PROTEIN POWERS SPORTS DRINKS
STOPPING OUT-OF-STOCKS
SPARKLING ICE BUBBLES OVER
JUNE 2012 M
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Contents • Volume
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10 • No. 4
Columns 4 FIRST DROP Lessons from the Guest Star 6 PUBLISHERS TOAST New Routes to Market 24 GERRY’S INSIGHTS Reading for Creativity
Departments 36
8 BEVSCAPE BUSINESS Balance Grows, Adina Folds 12 BEVSCAPE INNOVATION Corn Sugar Smackdown 14 NEW PRODUCTS FRS Adds Variety 20 CHANNEL CHECK ICE Sparkles and Cascades 26 THE EXPERTS Reducing Out-of-Stocks 28 COOLER CHECK-IN Long Road, Big Success for Talking Rain 40 BREWBOUND Insights from CBC with Key Craft Offerings 64 PROMO PARADE Welcome the Urban Luchador
Features 30 BEVNET LIVE WRAPUP By the Numbers, it was the Biggest Yet 44
36 BREWBOUND CRAFT BEER SESSION REVIEW Cash, Caution, Branding, and Social Media were all On Tap 44 COVER STORY: MORE IS MORE Energy Drinks go Broad to Grow the Category with Brand News 54 SPORTS DRINKS Protein Bulks up the Category with Brand News
54
60 POWDERS AND MIXES Growing Popularity with Brand News
BevNET Magazine (ISSN 2165-6061, USPS 24-552) is published bi-monthly except monthly in March, June, September, and October by BevNET.com, Inc. 44 Pleasant Street, Suite 110, Watertown, MA 02472. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to BevNET Magazine, Subscriber Services, 44 Pleasant Street, Suite 110, Watertown, MA 02472
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Beverage Development Ingredient Supply Shots Energy Drinks Enhanced Waters and More Proprietary Flavors Premixes and Bases U.S. Distributor
By Jeffrey Klineman
THE LESSONS OF THE GUEST STAR It was surprising, we certainly hadn’t planned it, heck, they’d supplied a speaker for the event we’d held in December, not June, -- but the unannounced star of our latest conference’s first day – of both days, really – was Red Bull. From avowed fanboy Darren Rovell’s speech on how Red Bull was a stillevolving lesson in branding, to keynote speaker Rohan Oza’s admission that a lot of the Vitaminwater marketing playbook came from watching Red Bull, to the lessons shared by brand consultant Andy Steele when discussing how he became the first retailer in Boston to carry Red Bull, the brand was everywhere. It was even discussed as the perfect model of a foreign brand being imported into and adapted for the U.S. market. From forming an independent distribution network to creating a high-energy sales force, the imprint of Red Bull was everywhere. (It was even, at one point, in Rovell’s hand as a quick thinking Red Bull marketing executive ran up from the audience to give him one.) While we attempt to build a community of beverage entrepreneurs who share their own lessons and experiences, it appeared that this company was supplying many of the key lessons. So should the marketing techniques best exemplified by Red Bull, which have helped usher hundreds of sub-cultural sports and entertainment phenomena into the mainstream, also help serve as the template for the dreams of hundreds of small beverage companies as well? Rovell talked a lot about those marketing techniques, so I’ll leave you to look at his presentation on our web site to write your own playbook on that account. But there’s more to the company’s success than simple marketing: Red Bull has also executed behind its brand better than any company in recent memory. From ironclad distribution contracts that force wholesalers to pay extra-close attention
4 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
to the product (mostly by keeping Red Bull as the only energy drink in their portfolio) to the grooming of high-energy sales talent, to the deliberate approach the company takes to any kind of change or addition to the core product, Red Bull has become a substantial player, indeed. So as we looked at energy drinks this issue, and saw an overriding move toward variations on the standard energy theme as a way of growing the category, Red Bull stood out as the exception. Here was a brand that grew for years before it even went sugar-free, and the products around it are mixing in every available trendy ingredient and flavor as a way to create a point of difference and grab some shelf space. In some cases, the variations have worked: certainly, Monster and Rockstar have built highly successful franchises by first creating their own versions of the energy drink and their own solid brand messaging. Monster’s success in creating alliances with Coke and Budweiser has even put it in the running with Red Bull for category leadership. And that has led to calls in from some quarters for Red Bull to vary its product suite, roll out mixes with coffee and different flavors. But those people making those de-
mands should think about this: asking a brand or a company to be something that it isn’t is almost always the wrong approach. Red Bull shouldn’t try to be Monster any more than Monster should try to be Red Bull: there is more than one way to build a brand, and what has kept the energy space so exciting for consumers and the industry alike is that these different methods are all on display at once, from Xyience’s focus on MMA to Rockstar’s ability to appeal to women and the L.A. mindset to NOS’ ability to harness packaging innovation. The point is, when evaluating new or emerging brands, the key isn’t thinking about how well they may do against the competition, it is how they will do when they match up against the goals they set for themselves. Can they identify their consumer and activate them? Can they then provide consistent product and messaging? Can they keep from betraying their core users, and bring them along for the ride? Are they, in other words, balancing the idea against the execution? And are they maniacally devoted to making the argument that the product demands? If the answers are all “yes,” there could be something there.
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MAGAZINE
By Barry J. Nathanson
www.bevnet.com/magazine
LET A THOUSAND DIESELS BLOOM!
Barry J. Nathanson PUBLISHER bnathanson@bevnet.com
Jeffrey Klineman EDITOR-IN-CHIEF jklineman@bevnet.com
Ray Latif ASSISTANT EDITOR rlatif@bevnet.com
SALES John McKenna DIRECTOR OF SALES jmckenna@bevnet.com
Adam Stern SENIOR ACCOUNT SPECIALIST astern@bevnet.com
Jeff Hyde ACCOUNT SPECIALIST jhyde@bevnet.com
ART & PRODUCTION Matthew Kennedy CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Willette GRAPHIC DESIGNER BEVNET.COM, INC. John F. (Jack) Craven CHAIRMAN jfcraven@bevnet.com
John Craven CEO & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR jcraven@bevnet.com
As many of you know, our BevNET Live conference spent two days covering the things that make the industry tick. The energy, synergy and overall good will were palpable, and it was great to see old friends and to make new ones. Our sampling bar, a mainstay and one of the highlights of the event, included over 150 brands. The coolers were stocked to the brim with the latest and most exciting products. Creativity knows no bounds. It’s exciting to see that the innovation component is alive and well, as new entrepreneurs continually come out of the woodwork, each with the dream of becoming the next great brand. And we are seeing the beginnings of another exciting trend that needs to evolve in order to meet the needs of those entrepreneurs. I write of the need for the continued growth of a new generations to stake a claim in the marketplace. This industry is a living, breathing entity. It recreates, adapts, and shapes itself to present day business realities. The new reality is that, while distribution is as important an element to the success of the brands as it ever was, there need to be more ways to find it. Over my twenty years I’ve seen the dominance and neverending thirst of the “Big Guys” lead to the acquisition of the independents, and seen those independents rolled into the system. It changed the route to market for so many brands, making it near im-
6 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
possible to gain a foothold. All the while, a slew of major independents remained strong as their ability to provide hightouch skills became an even harder-tofind commodity. What the Red, White and Blue didn’t control, these players did. They are terrific people and quite powerful, having made many brands the successes they are today. Their role in the beverage world is crucial. But the amount of innovation and the surplus of new brand ideas we continue to see in these pages and at every BevNET Live demands the proliferation of new wholesalers to help get them into the marketplace. Many long-time industry players are taking up the challenge, but it is encouraging to see new boutique distributorships cropping up all over the country. They are finding their niche servicing the brands that don’t fit, or aren’t large enough, to go into the Big Geysers and Haralambos Beverages of the world. They have re-invented the distribution paradigm, and they have given hope for newer brands. They are hungry, ambitious, and have the skill sets and relationships to make it work. But we need more of them, and we should help them thrive. I applaud this new generation. Their role is vital to the future of beverages. There is room for them to co-exist with the big system and large independent players of today. They should be encouraged and supported. Let their diesels bloom.
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BEVSCAPE BUSINESS
The latest news on the brands you sell
Finance: Balance Water Soaks Up Investment; GT Beverage Soaks Up Bazi; Adina Finally Dries Up Balance Water, a line of functional waters infused with tasteless herbal extracts, pulled in between $4 and 5 million in investment recently, according to cofounder Martin Chalk. The funding came from a mix of sources: Emil Capital Partners supplied institutional cash, while famed investor Thomas H. Lee, the founder of Thomas H. Lee partners, put in money as an individual investor, as did Australian actor Hugh Jackman. Jackman had been an angel investor along with Antoine Firmenrich, a member of the family that owns the eponymous European flavor and scent company. “Once we started to see same store sales grow steadily, we know we had a sustainable business model,” Chalk said. The company hired Silverwood Partners to help it shop for investors. Part of the attraction for investors was the company’s growing international profile: Balance started in Australia and recently added an office in Cologne, Germany. The company owns its own supply chain to provide the floral extracts needed to create its Travel, Relax, and Mind varieties, as it started an Australian company called Wandarra to source plants from the tropical zone of northern Australia. While Balance started in Australia, it has grown in the U.S. with a largely Northeastand New York-focused distribution strategy. For the past three years it has gone to market through a mix of companies like broadline natural foods broker UNFI and also DSD house Exclusive. Cascadia Managing Brands has been advising Balance on route-to-market decisions. Chalk said that the money would go toward supporting DSD operations with sales professionals. This is the second beverage investment this a year for Emil Capital Partners, which also invested in CherryPharm, the maker of Cheribundi, in February. Meanwhile, financially troubled energy shot maker Bazi announced that it has entered into a merger agreement with GT Beverage Company, which manufactures a line of vitamin-enhanced water drinks for kids. GT received 95.5 8 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
percent of the common shares outstanding of Bazi, which has received a line of credit from GT for up to $600,000. The merger is expected to close on or before October 15, 2012, subject to certain conditions in the agreement. Debbie Wildrick, the CEO of Bazi, stated that the merger enables the company “to continue building shareholder value and continue to support the Bazi brand.” After reformulating its energy shot to an all-natural mix eight months ago, Wildrick said that Bazi is now hoping to establish a stronger sales presence online, noting that because consumer education is a key component to marketing Bazi, e-commerce is a more effective way to reach new customers. Wildrick said that she will stay on as Bazi’s CEO at least until the merger is finalized, but did not know if she would stay in the position past that point, noting that GT Beverage is the midst of building a team to run Bazi after the merger is complete. Wildrick stated the merger would likely create an overlap in positions and responsibilities between the two companies. Finally, a letter sent to stockholders of the long-struggling Adina beverage company seemed to indicate that the new age beverage shop’s doors are about to close for good. The company indicated that it was in the midst of selling through its remaining stock but is also liquidating its assets in order to satisfy debt obligations. The company’s financial problems came to light last year when acting CEO Norm Snyder indicated that the com-
pany was in need of about $10 million in capital to sustain long-term strategic goals. Failing that, the company instead cut its distribution radius, concentrating largely on its accounts with the powerful Dr Pepper/Snapple Group distribution network. Those accounts were largely scattered geographically, however: sales through the Ohio, Texas, Pittsburgh and some California DPSG shops proved insufficient even as the company attempted to conserve cash by furloughing employees and otherwise reducing costs. “While we continue to seek a buyer for Adina or its assets, we need to begin the shutdown process,” noted the letter, from the Adina board of directors. Adina had morphed over several years from a fair-trade based juice drink play run by Odwalla founder Greg Steltenpohl to one that focused on canned coffee under a “Drink No Evil” message before finally settling on a platform of herbal infusions called “Holistics.” While launching nationally through money supplied by former PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico and several investment rounds with Sherbrooke Capital — which installed SoBe founder John Bello at the helm — the company managed to quickly gather buy-in from a national distribution network of independent DSD shops. But the brand never quite caught fire with consumers, and pricing changes and never found a niche in terms of pricing and variety. Eventually, Bello cashed himself out of Sherbrooke, and at one point was believed to be preparing a group to take over Adina, but a deal never materialized.
