Sneaky Pete’s has completely overhauled the packaging for its line of oat-based drinks and will debut the new look at the upcoming Natural Products Expo West show. The revamp comes amid growing consumer awareness of oat beverages, a nascent category that – according to one industry expert – appears primed for a breakout year.
Launched in Feb. 2012, Sneaky Pete’s was initially positioned as a kids’ drink. As the brand gained new distribution and retail authorizations, the company found that its products had gained traction among a range of age groups, and decided to alter its packaging to reflect a wider target demographic.
Sneaky Pete’s is now packaged in a custom hourglass shaped PETE bottle with color-coded caps that correspond to the five flavors of the brand: Peach, Mango, Apple, Raspberry, and Grape. The company also revised its logo, shedding the image of a winking child in favor of a simple graphic with the brand name laid over a brown banner.
Perhaps most significantly, Sneaky Pete’s dropped the phrase “Naturally Oatstanding Beverage” and is now using “All Natural OAT Beverage” with the “oat” being the largest and most prominent word on the label. The packaging also highlights the 40 calorie count per bottle of Sneaky Pete’s near the top of the label.
“Sneaky Pete’s new look and packaging more effectively communicates to consumers the true benefits of our revolutionary oat based beverage”, said Pete J. Stilianessis, founder and CEO of Sneaky Pete’s.
Oat-based drinks gained significant attention over the last year, which saw a number of new entries on the market including Sneaky Pete’s, Oat Works, and PepsiCo-owned Naked Fruit Juice and Oat drinks. Along with Simpli Oat shakes and Alpina oat smoothies, the products are part of a category that beverage industry guru Ken Sadowsky expects to be among the top five microtrends in 2013.
“Five legitimate oat entries already exist… They are trying to get into mainstream accounts,” Sadowsky said in recent article on Forbes.com. “Some are positioning themselves as satiating, as a meal replacement alternative. Others see it as dietary, something that can provide the fiber component.”