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PURCHASE, N.Y. – April 22, 2009 – Today the Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership announced the launch of Lipton Sparkling Green Tea, marking the first-ever sparkling beverage from the Lipton trademark. A blend of delicious fruit flavors, green tea and lightly sparkling water, Lipton Sparkling is a refreshing complement to a healthy lifestyle.
Pure and simple, Lipton Sparkling Green Tea is made of the finest tea leaves sourced from around the world, which provide naturally protective flavonoid antioxidants. These antioxidants can help the body protect itself against free radicals, molecules that can damage cells – an added benefit among sparkling beverages.
“Lipton Sparkling Green Tea brings together the great taste and the goodness of tea that are trademarks of Lipton Iced Tea, with the fun and sparkle of a soda,” said Mary Barnard, VP/GM, Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership. “Now, consumers really can have it all.”
This spring Lipton Sparkling Green Tea will be available nationwide in regular Berry and both diet and regular Strawberry Kiwi. Packaged in 20-ounce, 1.5-liter and 16.9-ounce 12-packs, the new drink will be supported by a full slate of TV, radio and digital advertising.
Green tea has been the fastest growing segment of the RTD Tea category, with an average annual growth rate of 16.5 percent (IRI, GDMx, 2006-
2008). Lipton Iced Tea has been the major driver of this growth and
accounts for 42 percent of category sales.
About Lipton(r) Tea
Lipton Tea, the world’s leading tea brand, is available in more than 180 countries worldwide. With more than 100 years of tasting, buying, and blending expertise, Lipton Tea provides today’s health-conscious consumer with a variety of convenient, great-tasting tea products — from hot tea to ready to drink to ice tea mixes. Lipton(r) Tea is owned by Unilever [NYSE: UL, UN], one of the world’s largest consumer products companies.
About The Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership
The Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership is a joint venture between Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages and Unilever. Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages (www.pepsi.com), based in Purchase, N.Y., is PepsiCo’s refreshment beverage unit in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. trademarks include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Mug, Aquafina, SoBe and IZZE. The company also makes and markets Tropicana juice drinks, Dole and Ocean Spray single-serve juices and North America’s bestselling ready-to-drink coffees via the North American Coffee Partnership, a joint venture with Starbucks. For more information, please visit www.pepsiproductfacts.com.
About Unilever
Unilever’s mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. In the United States, the portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry’s, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann’s, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs nearly 12,000 people in both the United States and Puerto Rico – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2008. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.