Regulation: New York Bans Jumbo Sodas Reactions to a new policy proposal by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg that would fine stores and vendors from selling single-serve sugarsweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces ranged from outrage to applause last month. While the American Beverage Association reached out to members to assure them of a “full court press” from legal, communications, and advocacy channels to battle the ban, others, including Zevia CEO Paddy Spence and Q Tonic founder Jordan Silbert took advantage of the proposal to tout their own products. Zevia quickly put out a series of advertisements agreeing with Bloomberg, while Silbert (along with many other companies) quickly sent cases of its products to City Hall. The Bloomberg ban was quickly decried by the ABA, which swore it would “challenge this latest example of government overreach.” Indeed, a related organization, the Center for Consumer Freedom (funded by the food and beverage industry), took a quick shot at Bloomberg with a full-page, movie poster-style ad featuring him in drag and bearing the tag line “The Nanny: You only thought you lived in the land of the free.” The ban is a gambit based on an interpretation of the powers of the New York City Department of Health as a vehicle for preserving the safety of the citizens of the city. It’s a route Bloomberg followed previously in banning trans-fats from restaurants in the city. The ban would prevent the sale of sugary beverages like CSDs, teas, and juice drinks containing more than 25 calories per 8 oz. serving in packages larger than 16 ounces. Diet drinks, drinks getting half of their calories from dairy or dairy IMAGE COURTESY WWW.CONSUMERFREEDOM.COM
substitutes, alcoholic drinks and 100 percent juices would be free from the ban. The new regulation could severely remake the shelves of many key retailers for brand-building in Manhattan; for example, some of the best-selling SKUs of full-calorie vitaminwater, Coke or Pepsi are 20 oz. PET bottles that all exceed the proposed caloric threshold; so do AriZona Iced Teas, many of which come in 24 oz. pre-priced $.99 cans, as well as many other beverages.
The Department of Health oversees restaurants and other food service outlets like movie theatres, stadiums, fast food restaurants, hot dog carts, and delis; grocery stores, bodegas, drug stores and other retail channels that do not serve or prepare food would not be affected. Members of the Board of Health announced the proposal along with the Mayor; the new regulations could take effect by March. “It seems like it has a pretty good chance of passing, since he appointed everyone and the Chair appeared at the press conference with him,” said Justin Prochnow, an attorney who works with the beverage industry on regulatory matters. Bloomberg said he believes that sugary drinks have contributed a significant amount to the fact that half of New Yorkers are overweight or obese. He told the New York Times that he thought the ban was “what the public wants the mayor to do.” In fact, Bloomberg has tried to act on that idea repeatedly during the past year, first supporting a “soda tax” in the New York State Legislature and then attempting to ban the use of food stamps for the purchase of CSDs, which was disallowed by federal authorities. Members of the beverage industry itself considered the proposal to be another in a series of what have been called “nanny state” regulations enacted by Bloomberg; in addition to the repeated attempts to cut down on beverage calorie consumption, the administration has also extended smoking bans and conducted advertising campaigns against soda. “Are we in Communist China?” said one highly-placed beverage industry executive. JUNE 2012 BEVNET MAGAZINE 9
BEVSCAPE BUSINESS
The latest news on the brands you sell
Lawsuits: One Ends, Another Begins Vita Coco Settlement Labeling changes are on tap for leading coconut water brand Vita Coco, which is conducting a line refresh that will migrate across the country throughout the summer.
The changes are taking place for three key reasons, according to CEO Mike Kirban: to give the packaging a more updated, refreshed look, to address changes required because of a recent class-action lawsuit settlement, and to refine labeling copy to create a more transparent look at the product’s composition for consumers and regulatory agencies. That last part reflects a change in the ingredient panel of Vita Coco to reflect the addition of a small amount of sugar to some batches of the drink to keep the flavor consistent from container to container. According to the company, the change allows standardization of sweetness level regardless of harvest, time of year, or country of origin – all variables that have become more important as coconut water 10 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
companies have started to source their products from different parts of the globe to satisfy increasing consumer demand. “We don’t have to do it,” Kirban said. “We’re leaning on the safe side, and as the category leader, we want to be the most transparent to the consumer as possible.” One more bit of transparency came in the form of the revelation of the cut of the attorneys who argued the class-action suit before its eventual settlement Detailed in a web site for members of the class to get their free product are the fees for the lawyers who brought the suit, Labaton Sucharow LLP and Whatley Drake & Kallas LLC, who will ultimately walk away with $750,000. The rewards for the named members of the aggrieved class of Vita Coco drinkers who claim to have been misled by some of the marketing language on the package are a far cry from that amount, however. According to a document containing the stipulations of the settlement, class members Stacey Fishbein, Katrina Garcia, Catalina Sadarriaga and Russell Marchewka each received $2000 for allowing themselves to be named as plaintiffs in the suit. Body Armor Trade Dress Suit Meanwhile, in a change from the typical class action fare, emerging “superdrink” brand Body Armor is facing its own legal broadside from athletic gear titan Under Armour, which filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in April claiming that Body Armor was, among other things, mimicking the Under Armour logo, and also was allegedly stepping on pending trademark applications for a number of Under Armour beverages. Body Armor founder Lance Collins – who is a trained attorney himself – issued a vehement denial of the charges. According to Collins, Body Armor created trademarks well before the sportswear line dipped its toes into functional beverages. He also made it clear that he doesn’t think his drink’s packaging is in any way related to Under Armour. “When all the facts come out, it will be clear that our product does not infringe or dilute or otherwise violate any of Under Amour’s rights,” Collins noted. “We
look forward to the opportunity to present our case in court and expose this case for what it really is: a classic example of a trademark bully trying to intimidate an innovative company from competing in the marketplace."
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BEVSCAPE INNOVATION
Product development & marketing news
PepsiCo Assembling New Innovation Team PepsiCo has tipped its hand on its innovation plans, advertising for a position on a still-forming team designed to work with emerging beverages out of its Naked Juice offices near Los Angeles. The Beverage Growth Ventures team would create a Pepsi-owned, Californiabased rival to Coca-Cola’s older Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) group, which runs out of Atlanta. It would also signal the first cohesive step by PepsiCo to create a business entity focused solely on incubating a portfolio of disruptive emerging brands. The Beverage Growth Ventures team will be led by Chris Lansing, the General Manager of its Naked Juice and Izze division, BevNET has learned. Naked/Izze operates as a separate, West Coast entity, although it is owned by PepsiCo. The hard-wiring of the project began to move forward under new Pepsi Americas Beverages CEO Al Carey, who took over for Massimo d’Amore in September. Naked had been suggested previously as a potential focus for new beverage innovation by d’Amore, who retired earlier. While it is clear that the Beverage Growth Ventures group is expected to create or assemble a new portfolio of emerging brands, for now its current holdings seems to encompass Naked’s current lineup: Naked Juice, Naked Coconut water and Izze, although that portfolio “will expand to include new brands and
categories,” according to the recently posted job description, which is for a VP of Go-To-Market. Conspicuously absent from that portfolio is O.N.E. coconut water, another product that is frequently pointed to as an example of Pepsi’s willingness to help grow emerging brands. PepsiCo owns a controlling interest of O.N.E. coconut water as well, although that company currently functions independently. It is not yet clear if the new entity will focus on growing its portfolio through partnership with existing brands or new brand development. But what is clear is that Pepsi and its Naked subsidiary have been surveying the market carefully as they began to move forward with a concrete plan for a ventureoriented entity. Over the past few months, Lansing and other members of PepsiCo’s senior beverage leadership team have met with a number of entrepreneurial beverage companies — as well as potential distribution and financing partners. The company has also begun creating a leadership structure and a 40-plus person team that encompasses supply chain, sales and marketing and other key functions.
In addition to small beverage companies, executives have also met with potential route-to-market partners as well as investment advisors as they attempt to formulate a cohesive strategy for investing, growing, and distributing those brands. PepsiCo has shown a willingness to work with third parties in the past, as it bought into O.N.E. at the same time as an investor group headed by Catterton Partners. With the exception of O.N.E., in recent years the Pepsi organization has preferred to partner with growing beverage brands on a distribution basis only, taking products like FRS, Muscle Milk and Rockstar Energy Drinks onto its trucks. But that lack of willingness to write a check now seems to be changing. For a short time Pepsi Bottling Group ran an incubation unit of its own, Learning Labs, that centered largely around testing the distribution of emerging coconut water brand O.N.E. in specific geographic areas, but since the takeover of PBG by its parent company two years ago that project has been much quieter. O.N.E. itself has been in a period of transition, with co-founders Rodrigo and Emilie Frits Veloso leaving the day-to-day operation and moving to Florida in March.
WILD Flavors Launches Global R&I Team Coke and Pepsi aren’t the only companies looking at developing innovations that might be able to be deployed on a global basis. Supply company WILD Flavors GmbH announced in June that it has created a Global Research and Innovation Group (R&I), headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. This will be a crossfunctional, cross-regional team comprised of highly technical, experienced research personnel and trained chemists, focusing on delivering a continual pipeline of robust, innovative concepts to the food and beverage markets. Through very coordinated, stan12 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
dardized, and amplified flavor, color, ingredient and scientific research with increased emphasis on global efficiencies, WILD will now be able to provide its customers with the best offerings, unique technologies, and creative solutions on a worldwide basis. “By bringing together the regional strengths and expertise of WILD into a Global team, WILD will be able to expand our capabilities, capacities, creativity, and expertise in many areas, including: in-depth flavor and color research and development, plant science, health ingre-
dient technologies, fermentation, analytical analysis, biotechnology, and natural mint varieties and custom variations, and sweetening solutions,” said Michael Ponder, Global CEO of WILD Flavors. Dr. Erik T. Donhowe will lead the Global R&I Team as Chief Global Research and Innovation Officer. Dr. Donhowe has been with the WILD organization since April, 2004 – Vice President of the North American Beverage Business Unit, and as North American Chief Operating Officer since 2010.
