Financials
• The Board of Directors of PepsiCo, Inc. declared a 6 percent increase in the annual dividend, from the current $1.70 to $1.80 per share on PepsiCo common stock.
• Celsius Holdings, Inc. reported revenue of $971,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2009 versus $533,000 for the same period in the previous year. The company recorded a net loss of $1.2 million; same as for the same period last year. Link The company will host a conference call on Thursday, May 7, 2009, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) to review First quarter 2009 financial results. Link
• Digital marketing and design firm Archival created and will manage Red Bull‘s Facebook page and custom Twitter feed. Link
• Anheuser-Busch InBev announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Mr. Chen Fashu, whereby Mr. Chen will acquire Anheuser-Busch InBev’s remaining 7% stake in Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd. for $235 million. Mr. Chen is a Chinese national and a private investor.
• Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated said Thursday that it rose to a first-quarter profit from a year-ago loss. Lower commodity prices helped offset the soda bottler’s slight decline in sales. Link
• PepsiAmericas, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors declared a second quarter 2009 dividend of $0.14 per share on PepsiAmericas common stock. Link
• Hansen Natural Corp. said its profit jumped 44 percent in the first quarter, boosted by strong sales of its Monster Energy drinks. Link
Law, Policy and Advocacy
• New York will join two other states in cutting state agency spending on bottled water. Link
• Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed a proclamation recognizing May as the Coca-Cola-sponsored Exercise is Medicine Month. Link
• Poland Spring employees and business representatives descended on the Maine State House to show their opposition to a proposed penny-a-gallon tax on bottled water. Link
Miscellaneous
• Minnesota Public Radio aired a story about the conflict between HFCS and sugar in beverages. Link
• PepsiCo reiterated its belief that its offers for PepsiAmericas and the Pepsi Bottling Group were in the best interest of all three companies. Link
• Construction of the Pepsi Globe at New Jersey’s Xanadu, due to open in June, has been placed on hold. Link
• A federal grand jury in Kentucky indicted a Lexington man on charges he stole millions from G-I Pepsi Cola Bottlers between 1998 and February of this year. Link
• Go Fast! Jet Pack pilot, Eric Scott, will this Friday, May 8, 2009, attempt a world speed record flight at MotorFair; Scotland’s official motor show. Link
• Honest Tea is the first beverage company to adopt Graham Packaging’s new lightweight hot-fill PET Escape bottle. Link
People
• Stephen Heyer, former president and chief operating officer of Coca-Cola Co., has been named chairman of an Atlanta-based company that specializes in 3-D movie technology. Link
• Purple Beverage Company, Inc. announced that it has appointed Geoffrey Winters as CEO. Link
Distribution
• Skinny Water has entered into an agreement with Marsh’s. Skinny Water will be available in 100 Marsh Hometown Markets and Marketplace stores. Link
• Lifestyle Beverages announced that TrimWater is available for home and office distribution in the New York area through Water Boy, Inc. Link
• Dynamic Nutritionals with their CYCLONE ENERGY SHOT announced the signing with Greene Distributing for the state of Texas. Link
• Innovative Beverage Group Holdings, Inc. announced that the company has entered into an agreement with C & G Distributing of Lima, OH to bring drank to nine counties in western Ohio. Link
New SKUs
• V8 V-Fusion is introducing two new varieties with superfruits Goji Raspberry and Passionfruit Tangerine. Link
• AMP Energy announced the launch of Tradin’ Paint, a new limited time only Dale Earnhardt Jr. themed energy drink. The beverage is a collision of three flavors: Orange, Lime and Berry. Link
• Cruz Organic introduced its new TeaZer organic sparkling teas. Link
Promotions/Appearances
• Starbucks released a coupon booklet that featured $2 off coupons for 4-packs of both RTD Frappuccino and Starbucks Doubleshot.
• PepsiCo launched a branded online soccer game. Link
• Mtn Dew has a countdown for the next installment of Game Fuel. Link
• The Sunny Delight Beverages Co. announced the release of its 2008 Inaugural Sustainability Report which highlights its key economic, environmental and social sustainability goals and efforts to make sustainability a way of life throughout the company. Link
• HER Energy Drink announced a new partnership with Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing as the new sponsor of the No. 99 Dallara/Honda driven by Alex Lloyd in the 2009 Indianapolis 500.
• Coca-Cola will start the summer barbecue season Memorial Day weekend by firing up the nation’s longest grill at the site of NASCAR’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Link
• Lawyers from Coca-Cola joined lawyers from other Fortune 500 companies and the five top U.S. law firms to form a nonprofit aimed at promoting women and minorities in the legal profession. Link
• Pepsi debuted a new baseball-themed ad as part of its “Refresh” campaign. Link