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. The cheese pack is already available online, with the salsa pack listed as “coming soon.”
And while AriZona is based in New York, it’s not the only erstwhile beverage company with an Arizona tie-in launching a snack line.
That’s because Tempe, Ariz.-based Shadow Beverages and Snacks has announced it is premiering its own initial food offering, a line of beef jerky that it is developing in conjunction with The American Outdoorsman, a lifestyle brand best known for the American Outdoorsman television show featured on the Outdoors channel.
Shadow, which has built a significant part of its business through partnerships and licensing deals, will develop a line of beverages, meal replacement drinks and salty snacks along with the jerky, all under the American Outsdoorsman trademark.
“Our specialized products will provide nutrition, energy and stamina that will satisfy all outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen,” said George Martinez, CEO of Shadow Beverages.
The announcements follow a recent report that Sweet Leaf Tea founder — and fellow Southwesterner — Clayton Christopher has also hopped onto the snack train, investing in Beanitos Inc. alongside 2x Consumer Growth Partners. Christopher had already been involved in a line of Kale chips in his home state.