FDA Rejects Petition to Change Name of High Fructose Corn Syrup Corn refiners suffered a defeat in May as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected an industry petition to rename high-fructose corn syrup as “corn sugar” on nutritional labels. The Corn Refiners Association (CRA), which includes major corn refiners such as Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill, sought the name change in a 2010 petition to the FDA as part of an effort to reverse years of controversy and negative publicity about the health effects of the sweetener. However, the FDA ultimately decided that “corn sugar” does not “accurately identify or describe the basic nature of the food or its characterizing properties” and that the name change could “pose a public health concern.” In its petition, the CRA argued that high-fructose corn syrup – a sweetener that has been widely used in processed foods and beverages since the 1970s – is a form of sugar with the same nutritional
value as the everyday white sugar that most consumers are familiar with. Along with the petition, the CRA has been running a multi-million dollar marketing and public relations campaign using the term “corn sugar” in an attempt to improve the image of high-fructose corn syrup. However, the FDA, which reviewed the CRA’s petition for nearly 20 months, stated that consumers would be confused if high fructose corn syrup was to be renamed “corn sugar,” particularly as the agency defines sugar as “a solid, dried and crystallized food,” and describes syrup as a “liquid food.” The FDA called its approach “consistent with the common understanding of sugar and syrup as referenced in a dictionary.” The FDA also noted that “corn sugar” is already a term used for a solid corn sweetener called dextrose and that a name change for highfructose corn syrup could mislead and affect individuals with fructose intolerance.
The ruling was met with approval from the Sugar Association, which has been highly critical of the name change effort and filed a lawsuit against the CRA last year claiming that its public relations and marketing campaign is misleading to consumers. “The FDA’s ruling represents a victory for American consumers,” said Dan Callister, an attorney working with the Sugar Association. “It reaffirms what most consumer advocates, health experts and policy officials have been saying all along: only sugar is sugar. HFCS is not sugar. The next step is for the federal court to end the CRA’s misleading propaganda campaign.” In a brief statement issued following the ruling, the CRA said that the ruling was decided on “narrow, technical grounds” and did not “address or question the overwhelming scientific evidence that high fructose corn syrup is a form of sugar and is nutritionally the same as other sugars.”
JUNE 2012 BEVNET MAGAZINE 13
NEW PRODUCTS
The newest options for cooler and shelf
JUICE Odwalla has introduced Odwalla Smoothies For Kids, a new line of lunchbox-suitable, not-from-concentrate smoothies. The smoothies are 100 percent juice with other ingredients, gluten-free, and contain one whole serving of fruit with no added sugar. Each smoothie contains 110-120 calories per 6.75 oz. box. The drinks come in three flavors: Strawberry Banana Jungle, Mango Pineapple Island, and Grape Berry Prairie. The beverages are sold nationwide and have a suggested retail price of $1.49 for a single box and $5.99 per 4-pack. For more information, please call (404) 676-4120. Tropicana has extended its Trop50 line with several new varieties. Trop50 Juice with Tea is a new line extension made with fruit juices and white and green teas. The line includes Trop50 Peach with White Tea, Trop50 Raspberry with Green Tea and Trop50 Pear Lychee with White Tea. The drinks contain 35-45 calories per 8 oz. serving, and are a good source of vitamin C and vitamin E. Trop50 Red Orange blends orange juice with red oranges and contains 50 percent less sugar and calories that regular orange juice and has no artificial sweeteners. With 50 calories per 8 oz. serving, the juice provides a full day’s supply of vitamin C and is good source of potassium. The suggested retail price for each 59 oz. bottle of Trop 50 is $3.96. Trop 50 with Tea varieties are also available in 12 oz. bottles for a suggested retail price of $1.69. For more information, please call (312) 821-2621. POM Wonderful has launched a new 8 oz. bottle for its 100 percent pomegranate juice. Each 8 oz. bottle contains all-natural juice from two California-grown POM Wonderful pomegranates. The new bottle will be available at grocery stores and convenience stores nationwide at a suggested retail price of $1.99. For more information, please call (310) 966-8315. Campbell Soup has introduced new carbonated varieties for its V8 V-Fusion line. V8 V-Fusion Sparkling drinks contain one 50 calorie serving of fruits and vegetables with no added sugar, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The carbonated drinks are packaged in 8.4 oz. slim cans a come in three
14 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
flavors: Tangerine Raspberry, Black Cherry Pomegranate and Strawberry Lemonade. The drinks are distributed at grocery and mass merchandise retailers nationwide and have a suggested retail price of $3.49 for a 4-pack of 8.4-oz cans. For more information, please call (856) 342-3717. Kraft Foods has launched Capri Sun Super V, a new fruit & vegetable juice drink. The ready-to-drink beverage, which comes in the familiar Capri Sun pouch, contains one combined serving of fruits and vegetables (3/4 from fruit juice and 1/4 from vegetable juice) and is a good source of fiber. Capri Sun Super V is available in grocery stores and supermarkets nationwide and has a suggested retail price of $3.48 for a pack of 10 pouches. Kraft also launched Capri Sun Big Pouch, a bigger, redesigned version of the original foil pouch, with 11.2 oz. of the drink, a new shape and a resealable cap. The new Capri Sun Big Pouch is sold individually and comes in three flavors: Fruit Punch, Maui Cooler and Strawberry Kiwi. It is sold at select U.S. supermarkets for the suggested retail price of $0.79 per pouch and will be available for a limited time. For more information, please call (212) 685-4300.
FUNCTIONAL BEVERAGES El Sol/It’s the SUN is a new aloe vera drink line made with aloe vera gel powder, aloe vera pulp and cane sugar. The line comes in six varieties: Original Green Grape, Mango, Guava, Pomegranate, Coconut and SugarFree. The drinks contain 24 percent aloe vera and are packaged in 16.9 oz. bottles with a suggested retail price of $1.50. The Original and Pomegranate flavors also come in and 50.34 oz. bottles for a suggested retail price of $2.50-$2.99. The line is currently distributed in California. For more information, please call (323) 264-8882. The FRS Company, manufacturer of the Healthy Performance line of products, announced the launch of two new beverages: Healthy Slim, to support weight loss, and Healthy Defense, for immune system support. Healthy Slim is formulated with Slendesta, a vegetable protein clinically proven to curb appetite, quercetin, fiber, and seven essential vitamins, including vitamin
NEW PRODUCTS
C, E, B6 and B12. The drink contains 20 calories per 12 oz. bottle and is available in two flavors: Tropical and Strawberry Melon. Healthy Defense is formulated to promote year-round health and wellness, with ingredients clinically proven to help strengthen the immune system. Healthy Defense contains Epicor, a naturally made dietary supplement, quercetin, vitamin D3, and eight essential vitamins. The drink contains 20 calories per 12 oz. bottle and comes in two flavors: Pomegranate Blueberry and Citrus Pomegranate. Healthy Slim and Healthy Defense are currently available on the company’s web site, and are rolling out at GNC stores nationwide as well as leading regional grocery customers in the West, Midwest and Northeast with a suggested retail price of $2.59. For more information please call (651)227-2209. SPYru Inc. has launched a new line of high protein, low calorie beverages targeted towards health and fitness-conscious adults and serious athletes. SPYru beverages are formulated with Spirulina, a blue-green fresh water algae composed of nearly 70 percent pure protein. The drinks come in three flavors: Lemon-Lime, Orange, and Fruit Punch. The beverages contain 45 calories and 20 grams of protein per 8 oz. serving and are packaged in 16.9 oz. recyclable bottles. SPYru drinks are sold online at www.SPYru. com, with new distribution targeted for the U.S. and Canada. The products have a suggested retail price of $1.80-2.60. For more information, please call (800) 668-8244. Good Life Beverages has launched bcalm, a natural wellness drink designed for stressrelief and mental clarity. bcalm is formulated with a blend of vitamins, botanicals, and amino acid. The drink is packaged in an 8 oz. slim can and has a suggested retail price of $2.99. bcalm is available online at drinkbcalm.com and distributed throughout the Boston, Mass. area. For more information, please call (917) 825-1784.
TEA Snapple has launched a new line of allnatural teas lightly sweetened with real sugar. Snapple Lightly Sweetened Teas are made with a base of white tea and contain 18 grams of sugar - less than half the sugar
16 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
content in other Snapple varieties. The drinks have 80 calories per 16 oz. bottle and come in two flavors: Peach Passionfruit and Cherry Pomegranate. Snapple will support the launch with an integrated marketing campaign anchored by national television advertising as well as print and online media. The new line of teas is available at retailers nationwide with a suggested retail price of $1.39 for a 16 oz. bottle and 6-packs for $5.99. The Peach Passionfruit flavor is also available in 64 oz. bottles. For more information, please call (646) 935-4145.
CARBONATED SOFT DRINKS Sierra Mist Natural has launched its newest flavor, Strawberry Kiwi Splash. The new flavor is made with real sugar, and contains no artificial additives or preservatives. Sierra Mist Natural will promote the new beverage in a contest in which fans can win a trip to the Grand Canyon. Sierra Mist Natural drinks are sold nationwide at a suggested retail price of $1.29. For more information, please call (914) 253-2408. IZZE is bringing back its Sparkling Lemon flavor for a limited time. The drink pairs lemon flavor with sparkling water and contains no caffeine, refined sugars or artificial flavors. Each 12 oz. bottle contains 50 calories. IZZE Sparkling Lemon is available exclusively at Whole Foods markets across the country for a suggested retail price of $1.99. For more information, please call (612) 215-3436.
WATER Nestle Waters North America has launched resource 100% Natural Spring Water. The new product is sustainably sourced natural spring water from carefully selected sources, containing naturally occurring electrolytes for taste. The water is packaged in a bottle made of 50 percent recycled plastic and is recyclable. resource 100% Natural Spring Water is available in 700 mL and 1 L bottles in major southern California supermarkets and convenience stores for a suggested retail price of $1.49 for a 700 mL bottle and $1.69 for 1 L. For more information, please call (617) 939-8363. Seagram’s has introduced four new naturally flavored sparkling waters to its Origi-
Brewed organic tea leaves, real lemonade, and just a tad sweet.ÂŽ Contact Us: 800-865-4736 or sales@honesttea.com
Š 2012 Honest Tea, Inc. All rights reserved.
NEW PRODUCTS
nal Seagram’s Sparkling Seltzer Water: Key Lime, Orange Citrus, Blackberry Raspberry, and White Peach. All five drinks are sugar-free, calorie-free, and caffeinefree. Seagram’s Sparkling Seltzer Water is available in 12 oz. cans and 1 L bottles at retailers including Safeway, Publix, Target, Stop & Shop and Roundy’s. For more information, please call 404-676-3676.
