke Tipped FDA on O.J.; New Soda Tax Study; Pepsi Beverages Settles Race Charges Press Clips: Coke Tipped FDA on O.J.; New Soda Tax Study; Pepsi Beverages Settles Race Charges

Press Clips: Coke Tipped FDA on O.J.; New Soda Tax Study; Pepsi Beverages Settles Race Charges

by Ray Latif,

First it was apple juice and arsenic; this week it's orange juice and fungicide. Earlier this week, the FDA halted shipments of the citrus juice in its bottled and frozen form while it tested for traces of the anti-fungal carbendazim, a chemical that is banned in the U.S. but is still used in Brazil. A recent story on CNN.com explains that it was Coca-Cola that originally alerted the FDA about the fungicide.

Dublin Dr Pepper Done; Suit Settlement Saves Sugar Dublin Dr Pepper Done; Suit Settlement Saves Sugar

Dublin Dr Pepper Done; Suit Settlement Saves Sugar

by Jeffrey Klineman,

A trademark infringement lawsuit filed in June by Dr Pepper Snapple Group against Dublin Dr Pepper, the soda's oldest distributor, has been settled, with the larger company regaining control of the brand in Dublin Dr Pepper's six-county area. Dublin Dr Pepper -- founded in 1891 -- had a cult following for its use of unique glass bottles featuring the Dublin name and a recipe that used cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in its version of Dr Pepper.

2012 Winter Fancy Food Show – Beverage Exhibitor List 2012 Winter Fancy Food Show – Beverage Exhibitor List

2012 Winter Fancy Food Show – Beverage Exhibitor List

by Adam Stern,

The 2012 Winter Fancy Food Show is being held January 15-17 in San Francisco’s Moscone Center. We've created a comprehensive list of exhibitors that are showcasing beverage-related products at the event. We'll be on hand to cover the show as well. If you'll be attending, please drop us a line.

CE-Yo No Mo’ — Hirshberg Leaves Stonyfield President/CEO Role CE-Yo No Mo’ — Hirshberg Leaves Stonyfield President/CEO Role

CE-Yo No Mo’ — Hirshberg Leaves Stonyfield President/CEO Role

by Jeffrey Klineman,

He's been a standard-bearer for the organic success story for years, as well as a mentor to Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman, but Stonyfield founder Gary Hirshberg announced today that he's handing day-to-day operations over to former Ben & Jerry's CEO Walt Freese. Hirshberg's sale of Stonyfield to Danone in 2003 -- and subsequent operation of the company as a unit with autonomy within that larger company -- is largely seen as a model for Goldman's sale of Honest Tea to the Coca-Cola Co. last year.

BevNET’s 2012 Functional Beverage Guide is Now Accepting Listings BevNET’s 2012 Functional Beverage Guide is Now Accepting Listings

BevNET’s 2012 Functional Beverage Guide is Now Accepting Listings

by BevNET.com Staff,

BevNET is now accepting listings for the 2012 Functional Beverage Guide. To be published as a special section in the March issue of BevNET Magazine, the Functional Beverage Guide feature functional beverage brands and their suppliers. Listed alphabetically, beverage brands will be tagged with functional attributes (i.e. energy, relaxation). Brands will be indexed according to function at the start of the guide.

Jenkins, PCGA Looking for NEXT Investors Jenkins, PCGA Looking for NEXT Investors

Jenkins, PCGA Looking for NEXT Investors

by Jeffrey Klineman,

It’s an interesting play in an expanding space: NEXT Proteins, the current project of Designer Whey and Detour Bar founder David Jenkins, is attempting to sell its collection of protein-centric…

Inside Incubation: A Look at the Growing Ranks of Beverage Incubators Inside Incubation: A Look at the Growing Ranks of Beverage Incubators

Inside Incubation: A Look at the Growing Ranks of Beverage Incubators

by Gerry Khermouch,

With institutional investors getting a bad rap in beverages these days – the National Enquirer version of the complaint is they force you to juice your projections in order to get the deal done, then steal your company when you fail to hit those unrealistic targets – a lot of early-stage beverage companies have been in a quandary as to where else to turn once they’ve reached the limits of where friends-and-family and angels can take them.

Nestea to Change Hands While Coke Grows FUZE Nestea to Change Hands While Coke Grows FUZE

Nestea to Change Hands While Coke Grows FUZE

by Jeffrey Klineman,

The Coca-Cola Co. and Nestle have confirmed that Beverage Partners Worldwide — their 20-year partnership marketing Nestea in the U.S. has been fundamentally altered to focus away from North America.…

Breaking: NWNA to take Nestea, Coke to In-FUZE Tea Biz, Report Says Breaking: NWNA to take Nestea, Coke to In-FUZE Tea Biz, Report Says

Breaking: NWNA to take Nestea, Coke to In-FUZE Tea Biz, Report Says

by Jeffrey Klineman,

The Coca-Cola Co. will be offering a new cold-filled RTD tea made under the FUZE brand to its distribution network after ceding the declining Nestea brand to Nestle, its partner in the fraying Beverage Partners Worldwide joint venture, according to a report in Beverage Digest. The move would allow Nestle Waters North America to take over Nestea in the U.S., rolling it into an expanding tea platform that includes the Sweet Leaf and Tradewinds tea brands.

From HANS to MNST From HANS to MNST

From HANS to MNST

by Jeffrey Klineman,

Well, considering that the energy drink business comprises about 95 percent of the company’s revenue, we don’t think there’s much of a shocker here, but Hansen’s Natural Corp. is changing…

Pepsi Cuts on the Way? Pepsi Cuts on the Way?

Pepsi Cuts on the Way?

by Ray Latif,

The pressure on Indra Nooyi continues to mount as the embattled PepsiCo CEO is considering plans to lay off roughly 4,000 workers and end the company’s 401(k) match in order to boost profits and increase shareholder value, according to The New York Post. The Post – which reported last month that the cola giant was preparing to lay off about 1,000 workers - noted that a final decision on the moves could come within a matter of days, citing sources close to matter.