Press Clips: LaCroix’s Unsolicited Meme Marketing; Soy Milk’s Suffering

13692797_567419696758265_1081959050334220241_oLaCroix’s Unsolicited Meme Marketing

Munchies recently interviewed Nathan Sims, the man behind @PamplemousseLaCroixMemes, an often absurd and over-the-top social media account dedicated to paying tongue-in-cheek tribute to – and often directly poking fun at – LaCroix sparkling water, specifically its grapefruit flavor. Sims, a partner at an internet retailer, said he initially created the account for fun, though he now considers himself “one of their more effective marketing tools.”

Sims went on to criticize the brand’s in-house social efforts, saying its “whole marketing strategy, asking people to take selfies with the product and then hashtag it is pretty much just promoting self obsession.”

“I think it’s kind of gross,” he added.

Last year New York Times contributor Mary H.K. Choi published a Letter of Recommendation for the Midwestern seltzer, saying it “filled the gaps that booze and pot left behind.” Like Sims, Choi praised Pamplemousse specifically, saying “true LaCroix heads know it’s the best.”

The Sad State of Soy Milk

Soy milk, once the go-to alternative for the dairy-adverse, has suffered from the rise of nut-based milk alternatives. Citing Euromonitor data, Fortune recently reported that WhiteWave – which last week was acquired by Danone – has seen annual sales of its Silk soy milk brand fall from $558 million in 2008 to $242 million in 2015, while Silk almond milk sales tripled between 2011 and 2015, reaching $500 million. Emily Balsamo, a Euromonitor research analyst, told Fortune that “concerns about the health benefits of soy amongst health professionals dampened the demand,” pointing to studies that showed soy milk may increase the chance of getting breast cancer. Balsamo also noted the widespread consumer shift away from GMOs as another factor, as more than 90 percent of soy produced in the United States is genetically modified.

PolarSeltzer_Pomegranate1Polar Beverages and the Success of Seltzer

The Boston Globe recently paid a visit to Polar Beverages’ Worcester, Mass. headquarters to speak with CEO Ralph Crowley, the great-grandson of the 134-year-old bottling company’s founder Dennis M. Crowley. Crowley spoke with The Globe about the rise of seltzer – or sparkling water as it’s known outside the Northeast – in the United States amidst the decline in consumption of traditional carbonated soft drinks.

While business has never been better – Polar did $450 million in sales in 2015 compared to $275 million a decade ago – Crowley acknowledged the space has never been more competitive, as beverage giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi have launched their own sparking water line extensions from Dasani and Aquafina, respectively.

“We’ve never grown so fast, we’ve never been in a better position, and I’ve never been so scared,” Crowley told The Globe.

tahitian-treat-soda-fruit-12755The 6 God’s Soda

On “Weston Road Flows”, a song off Drake’s newest album Views From the Six, the Canadian rapper recalls days past, when he “used to hit the corner store to get Tahiti Treat.” VICE recently explored the cult-like following of and fondness for the Dr Pepper Snapple Group-owned soft drink, which while still in production, is apparently pretty hard to come by in Canada. Now marketed and sold as Tahitian Treat, DPSG sells the product primarily in the southeastern part of the U.S. Demand is such that some Canadian retailers then buy the fruit punch-like beverage secondhand.

Starbucks Launches Cold Brew Starter Packs

After first introducing cold brew coffee at its coffeehouses and later launching a ready-to-drink line of bottled cold brew coffees, Starbucks is now encouraging consumers to make their own cold brew at home. CNBC reports that company has unveiled ‘Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee Pitcher Packs’ which will be available for a limited time. The pitcher packs, made with the same Arabica Latin American and African ground coffee used in Starbucks’ on-premise cold brew, make six 8 oz. servings of coffee. Each carton contains four pitcher packs.