BEER Anheuser-Busch has extended its line of Bud Light products with Bud Light Lime Lime-a-Rita. The beverage is an 8 percent ABV margarita-flavored alcohol beverage that can be consumed from the can or served over ice. The new drink is sold in 12-packs of 8 oz. cans, 24-packs of 12 oz. shrink-wrapped bottles and single-serve 24 oz. cans. Bud Light Lime, Lime-a-Rita 12-packs have as suggested retail price of $12.99. For more information, please call (314) 577-9637. Anheuser-Busch has also launched a limited edition makeover for its iconic Budweiser bottle. The new design features a special red, white and blue label in advance of a summer initiative in which the brand will contribute a portion of all sales from May 20 – July 7 to help raise as much as $2.5 million for the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides post-secondary educational scholarships for families of U.S. military personnel killed or disabled while serving their country. The patriotic packaging will be available nationwide in 8, 12, 16 and 24 oz. cans and in a 12 oz. glass bottle, 16 oz. plastic bottle, and 16 oz. aluminum bottle. The patriotic theme continues on secondary packaging for all of the top-selling configurations, including 6-packs, 24-packs, 30-packs and other popular sizes. For more information, please call (314) 577-7528.
SPIRITS Pearl Vodka has introduced a new peach flavor. Pearl Peach Flavored Vodka is made from hand-selected soft winter wheat and Canadian Rocky Mountain water, crafted in micro-batches, distilled five times and filtered six times. The vodka is available in 1.75 L, 1 L, 750 mL and 50 mL bottles. The product is distributed nationwide and has a suggested retail price of $12.99 for a
18 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
750 mL bottle and $14.99 for 1 L bottle. Pearl Peach is the 12th flavor in the Pearl family lineup which includes Original, Pomegranate, Coconut, Blueberry, Plum, Caramel, Citrus, Cucumber, Orange, Red Berry and Wedding Cake. For more information, please call (314) 391-1391. Crown Royal had launched its second limited edition release in the brand’s Extra Rare Whiskey Series. Crown Royal XR was developed by Crown Royal Master Blender Andrew MacKay, and the 80 proof blend (40 percent ABV) is crafted with a small reserve of the final batch of LaSalle whiskies to create a fusion of dried fruits and honey balanced with the spicy notes of Canadian rye. Crown Royal XR is available nationwide for a limited time at a suggested retail price of $129.99 for a 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call (704) 644-6931. Southern Comfort has launched Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry, a mixture of Southern Comfort with whiskey and cherry flavors. Southern Comfort will launch an advertising campaign this summer consisting of a six-week national television buy to support the new product release and includes commercials on ESPN, TBS, FX and Comedy Central. Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry will be available across the United States as well as the United Kingdom and Ireland. Each bottle is 70 proof and has a suggested retail price of $16.99 for a 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call (502) 774-7825. Skinnygirl Cocktails has introduced Skinnygirl White Peach Margarita. The drink features flavors of sweet and juicy peach with notes of silver tequila, tropical tones and lime, and finishes with hints of peach and lime. White Peach Margarita contains 100 calories per 4 oz. serving and is 25.4 proof. It has a suggested retail price of $14.99 per 750 mL bottle and is available nationwide. For more information, please call (847) 444-7590. Adult Beverage Co. has launched Adult Limeade, a premium pour-and-serve cocktail made with 100 percent Blue Agave Reposado Tequila. The 40-proof drink is made in Mexico and does not require refrigeration.
Packaged in Adult Beverage Company’s signature retro-chic bottle, Adult Limeade is available in 750 ml and 1 L sizes and has a suggested retail price of $19.99 and $23.99, respectively. For more information, please call (212) 715-1555. Reality television star and celebrity DJ Pauly D has introduced a new ready-to-drink cocktail. REMIX Pre-Game Cocktail is a premium vodka-based prepared cocktail that comes in three flavors: Oye Mojito, a combination of lime and muddled mint, Yeah Yumberry, a mix of red berry and raspberry with a hint of dark berry, and Strawberry Holla-peno, an blend of ripe strawberry and jalapeno. The product has launched in New Jersey, Rhode Island and other key markets. REMIX is packaged in 750 mL bottles and has a suggested retail price of $14.99. For more information, please call (917) 861-6720. C
BACARDI has introduced BACARDI Classic Cocktails Light, a new line of lowcalorie, ready-to-serve beverages. The new cocktail collection builds off of the original BACARDI Classic Cocktails “open and pour” line. At less than 95 calories for a 4 oz. serving, the drinks are made with natural flavors, real juice and pure cane sugar and are available in Pina Colada and Mojito flavors. BACARDI Classic Cocktails Light will be distributed nationwide in 750 mL bottles at a suggested retail price of $12.99 and 1.75 L bottles for $19.99. For more information, please call (786) 264-8421.
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BACARDI has also introduced two new flavors to its flagship line of rums: BACARDI Wolf Berry and BACARDI Black Razz. BACARDI Wolf Berry is flavored with blueberry and wolfberry, and BACARDI Black Razz is infused with raspberry and black sapote flavors. BACARDI has also debuted new packaging with temperature and light activated bottles. When chilled, Wolf Berry reveals a red claw mark across the label and Black Razz unveils an enlarged brilliant red berry logo. BACARDI Wolf Berry and BACARDI Black Razz are available in 750 mL bottles for a suggested retail price of $14.99. For more information, please call (212)299-8965.
JUNE 2012 BEVNET MAGAZINE 19
CHANNEL CHECK
What’s hot – and what’s not – in stores now
SPOTLIGHT CATEGORY
SPARKLING/MINERAL WATER
Brand
Dollar Sales
Private Label
$108,184,100
1.10%
Perrier
$93,989,860
15.73%
San Pellegrino
$81,731,080
15.86%
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart.
Sparkling Ice
$55,992,530
1,186.26%
La Croix
$47,346,620
33.93%
Say hello to the hottest new sub-sector of the sparkling category, “ICE”. Why ICE? What does it mean? We don’t know, maybe it’s a regional thing. Actually, it’s a regional thing, as both Sparkling Ice and Cascade Ice hail from Washington, where they have an uneasy coexistence brokered by a settlement in a 2010 Trademarks lawsuit over the rights to (you guessed it!) “ICE.” Oh, by the way – looks like the whole sparkling/mineral category is really kicking butt – up 25 percent overall – with stalwarts Perrier, Pellegrino and La Croix also up significantly over last year as well.
Poland Spring
$22,488,480
9.19%
Topo Chico
$20,732,420
13.65%
Arrowhead
$18,134,730
18.48%
Cascade Ice
$15,524,960
27.99%
Crystal Geyser
$9,906,885
8.51%
Jarritos Mineragua
$4,139,435
16.62%
Deer Park
$4,136,623
55.23%
Clear Choice
$3,848,746
20.17%
Mendota Springs
$3,794,988
0.80%
Gerolsteiner
$2,730,459
2.25%
Klarbrunn
$2,708,917
5.42%
Syfo
$2,537,859
3.06%
Talking Rain
$2,314,937
3.43%
H2OH
$2,297,228
7.67%
Ice Mountain
$2,228,343
563.56%
52 Weeks through 5/13/2012
Change vs. year earlier
TOPLINE CATEGORY
VOLUME
52 Weeks through 5/13/2012
BEER $24,655,982,000
6.26%
BOTTLED JUICES
- 1.30%
$5,109,854,000
BOTTLED WATER $8,125,156,000
ENERGY DRINKS $8,184,896,000
SPORTS DRINKS $4,243,866,000
TEA/COFFEE $3,402,594,000
4.43%
18.36%
6.97%
6.41%
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart.
20 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
POWER. FORWARD.
