The Flow: AMPed RPS, Bottled Opera

Financials
Skinny Nutritional Corp. announced that Ron Wilson, CEO, presented at the 21st Annual Roth Capital Growth Stock Conference February 16th, 2009. Skinny Nutritional Corp.’s PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded from its website located at: http://www.skinnywater.com/gts-pressreleases.html. Celsius Holdings, Inc. reported that revenue for the calendar year 2008 was $2.6 million as compared to $1.6 million for 2007, an increase of 57.5%. The company also reported a net loss of $5.3 million. This compares with net loss of $3.7 million or $0.04 per basic and diluted share for the calendar year 2007. The Coca-Cola Company announced it will invest BRL1.75bn in Brazil in 2009, a 16.6% increase on the amount invested in 2008. Part of the money will be used to build two new bottling and manufacturing plants. Reed’s, Inc. recorded a 37% increase in sales in mainstream supermarkets in 2008. The Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company approved the company’s 47th consecutive annual dividend increase, raising the quarterly dividend from 38 cents to 41 cents per common share. The dividend is payable April 1, 2009, to shareowners of record as of March 15, 2009. A Forbes writer says that Coca-Cola may give investors more dividend yield, but analysts see strength in diversification at PepsiCo. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., will issue its fourth quarter and full year 2008 financial results on Thursday, March 26, before the market opens. Larry Young, DPS president and CEO, and John Stewart, chief financial officer, will discuss the results during an earnings conference call for financial analysts and investors at 10 a.m. CDT that day. The conference call and slide presentation will be accessible live through the DPS website at http://www.drpeppersnapple.com and will be archived for replay for a period of 14 days.

Law, Policy and Activism
The New York State Assembly plans to amend its agriculture and markets law to require supplement manufacturers to label products as tested or untested by the FDA. West Virginia state legislators discussed – again – creating a deposit bill for the state. Inside Higher Ed published an article on colleges’ and universities’ efforts to ban bottled water on campus. Anti-bottled-water activists at the Polaris Institute cited a drop in bottle water sales as proof that their “Inside the Bottle” campaign is working.

People
Brian Buck, Vice President and General Manager, Takasago International Corp. (USA) Flavor Division, announced the appointment of Theresa Doyle as a Senior Food Technologist. Previously employed at Kerry Foods as a Senior Food Technologist, Ms Doyle worked with their key accounts in the confectionery, bakery, cereal, oral hygiene and OTC segments. • The Board of Directors of Cott Corporation announced the appointment of Jerry Fowden as Chief Executive Officer. The appointment is effective on February 18, 2009. Fowden joined Cott in 2007 to lead Cott’s UK business. In April of 2008, Fowden was appointed President of International. Joseph K. Doss, president and CEO of the International Bottled Water Association, announced the death of IBWA member Kristin Safran of ARK Specialty Services. Safran was a passenger on Continental Connection Flight 3407, which crashed in Buffalo, NY, on February 12 on its approach to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Distribution
Eli Zabar, a New York City gourmet retailer, added the Venga line of functional infusions to its shelves.

New SKUs
Skinny
Nutritional Corp. introduced a new flavor of Skinny Water. Skinny Water “Wake Up,” is a blend of orange, cranberry and tangerine, with zero calories. Delta Blues Iced Tea Company announced the introduction of their newest Ready-To-Drink flavor, Peachy Keen.

Miscellaneous
Coca-Cola will soon test a new fountain drink dispenser that can serve up to 120 different beverages. The tests will begin in restaurants in Atlanta and Orange County. Composer Byron Au Yong has created 64 musical miniatures for voice and percussion to be performed in, about, and around water as part of Kidnapping Water: Bottled Operas. He was reportedly inspired to create the project after being overcome in the bottled water section of the supermarket. He heard voices from Poland Spring and Fiji cry out, and realized that water was kidnapped and taken far from home. Brand Week published an article on how to sell a campaign to your employees, and featured Pepsi‘s “Word Play” campaign. Tate & Lyle identified its top 7 food and beverage trends in the U.S. The Coca-Cola Co. is rolling out 25 new product innovations in Russia this year, including one called Rich, a pureed fruit drink that is squeezed out like toothpaste. Slate writer John Swansburg wrote an article about Gatorade’s new marketing campaign, calling it “mystifying” and “abysmal.”

Promotions/Appearances
BAWLS Guarana has received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Development Center-Florida a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Icelandic Glacial will showcasing its natural spring water for the first time at the Gulfood trade event in Dubai, which runs from February 23rd – 26th. From Feb. 20th to March 20, ACME shoppers have a chance to win prizes including a Skinny Water Fitness Kit awarded to 5 ACME shoppers. The kit includes a Skinny Yoga Mat, Skinny Workout Towel, Skinny Workout Shirt and 5 cases of great tasting Skinny Water. Nielsen will hold its Consumer 360 conference May 12-14, and speakers will include Ken Romanzi, COO of Ocean Spray, Katie Bayne, CMO for Coca-Cola North America. Red Bull is hosting Red Bull Art of Can, a national juried exhibition featuring artwork inspired by Red Bull or crafted from the iconic blue and silver cans. The juried exhibition is open to anyone. Registration is free and open to artists nationwide through May 15, 2009. Sculptures, paintings, digital/graphic designs and various forms of mixed media will all be considered. Sparkletts entered into an agreement with the Rose Bowl Stadium to provide its bottled water products to football fans and stadium visitors over the next three years. Beginning on January 01, 2009 and running through January 01, 2011, Sparkletts has the rights to sell its half-liter and one-liter bottled water products at concession stands during all games and events at the Rose Bowl Stadium. AMP Energy, in conjunction with USA Rock Paper Scissors League, announced they are launching the first-ever USARPS College ChAMPionship. SoNu Water appeared backstage by models during NYC Fashion Week at shows including Marc Jacobs, TSE, Binetti and several more. Guests of these shows were also provided with a bottle of SoNu Water provided in their gift bags.