NATURALLY POWERED
PURE PREMIUM COCONUT WATER ZICO.com
facebook.com/ZICO
twitter.com/ZICO
CHANNEL CHECK
ENERGY SHOTS Brand
HOT! 5 Hour Energy Extra Strength Dollar Sales
Change vs. year earlier
RTD TEA Brand
HOT! Lipton Diet Dollar Sales
Change vs. year earlier
5 Hour Energy
$887,914,400
0.32%
Arizona
$621,323,200
-0.28%
5 Hour Energy Extra Strength
$106,405,900
808.10%
Lipton Brisk Tea
$290,283,000
2.75%
Stacker 2 6 Hour Power
$26,426,370
-11.21%
Lipton
$251,742,800
-10.07%
Snapple
$186,669,100
-0.06%
Arizona Arnold Palmer
$161,216,400
41.74%
Worx Energy
$15,634,760
400.22%
Private Label
$11,784,830
13.98%
Red Bull
$4,480,629
-82.32%
Diet Snapple
$148,238,100
9.40%
E6
$4,339,809
51.84%
Lipton Pureleaf
$147,534,300
-6.90%
Stacker 2
$4,316,475
10.21%
Nestea
$99,173,740
-5.81%
VPX Redline Power Rush
$3,566,162
9.11%
Gold Peak
$92,177,300
13.77%
20.35%
Lipton Diet
$85,680,230
45.15%
Spike Double Shot
$3,392,669
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart. 52 Weeks through 5/13/12
NOT! Red Bull
RTD COFFEE Brand
HOT! Illy Issimo Dollar Sales
Change vs. year earlier
Frappuccino
$593,039,500
8.86%
Doubleshot
$283,230,800
15.60%
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart. 52 Weeks through 5/13/12
IMPORTED BEER Brand
Corona Extra
NOT! Lipton
HOT! Stella Artois Lager Dollar Sales
$1,001,688,000
Change vs. year earlier
9.30%
Heineken
$594,643,000
5.18%
Modelo Especial
$364,983,900
24.69%
Corona Light
$172,389,300
4.05%
Seattles Best
$20,269,840
159.05%
Private Label
$8,759,662
6.38%
Doubleshot Light
$8,568,222
-10.92%
Tecate
$154,951,800
-2.84%
Dos Equis XX Lager Especial
$143,892,000
33.91%
Stella Artois Lager
$132,718,500
38.92%
Labatt Blue
$106,097,700
-8.95%
Lebatt Blue Light
$102,279,400
-2.88%
Newcastle Brown Ale
$79,214,730
0.06%
Illy Issimo
$5,881,472
298.26%
Starbucks Doubleshot
$5,057,909
N/A
Emmi
$808,183
-31.43%
Marleys One Drop
$672,084
N/A
Community
$458,442
18.77%
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart. 52 Weeks through 5/13/12
DOMESTIC BEER Brand
NOT! Emmi
HOT! Michelob Ultra Light Dollar Sales
Change vs. year earlier
Bud Light
$5,414,958,000
2.51%
Budweiser
$2,067,717,000
-0.82%
Coors Light
$1,994,346,000
Miller Lite
$1,707,037,000
Natural Light
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart. 52 Weeks through 5/13/12
BOTTLED WATER Brand
HOT! Glaceau Smart Water Dollar Sales
Change vs. year earlier
$1,034,640,000
3.97%
AquaďŹ na
$698,412,400
-0.97%
5.15%
Dasani
$670,790,100
7.13%
1.36%
Glaceau Vitamin Water
$641,330,800
-6.74%
$1,105,325,000
0.09%
Poland Spring
$400,989,600
2.23%
Busch Light
$739,725,600
1.31%
Nestle Pure Life
$396,194,800
16.59%
Busch
$677,018,800
0.32%
Glaceau Smart Water
$387,743,300
25.74%
Michelob Ultra Light
$555,349,200
16.65%
Deer Park
$256,776,000
8.80%
Miller High Life
$500,967,100
0.66%
Glaceau Vitamin Water Zero
$213,871,500
14.61%
Keystone Light
$484,197,200
-1.00%
Ozarka
$198,402,000
3.03%
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart. 52 Weeks through 5/13/12
22 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
NOT! Keystone Light
Private Label
NOT! Labatt Blue
SOURCE: Symphony/IRI Total food/drug/c-store/mass excluding Wal-Mart. 52 Weeks through 5/13/12
NOT! Glaceau Vitamin Water
ACTIVATE YOUR VITAMINS
Vitamins A, B and C deteriorate sitting in water. That’s why we keep ours stored separately in our unique cap, so the vitamins stay fresh.*
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Packed with potent vitamins and electrolytes 0 sugar, 0 calories per bottle 10 delicious varieties with clear benefits Bottle made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic Contact: Pat Sanderlin, VP of National Accounts, 909.286.4507 or patsanderlin@activatedrinks.com Š 2012 THE RISING BEVERAGE COMPANY, LLC
* Vitamins A, B5, B12 and C
By Gerry Khermouch
GERRY’S SUMMER READING LIST Hey, readers: if you’re in the beverage innovation game and haven’t yet read Jonah Lehrer’s Imagine: How Creativity Works (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), you ought to put it on your summer reading list. Not that the book utters a single word, to my recollection, about the packaged beverage business, but its insights into innovation – ranging from how creative corporations like Pixar routinely break through creative barriers to the neuroscientific underpinnings of innovative thinking – are fascinating reading. (OK, I’m no neuroscientist, and if I was maybe I wouldn’t be in the beverage business, but Lehrer’s arguments and citations have a convincing ring to them.) Since you’ve just promised me you’re going to read the book, there’s no need to review all its key arguments, which are rooted in compelling empirical experiments and case histories. So I’ll just highlight a couple. For one, Lehrer makes much of the propensity for outsiders to make key breakthroughs in a given sector, using insights from their areas of expertise to spot solutions that are opaque to insiders wrestling with the same problem. Such “recombinant” discoveries are reflected in history by Gutenberg’s transferring his knowledge of wine presses to book-printing and the Wright brothers’ transferring their knowledge of bikebuilding into creating the first (pedalpowered) airplanes. More contemporarily, former Eli Lilly unit InnoCentive, an early crowd sourcing initiative aimed at solving problems that Lilly’s own scientists couldn’t crack on their own, scored its best results from people who weren’t enmeshed in that specialty. Lehrer notes: “The secret was outsider thinking: the problem solvers on InnoCentive were most effective when working at the margins of their fields” – chemists solving molecular biology problems, a particle physics expert solving problems in chemistry and engineering, and so on. Another key point in the book: new ideas arrive from the creative friction
24 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
of dissimilar people who are forced to interact – whether it’s citizens colliding in a crowded city (Talking Heads frontman David Byrne picked up many of his most crucial musical and art influences just bicycling around New York) or people from different corporate departments bumping into each other in public areas (as Steve Jobs forced his Pixar employees to do by progressively moving the meeting rooms, cafeteria, bathrooms and gift shop to the center of its headquarters). Those ultimate outsiders, immigrants, account for a disproportionate share of patents and technology startups, Lehrer notes. That creativity and innovation come out of this stew of unlike people interacting has cropped up in quite a few recent books on urbanism, including Edward Glaeser’s Triumph of the City and Alan Ehrenhalt’s The Great Inversion (about the movement back into the city). But, as Lehrer makes clear, it’s a mistake to view big corporations as a business analogue of vibrant cities. He cites researchers who concluded, after an exhaustive analysis of 8,500 publicly traded companies, that corporate productivity, unlike urban productivity, doesn’t increase with size. “In fact, the opposite happened: as the number of employees grew, the amount of profit per employee shrank,” he reports. It’s easy to transfer Lehrer’s insights to other realms. As a pop music fan, I’ve long been struck by how many groundbreaking acts not only came out of left field, but couldn’t even claim a fundamental mastery of their instruments – whether it’s the semi-amateurs Johnny Cash assembled into his Tennessee Three or the Ramones, who helped change the direction of rock music while barely managing to strum three chords coherently. It’s not that breakthrough artists never emerge from conventional realms – after all, before breaking out, Jimi Hendrix spent years as a sideman – but rather that commanding formal virtuosity hasn’t been necessary to making a lasting impact. Though Lehrer doesn’t talk about bev-
erages specifically (aside from a discussion of the cutting-edge cocktail mixologist Don Lee at the center of a “parable of knowing less”), his conclusions synch up pretty well with the ad hoc observations of beverage people I know. Smaller companies, despite – or actually because of – the pressures and limitations they face, are inherently more likely to come up with breakthrough ideas than large companies. Prior beverage experience confers only limited advantages: many of the most intriguing new brands have come from total outsiders, or from folks who’ve come from some marginally related area, whether online marketing or sports medicine. In innovation, as Lehrer persuasively shows, having just a little bit of knowledge, far from being a dangerous thing, actually can be a good thing. Sometimes having that “outsider” perspective can come just from being willing to look beyond the beverage aisle. This was brought home to me early when, in the 1990s, a since-vanished rival of AriZona Iced Tea used its superior purchasing power to put the squeeze on the 23.5 oz. cans that were vital to AriZona’s identity. That sent AriZona’s founders scrambling for an alternative, and the solution turned out to be a longneck, square-shoulder glass bottle of the type seen not in the beverage aisle but in the salad dressing or steak sauce aisle. In its modest but vital way, that seems to reflect the kind of “recombinant” thinking that Lehrer argues can lead to breakthroughs. In AriZona’s case, the bottle allowed the company to weather the can crisis, and it remains a key part of the packaging mix today, more than 15 years later. For those of us – in large companies or small – who take pride in how carefully focused we are on our business – it’s worth keeping examples like this one in mind. Longtime beverage-watcher Gerry Khermouch is executive editor of Beverage Business Insights, a twice-weekly e-newsletter covering the nonalcoholic beverage sector.
EXPERT INSIGHT
By Jeff Weidauer
OUT OF STOCKS ARE (STILL) OUT OF CONTROL The past 30 years have brought untold changes to retail at all levels. At every point in the process, from ordering to logistics to checkout, the incorporation of technology has made things faster, easier and more cost-effective. So why are consumers still unable to find the beverage item they are looking for in the store? Despite the massive use of technology in the world of retail, the problem of out of stocks is one that remains unaddressed and as bad as ever. The generally accepted out of stock rate in the U.S. for food retail is about eight percent; this is the same as it was in 1980, or 1970. The ongoing expansion and influence of technology at retail has had little to no effect on the out of stock problem. The sales dollars lost are in the trillions of dollars according to some estimates. At the same time, there are deeper, less obvious effects that stem from the out of stock problem. True shopper demand is distorted, and the more popular the beverage or other product that is out of stock, the greater the resulting distortion. Operational costs go up, as store employees look for out of stock merchandise, write rain checks, and try to appease unhappy shoppers. This translates to about $800 per store per week, or enough for an additional full-time employee. To put that eight percent into context, it means that one out of every 13 items a shopper is looking for will be out of stock. And the curve skews to higher-demand products, meaning that the greater the sales of a given product, the more likely it is to be out of stock. The top-selling 20 percent of items comprise 80 percent of out of stocks. Out of stocks are truly an in-store problem, even more than most retailers know. Roughly 25 percent of out of stock items are in the store, but are not on the shelf for purchase. In fact, fully 75 percent of out of stocks in the typical retail store are an in-store problem; less than 25 percent are supplier or warehouse issues. The dollar losses resulting from the out of stock product itself is only the begin26 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
ning. Shoppers looking for an out of stock item will only select a substitute product a fraction of the time; after two or three incidents, a shopper is likely to start shopping somewhere else. What’s to be done then? If this problem has existed, virtually unchecked, for a generation or more, is it really unsolvable? Many old-school retailers say that there is no way to run a 100 percent in-stock condition, and they would be right. But the goal isn’t to be 100 percent in-stock on every item. The goal is to fix the top 20 percent that create 80 percent of out of stock sales losses. Some retailers have exacerbated the problem by measuring out of stocks and making part of the store manager’s bonus calculation. This practice has lead to all sorts of novel methods for hiding out of stocks at the shelf, all of which can turn a temporary out of stock into a permanent one. Numerous studies of the problem over the past 10 years have identified a leading contributor to the out of stock problem: poor planogram compliance. Beginning with errors in the initial shelf set, to the typical degradation of even a perfectly set planogram over time, planograms are
rarely what the home office thinks they are. It’s clear that finding ways to protect the integrity of planograms is key to reducing the out of stock problem. Another way to reduce the incidence of long-term out of stocks is through the use of sales data. The typical supermarket carries in excess of 40,000 skus, but the vast majority of sales (well over 80 percent) come from just 2,000. By monitoring the top-moving skus, and creating an alert when a popular item stops showing movement, a potential problem can be eliminated before it translates into lost shoppers. To be sure, fixing the out of stock problem at retail won’t be easy, and it will take time and resources. But the potential payback is worth a significant investment, and those retailers that make the commitment now will reap benefits well beyond the investment. Jeff Weidauer is vice president of marketing and strategy for Vestcom International Inc., a Little Rock, Ark.-based provider of integrated shopper marketing solutions. He can be reached at jweidauer@vestcom.com, or visit www.vestcom.com.
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COOLER CHECKIN
By Jeffrey Klineman
SPARKLING PERFORMANCE FOR TALKING RAIN It’s been a 25-year journey for Talking Rain, but the company has finally created a coast-to-coast hit that has distributors clamoring to be part of the action. In the past two years, after tinkering with functional products behind its functional Twist and Activwater lines and stalwart Sparkling Spring Water product, the Seattle-based company has turned its long-neglected Sparkling Ice product into a monster hit. In May, Sparkling Ice hit nearly $56 million in sales, according to IRI – up a whopping $13 million from the previous month in the channels that the service tracks. It’s had two years of four-digit growth year-over-year. And that’s not counting accounts like Wal-Mart, where the brand also thrives. The numbers indicate what the company itself says: that the product is moving broadly into chain accounts like supermarkets, drug stores and mass retailers. And things will move even faster up and down the street, as the brand’s chain accounts mean that it’s being targeted by beer and independent soft drink distributors who may have found a low-calorie carbonated product that’s unaffiliated with the Red, Blue or White systems. “I think it’s safe to say Talking Rain has a powerful thunderstorm in their portfolio,” noted beverage blogger Gregg Shore recently. The product is simple – a zero-calorie, flavored, artificially-sweetened carbonated water with eight fruit flavors. The keys to its increased sales are pricing consistency – it rarely strays from the neighborhood of between $1.19 and $1.29 MSRP — with the occasional 10-for-$10 deal – and a recently improved flavor, according to CEO Talking Rain CEO Kevin Klock. “When it comes to new age, you’ll see guys for a $1.59 and the next day at $.59 and $.79,” Klock said. “We think it’s fair to the consumer to be more consistent, so that when it’s on deal it’s a good value
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and when it’s off deal it’s still inexpensive. We’ve held the dollar, and we bring a really great value to the retailer because it helps them maintain margin.” What’s interesting is that the success of Sparkling Ice is something that the company had planned for one of its other brand, like non-carbonated, lightly sweetened Twist or sports-oriented Activwater, both of which carry more interesting packaging and branding elements. Talking Rain honchos who preceded Klock – including talented CEOs Bill Meissner (currently the chief over at Jones Soda) and Kevin McClafferty (now Marley Beverage’s president), among others – put resources and energy into building a nationwide distribution network, presumably for Twist or Activwater to ignite national sales for the company. But while neither product turned into a breakout hit, that network was in place for when Talking Rain retrenched behind Sparkling Ice. “It’s an enjoyable moment,” Klock told BevNET. “If you look at it, what happened is we spent a lot of time in the summer of 2010 going back and assessing why one flavor of sparkling ice [orange mango] sold so much better than the others… and we went back and focused on making sure the experience was consistent among flavors – and in September of 2010 the growth started.”
Once the flavors were straightened out, grocery availability began to jump – from about 49 percent ACV to nearly 80 percent ACV, Klock said. The brand retails consistently for $1.29 for a tall, skinny 17 oz. single-serve “candlepin” bottle. The distribution is a roughly even mix between Broadline, DSD and direct shipping. As a result of the increasing demand, the company has expanded into a production agreement with Mountain Valley Spring Water in Arkansas; Mountain Valley agreed to upgrade one of its five bottling lines to accommodate the product in February. But more recently, in the wake of an announcement by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg that he would be fining sellers of high-calorie sodas of more than 16 ounces in size, the demand for a reliable go-to carbonated beverage has had at least one high-profile distributor scrambling to reach out to Talking Rain. Other industry figures have been buzzing about the product as well. “There’s one cool thing here,” Klock said. “It’s our 25th anniversary – sometimes brands take a while to come along; I don’t think the rest of our country knows it’s our 25 anniversary, but locally it’s a big deal.” If the progress continues it might also be a big deal nationally, soon enough.
By The Numbers: Biggest BevNET Live Ever By Jeffrey Klineman Twenty-one different sessions with speakers and panelists. A $10,000 contest. Two days that drew 500 guests. Looking at the numbers at the seventh incarnation of BevNET Live, which finished up on Tuesday after two days of intense teaching, networking and community building in New York City, however, the event started and ended with the simplest number: one. As in, sell one bottle per day in each convenience store you’re in, and you can slowly build a brand. 30 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
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That “VPO of one,” introduced in the very first presentation of Day One by former Snapple CEO and current INOV8 Beverage Co. Chairman Mike Weinstein, serendipitously reappeared as part of the last panel of the event’s second day, as Zico founder Mark Rampolla, Polar Beverage CMO Gerry Martin and former Store 24 buyer Andy Steele discussed goals and responsibilities for entrepreneurial brands in new markets. Of course, there was plenty that took place in between. Following a humorous presentation entitled “I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then,” Weinstein made it clear that for beverage entrepreneurs, huge exits should not be the goal, explaining that multi-million dollar exits like those available to the founders of SoBe and Vitaminwater were as likely as inheriting a fortune from the cousin of a Nigerian dictator. But that doesn’t mean that worthwhile brands aren’t capable of being built, and much of the content that followed showed how some of the most interesting new beverages in the country are coming to market. A panel of entrepreneurs including Justin Guilbert and Douglas Riboud of Harmless Harvest, Janie Hoffman of Mama Chia and Danny Stepper of Aloe Gloe discussed ways their organizations have adjusted as their sales have increased, while emphasizing the importance of keeping growing teams focused on brand mission. And while passion is important, Hoffman explained, cultural fit is also the key. While things are moving fast for the three brands, they agreed that it’s important to say “no” to retailing opportunities that might not fit long term plans for the brand. Stepper called rejecting those seemingly prime opportunities “intelligent loss of sales.” Stepper’s idea was reflected the next day during a panel on the occasional shortcomings of entrepreneurs; Zevia CEO Paddy Spence, CheriBundi CEO Brian Ross and AquaHydrate CEO John Cochran have all recently taken over the top spot at their companies, and said their long experience heading other ventures showed that the occasional “P&L boost,” as Cochran put it, often distracts from the main business of growing the company. “It’s easy to get a good product into lots of stores, but if the consumer isn’t ready for it, the brand suffers,” Ross said. Getting consumers into a mindset that will accept new brands is often the job of a marketing team, and keynote speaker Rohan Oza, the former CMO of Vitaminwater, explained a number of strategies for priming the pump as he described “creative disruption” as a marketing strategy — much like the one he implemented when taking rapper 50 Cent and various sports stars and turning them into Vitaminwater investors and brand acolytes. Oza also pointed out that a certain amount of timing is required before a brand can activate celebrities as a way of putting it over the top. He said that Vita Coco CEO Mike Kirban (in whose business Oza is an investor) had been extremely patient in building the brand up at street level via a strong sales force before turning to celebrities like Madonna and Rihanna to help “push it to the next level.” According to Oza, brands that have potential operate in whitespace until they begin to make sense to a broader group of consumers: “Everything is niche until it’s not,” he told the crowd. Conventional marketing practices had already taken a shot the day before, when CNBC reporter and self-professed beverage fanatic Darren Rovell stopped by to talk to the crowd about some lessons they could take from observing Red Bull’s marketing techniques, which he called “an active case study” 32 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
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in innovative marketing. Rovell told the crowd that rather than just pay athletes to rep the brand — which he called inauthentic — the model should be along the lines of skier Lindsey Vonn, who even has a therapist and personal trainer supplied by Red Bull traveling with her. “Do you think she ever forgets to mention Red Bull when thinking about her sponsors,” Rovell asked. “A true reciprocal relationship should be the goal.” Reciprocity can also involve the brand and the retailer, as speaker Mathis Martines of The Fresh Market told the crowd. Describing a system in which the fastgrowing natural foods chain will take a chance on a new product in exchange for exclusivity, Martines said, creates a situation where the retailer is able to develop a reputation for always having new and interesting products. As for those products, he added, the retailer could have five or six new beverage types in the next year. Exclusivity is a good way to get new products into some stores, but trust helps as well — that was the point made by Ralph’s Stores’ Dan Riley, who used his time on stage during the first day of the event to “build relationships before brands.” That model, he said, is one of the reasons that he believes slotting fees — long anathema to entrepreneurs and distributors — may belong to an “old way of doing business.” It might not be old, but Big Geyser is one of the most well-established companies in the beverage distribution business, and COO Jerry Reda was also quick to point out that the company has relationships that allow brands it carries to gain an advantage in the New York area during his own talk at BevNET Live. Reda, who paid tribute to the entire Big Geyser team repeatedly during his speech, attempted to teach audience members strategies for launching brands with their new distributors. Launching is kind of a broad term, however, Reda said, indicating that the company still believes it is trying to launch Vitaminwater, even 11 years after it sold its first bottle in the New York area. “We just finished back-to-back months of double-digit sales increases,” he said of the brand. NOTE: Video of nearly all BevNET Live sessions can be found on BevNET. com’s new Beverage School at www.beverageschool.com. 34 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
New Beverage Showdown:
Grady’s Makes the Grade In what has become one of the most compelling parts of BevNET Live, the New Beverage Showdown once again rocked the conference, dazzling attendees with a range of innovative and on-trend products, and offering some truly pulsating drama to end the show. The third installment of beverage brand competition, ultimately won by Grady’s Cold Brew, gave companies the opportunity to showcase their brands and business plans in front of a judging panel of four beverage industry veterans and CPG experts, as well as an audience of 500 entrepreneurs, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. This edition of the New Beverage Showdown – developed in partnership with CocaCola’s Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) Unit – featured a significant twist, with four of the six companies chosen in advance of BevNET Live, and the other two selected during a Wild Card round held a day before the finals of the competition. The Wild Card round featured 12 companies, each given three minutes to present their products to a panel of judges. The two winners were chosen via a live audience text and e-mail voting process that garnered over 4,000 responses.
While over 70 companies applied to take part in New Beverage Showdown 3, the six finalists represented a diverse range of on-trend beverage categories including Chia\Vie, an all-natural, ground chia seed and fruit smoothie; Novo, a low-calorie, low sugar organic hydration beverage; Grady’s Cold Brew, a New Orleans–style iced coffee concentrate; and Last Call, a hangover prevention drink. The two winners of the Wild Card round were Frava, a naturally caffeinated juice drink, and Black Bear Energy, an energy drink produced with a blend of B12 vitamins and no added caffeine. Judging the competition were Seth Goldman, the co-founder and “TeaEO” of Honest Tea; Paula Grant, founding partner of Flood Creative, Mathis Martines, Grocery Marketing Coordinator at The Fresh Market, and Bridget McCarthy, Vice President, Category Commercialization at Coca-Cola Refreshments. After two days of enthusiastic and often lively presentations, the judges declared Grady’s the winner. Grady Laird and Dave Sands, the co-founders of the company, received $10,000 in cash and prizes, and in a brief victory speech the pair declared that the money would be used to purchase a forklift – certainly not the sexiest way to spend their winnings, but a clear indication that the hard work that got them the win would continue into the days ahead.
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Growth, Branding, and Social Networking Highlight
Brewbound Craft Beer Session By Chris Furnari
Brewers face a wide range of decisions on a daily basis – and industry experts at the Brewbound Craft Beer Session held earlier this month didn’t hold back on the financial or personal risks those decisions can have, describing both lessons that cost $5 million to learn and long-range sales strategies gone terribly awry. But with more and more craft companies joining the category, and existing brewers feeling a huge pull from increased consumer and retail demand, the overall mood at the event reflected beer’s rising profile. With every seat jammed and a live feed pulling in eager viewers who couldn’t get to New York for the Craft Beer Session, there was an enthusiastic audience for the strategies, personal success stories and ideas for handling the challenges of growth that came from presentations by the most important players in the craft business. 36 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
Underlying much of the day’s discussion was the sense that the category’s continued maturation and growth may become as big an issue for the experts as it has become for emerging brewers. There was a growing sense that between capital constraints and new capacity coming online, there will be a lot of wrestling for consumer loyalty. For example, Steve Hindy, the president and co-founder of Brooklyn Brewery, told the audience that he believes 10 million barrels of new capacity is currently being built out. That includes major east coast expansions from Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Oskar Blues, as well as roughly 1000 new craft breweries currently in the planning phases. “That’s a big deal and it’s a big risk,” he said. “Not everyone is going to win. There will probably be some spectacular winners and losers.” Magic Hat founder Alan Newman shared similar sentiments during his presentation on the critical decisions made with Magic Hat that led to the company’s success. When asked what he wished he had known while growing the brand, Newman replied: capacity utilization. “It cost me $5 million to learn,” he said. Recalling something he’d heard from Anchor Brewing Founder Fritz Maytag, Newman explained the struggle most craft brewers face when dealing with both capital and capacity concerns. “He (Maytag) said that most people think that growing a business and capital needs go in this nice growth curve,” Newman said. “They don’t. There are steps. You invest in capital, then you ride that capital, then you invest again. So how do capital and capacity relate? According to Newman, “you have to manage your capacity because that is where your cash comes from. And without cash you can’t invest in your business. If you can’t invest in your business, you won’t grow.” Growth, of course, hasn’t been hard to achieve for craft overall – but the rapid pace of growth over the past half-decade led to another theme for the day: is there a “bubble” for craft beer, and if so, when does it burst? “We are definitely in a time of irrational exuberance, aren’t we?” said keynote speaker Greg Koch, the CEO and Co-Founder of Stone Brewing Co. “The bubble might burst by simply slowing down – and that is fine.” While a major rejection of the ethos behind craft – or a sharp decline in the quality of brands calling themselves “craft” – would severely hamper to the overall success of the craft category, for individual brands, growth can also become a hazard instead of an opportunity. Adam Lambert, the VP of Sales for Dogfish Head, said that new brands should also be very cautious and not over-
JUNE 2012 BEVNET MAGAZINE 37
commit when growing distribution into broader retail channels such as grocery and convenience. “Last year we (Dogfish Head) were facing some capacity challenges and strong demand challenges so we went to our largest retail buyer and asked to be removed from 200 stores,” he said. “We knew that we could better service his other 100, with volume day-in and day-out and no out of stocks.” Still, for most new beer companies, growing to the size of a Dogfish Head will depend on their ability to extend their brand. Both Koch and Newman said that finding an authentic identity will continue to determine whether or not a brand makes it. “You have to have a vision for what your brand stands for and you have to be able to communicate that vision to a group of people without really being able to touch them and feel them,” Newman said. Mike Schneider, Senior VP of the marketing firm Allen & Gerritsen, elaborated during his own brand strategy presentation. “The company’s identity is brand,” he said. “It determines the way that your company communicates.” And if you aren’t thinking about your brand, Schneider added, then you shouldn’t be communicating – because those messages all impact your brand. “All of the messages you are putting out right now,” he added, “some of those become your brand and you don’t know what that is.” One of the ways brewers can communicate that vision is through social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Greg Avola, the co-founder of Untappd, spoke about the importance of social networking as a way to connect with consumers. “Users want to be engaged,” he said. “They want to know who is behind the beer you are making. When those kinds of things come across, the users feel more connected to you and are more likely to buy your products.” Jim Schembre, the general manager of fast-growing craft distribution network World Class Beer, echoed Avola’s words, and explained his company’s vision for connecting consumers, retailers and brewers through online social networks. “If you don’t satisfy consumers, craft brewers and wholesalers lose,” he said. “We want our wholesalers, consumers and suppliers to understand that everything we do at World Class Beer is consumer driven.” Schembre explained how World Class Beer looks to market directly to consumers with the hope of impacting their choices. It’s why they launched “Beer Spy,” a beer finder with accurate and upto-date information on how consumers can locate new products.
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Brewbound
A better way to experience beer
By Christopher Furnari
2012 CRAFT BREWERS CONFERENCE Confident but Cautionary You could hear the murmurs throughout the Craft Brewers Conference. With all of the new entrants to the craft category, it was apparent that the more seasoned industry veterans have some growing concerns about the future of craft. “I think it is important for people to understand that they are representing craft brewing every day, in every way,” Steve Hindy, the founder of Brooklyn Brewery said during his keynote address. “That is a responsibility and a privilege that everyone has to recognize.” So what is the top responsibility for new brewers? Many of the attendees we spoke with said that maintaining quality standards will be critical to the success of the entire category. “I guess my biggest concern is for us to continue producing world class beer and making sure that we’re doing our part in the bottle,” said Alan Newman, the founder of Magic Hat. But it was clear that attendees were worried about more than that quality of what is in the glass. Growing concerns over capacity, shelf space and overall business acumen were all named as challenges facing the industry. “There is a huge amount of excitement in the industry right now,” said Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. “It is another year of sustained, positive growth but there are some concerns about at what point things will slow. The shelf constraints and distributor portfolio concerns are definitely out there.” Paul Gatza, the Director of the Brewers Association – which hosted the event – expressed similar concerns. “I think one of the biggest challenges is going to be the fight
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for shelf space,” he said. “There are going to be so many new openings that it’s going to be hard for craft brewers to make it in that fight for shelf space.” But at the crux of it all are growing concerns on the overall state of brewery capacity. Hindy believes that among the nearly 10 million collective barrels of capacity currently being built out across the country, there will be some winners and losers. “I think the biggest challenge today is matching the tremendous expansion of capacity across the country to the natural growth of the market,” he said. “I think the brewers who figure out how to put those two together in a reasonable way are going to have a tremendous decade ahead.” So are brewers worried about an impending “bubble-burst?” There were mixed responses. “With all of the expansion that is coming up, I do worry about over-exuberance,” said Doug Odell, founder of Odell Brewing. “A lot of signs point to continued success and continued growth; although we know that everything goes in cycles. In other times and other situations we have seen that when the exuberance seems to be the highest, that is right about where the bubble is.” But Widmer Brothers Brewing co-founder Rob Widmer seemed much more optimistic. “I really don’t see any big challenge looming out there other than maybe managing growth,” he said. “I just think that if people are making excellent beer, and they are smart, the sky is the limit. I think we are still just scratching the surface.”
Brewbound
A better way to experience beer
By Christopher Furnari
Key Craft Offerings: As the warm summer months roll in, craft brewers break out their crisp, lower alcohol offerings. This issue, we feature a number of summer beers touted for their ability to refresh while still remaining complex in the flavor department. But too much of anything can get repetitive, so we included one special release surprise. All of these selections will be a critical part of a retailers SKU mix as customers look to beat the heat with higher volume, lower alcohol purchases this summer. Sweetwater Brewing Company. In August, Sweetwater Brewing will release one of its newest year-round offerings, LowRYEder, in six-packs. LowRYEder, a 6.2 percent ABV rye IPA features a 25 percent rye malt base and Mt. Hood and Centennial hops. The beer was originally released in the Crank Tank Series under the name Rye’d Ale. The beer will initially only be available in the brewery’s home market of Atlanta, but expect it to reach all other markets where Sweetwater beers are currently sold in 2013. The suggested retail price is $8.99 per 6-pack.
and just a touch of Hersbrucker hops. It checks in at 4 percent ABV and is sold across the brewery’s distribution footprint for an SRP of $4.00 per bottle. Redhook Brewery. Redhook Brewery’s latest seasonal release is Redhook Wit. Redhook’s twist on the traditional Belgian-style ale is the addition of fresh ginger, which gives a refreshing snappiness to this lighter-bodied wheat beer. The 5.2 percent Redhook Wit will be available through August in grocery stores in 12 oz. bottles and on draught. Suggested retail price is $8.88 per 6-pack. The Bruery. The Bruery’s latest limited addition offering is Tart of Darkness, a 5.6 percent ABV sour stout aged in oak barrels. With a roasty aroma and a tart finish, this sour black ale is a concoction of style and flavor. It will reach all 20 states (and D.C.) where Bruery beers are sold for a suggested retail price of $20. Only 18,000 bottles of this rare offering are being distributed.
New Belgium Brewing. Beat the heat this summer with New Belgium’s Somersault Ale. This easy drinking American Blonde Ale checks in at 5.2 percent ABV and goes down effortlessly. Citrus flavors balance perfectly with a soft apricot fruitiness. Somersault is available in all 28 markets New Belgium products are currently sold for a suggested retail price of $8.99 per 6-pack.
Karl Strauss. In June, Karl Strauss will release its Windansea Wheat in bottles for the first time. The authentic Bavarian hefeweizen was previously only available on draught due to limited brewery capacity. It is brewed with 50 percent white malted wheat and just enough Noble Tettnanger hops to balance the sweetness. It checks in at 5.1 percent ABV and is available across Karl’s entire distribution footprint for a suggested retail price of $9.99 per 6-pack.
Full Sail Brewing. The third beer in Full Sail’s 2012 Brewer’s Share series is “Chris’s Berliner Weiss,” developed by Assistant Brewing Supervisor Chris Haveman. It will be released in 22 oz. bottles and be available on draft this summer. Chris’s Summer Delight is an unfiltered, tart, small-batch Berliner Weiss beer, brewed with 50 percent wheat malt
Deschutes Brewery. Deschutes will release its Reserve Series Black Butte XXIV in July, this time adding dates and figs to replace last year’s addition of orange and chili peppers. Black Butte XXIV, a double porter, is bourbon barrel aged and checks in at 11 percent ABV. It will be made available in all 18 states where Deschutes beers are sold for a suggested retail price of $12.
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ON–DEMAND VIDEO LEARNING WHY BEVERAGE SCHOOL?
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By Jeffrey Klineman
THREE YEARS AGO, in an effort to revive the flagging Full Throttle franchise, Coke stripped things down. The company removed much of the taurine, guarana, b-vitamins, and other ‘mystery ingredients’ common to energy drinks from the product, streamlined the can, and went with a formulation that incorporated sugar, caffeine, and very little else in the way of energy boosters. Pepsi, meanwhile, went the other way, moving its own native brand, AMP, into a multi-sku line and eventually remixing the product to meet a variety of energy-related need states, like “Focus,” (with l-theanine and choline) “Active,” (with electrolytes) and Boost (with pretty typical stuff). While the most outstanding energy drink brands remain, by and large, independent, the relative sales performance of bigcompany entrants AMP and Full Throttle since that time reflect the prevailing wisdom in energy drinks, that more is more. AMP, with its broader focus, has performed better, while Full Throttle is on the verge of slipping out of the top 10. The divergent results – and the current crop of line extensions and highly-focused category entrants – show that in a category with several large players, much of the growth is coming out of niches. The large scale “hit-em-where-they-ain’t” innovations – like adding more caffeine or growing the size of the drink itself (note the success of Monster and Rockstar, both of which initially grew the category by going to 16 oz. cans) have been important for the success of energy brands, but as the category has matured, the growth is coming from innovative remixes featuring a growing array of esoteric ingredients and functional blends. A look at the brands that have ascended against the Coke and
44 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
Pepsi entries demonstrates the rule: Monster has grown not just vertically, but has broadened its line horizontally as well, adding an electrolyte-infused Rehab and a coffee-laden Java Monster variety to its core offerings. It is also on the verge of mixing in protein as yet another functional ingredient. Monster competitor Rockstar, which pioneered the energy/recovery category, also continues to break new ground by adding coconut water (Rockstar Coconut Water) and branched-chain amino acids (Rockstar XDURANCE) to other varieties. In a slightly counter-intuitive move, Rockstar has also added a relaxation sub-brand, Rockstar Relax. The other entrants into the category, new and old, are trying to keep the pace. “A lot of my customers are trying to differentiate their energy brands by adding a function, or a claim for a function, so that consumer sees a little more value beyond a standard energy drink,” said Walter Orcutt, the EVP at NVE Pharmaceuticals, a contract energy drink and energy shot manufacturer. “I think it’s happening even more rapidly now than it has in the past.” Take a look at the variety of new ingredients and functions and the energy drink category begins to look like an amped-up mirror image of the entire beverage industry. Sure, there are varieties in cola, coffee, tea, juice, water, and even – for a while, anyway – beer, but there are also on-trend launches and line extension that incorporate, in addition to protein or coconut water, Aloe Vera, acai, GABA, polyphenols, tea catechins and many others, including fat-burning and “sensation”-oriented effects. The cause of this varietal explosion? Competition, say most beverage executives.
“The addition of new ingredients and flavor components to energy drinks is a competitive move designed to further differentiate products to secure additional shelf space,” said John Lennon, CEO of Xyience, the maker of Xenergy zero-calorie energy drinks. But the energy drink format is one that allows easy adaptation, as well, Orcutt said, both because the margins on the products are so good they are able to absorb different additions, and because from a functional perspective the base of sugar and caffeine is easily felt from the start. “You’ve got some room to play around,” Orcutt said. “By the same token, where the energy drinks and energy shots are pretty simple, when you drink an energy drink or shot, you feel it. About 20 minutes later, you get the effect. If you’re going to do, say, a hangover product or a libido product, the basic energy component makes for a trustworthy package.” The best example of that most trustworthy package is Red Bull, of course, and its success is the exception – as well as the competitive juggernaut -- that proves the rule. Red Bull’s first to market status codified the notion of what energy drinks should do: since then, it has been able to limit the need for innovation in its own brand to just a few changes in packaging size and reduced sugar versions. Red Bull’s competitors, however, are always on the lookout for another edge. “The existing players have done a great job in dominating the available retail space with pure energy plays,” said Bill Meissner, the CEO of Jones Soda, which recently reformulated WhoopAss to add elements related to muscle recovery. “The customer (retailer) will not add products that simply duplicate the offering of the Red Bull and Monster simply because they have different brand treatments.” So where do the ideas for incremental innovations come from? Certainly, consumers’ embrace of new ingredients in other beverages or consumer goods can spur the innovation in a brand, according to Orcutt. But in other cases, the brand’s particular orientation can dictate the new ingredient set, such as with a “focus” oriented product like AMP. One hot area has been the addition of electrolytes and other recovery-oriented ingredients to products that overlap physical fitness or bouncing back from a hangover. Others have been more esoteric – and less effective from a sales perspective or from a functional perspective, as well. “Consumers aren’t going to scrutinize the variable ingredients – when you get into the exotic extensions, the ingredients are a little more interesting and they have more exotic names,” Orcutt said. “There’s a lot of botanicals that go in, but does it work any better? Is the function there? The consumer has to decide that.” That might be why a balanced approach is best. At Monster, according to VP of Marketing Geoff Bremmer, the ideas drive the innovation some of the time, as with the addition of protein to an already growing recover category. But in other cases, Bremmer said, a particular innovation dictates the development of a new product, as with the company’s using Ball’s cap free resealable can for its Import line. Regardless, the pace of innovation is likely to continue for as long as the low barriers to entry remain, and marketers continue to think about need states that might go well with a bit of extra caffeine. The notion of combining energy with other things is powerful,” Lennon said.
46 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
Brand
Dollar Sales
Red Bull
$2,796,105,000
Change vs. year earlier
19.63%
Monster
$1,470,400,000
20.51%
Rockstar
$499,002,500
14.45%
NOS
$247,196,700
12.12%
Monster Rehab
$227,029,900
1,310.76%
Monster Mega Energy
$214,649,200
19.62%
Java Monster
$214,502,000
23.39%
AMP
$149,172,200
6.90%
Rockstar Recovery
$146,783,900
66.45%
Full Throttle
$98,031,390
-5.79%
Monster Energy XXL
$88,966,720
0.98%
Monster Khaos
$70,010,820
2.14%
Rockstar Punched
$67,649,260
6.37%
Monster Nitrous
$65,987,320
-4.69%
AMP Overdrive
$60,020,260
-3.10%
Monster Assault
$45,612,810
0.10%
Xyience Xenergy
$42,029,980
33.89%
Full Throttle Blue Demon
$36,709,340
-6.41%
AMP Energy
$30,845,900
-5.31%
Rockstar Juiced
$30,760,170
-28.23%
AMP Elevate
$27,069,260
-6.51%
Rocstar 2X
$24,684,030
190.12%
AMP Traction
$22,652,870
-8.33%
Venom
$19,543,950
-26.54%
Red Bull Total Zero
$19,366,040
N/A
AMP Lightning
$18,548,150
-37.17%
Monster Energy Absolute Zero
$17,772,600
3,629,460.09 %
Monster M80
$15,314,470
-38.08%
Rockstar Roasted
$14,931,240
-1.43%
Monster Energy Light
$14,552,330
42.12%
VPX Redline Xtreme
$14,125,800
12.98%
AMP Boost
$12,654,490
N/A
Rip It
$11,267,610
-9.83%
FRS Healthy Energy
$10,439,800
60.93%
SOBE No Fear
$10,164,270
-66.40%
Rockstar Roasted Light
$9,527,714
8.75%
Private Label
$9,001,156
-22.25%
Monster Mixxd
$8,656,297
-53.23%
Monster Energy M3
$8,563,317
759.52%
Rip It Energy Fuel
$8,220,519
43.72%
Starbucks Refreshers
$7,324,337
N/A
Go Fast Sports
$7,050,715
9.92%
Venom Death Adder
$6,546,409
-10.58%
Venom Killer Taipan
$6,320,947
-16.33%
Shock Wave
$5,798,713
1.80%
Team Realtree
$5,320,733
3.63%
Monster Xpresso
$4,940,575
6.52%
Peteys Bing
$4,760,047
61.71%
AMP Focus
$4,468,014
N/A
VPX Redline Ultimat Energy
$3,879,278
-4.91%
BRAND NEWS
Energy Drinks
GOOD4U Drinks. Beaver Buzz Energy is
ready for distribution in the U.S. Beaver Buzz has a long track record in Canada and the longevity of Beaver Buzz can be attributed to its name, attractive packaging, taste profiles, and product efficacy. CEG Brands. Frava is a new caffeinated juice
drink created by three friends from Colgate University. The trio wanted to create a rehydrating, refreshing, and nutritious beverage to drink during the stresses of final exams, and from their efforts Frava was born. AriZona has re-formulated and re-launched
its RX Energy product with more caffeine. The drink still maintains the health benefits of green tea and other vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, and E. RX Energy is available in two sizes: 20 oz. PET “Tall Boys” and 23 oz. cans. AriZona’s AZ Energy is also now available in AriZona’s signature 23 oz. cans. Additonally, AriZona has launched CocoZona Espresso, an espresso-infused extension of its 100 percent coconut water line. The product has 50 mg of caffeine and maintains all the natural benefits of coconut water, including rapid fluid absorption and naturallyoccurring electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Hiball Energy produces a line of premium,
refreshing, sparkling energy waters and juices made with organic and fair trade ingredients. Hiball Energy products contain a proprietary organic energy blend of organic guarana (50 mg), organic ginseng (50 mg) and organic caffeine (160 mg). Hiball Energy is sold nationally at fine retailers including: Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Fred Meyer, Stop & Shop, Giant Landover, Shaw’s, Giant Eagle, Sunflower Markets, Earthfare, The Fresh Market, Haggen, Bristol Farms, and Foodtown as as well as independent grocery retailers across the U.S.A. and online at amazon.com. Hiball Energy is distributed through UNFI, Kehe/ Tree of Life, Haddon House, Soda Express, Palo Alto Egg, and Brandbridge. Masters of Beverages. Now in its third year
of distribution, Spider Energy Drink continues to perform well as a value branded energy drink, according to the company. Spider has partnered with new distributors including Sequoia Beverage and Energized, LLC in California, and Huff Distributing, which distributes to eight states in the Midwest. 48 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
The company also recently introduced a new sugar-free version of its Widow Maker flavor. Herbally Pure has introduced its new Super
Energy Vitamin Hydration drink. The product is an electrolyte-enhanced energy drink that contains 13 recommended nutritional supplements, as well as a number of additional minerals and antioxidants. The product is vegan and contains no fructose. Bazic Beverage has developed G-Shot, a
naturally-flavored, Goji-based antioxidant and energy drink. The beverage uses pure Goji berry along with natural green tea extract. The tea extract provides a quick energy boost and the Goji berry maintains the boost of energy without a crash. One G-Shot energy drink is equal to four servings of broccoli in antioxidant properties. Hockey Soda Energy recently sponsored the
New York City movie premiere of GOON, a Magnolia Pictures film starring Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, and Liev Schreiber. Hockey Soda Energy and Magnolia Pictures are currently running weekly contests on their social media outlets to give fans an opportunity to win various Hockey Soda Energy and Goon movie items. Hockey Soda Energy is in various locations throughout the U.S. and online at ThirstMonger.com. Nor-Cal Beverage. Beginning May 2012,
Nor-Cal’s Go Girl energy drink is launching a special edition pink camouflage can in select Northern California, Hawaii, and Arizona retail locations. As part of its continued commitment to community engagement, a portion of the sales from every Go Girl camouflage can will be donated to the Blue Star Mother’s of America military charity, and the company’s breast and ovarian cancer charitable contributions. Calidris US Inc. All-natural 28BLACK offers a sophisticated alternative to other products within the energy drink category. 28BLACK features a refreshing, fruity flavor derived from the acai berry. The brand is distributed in New York by Preferred Beverages, and will launch in Southern California later this summer. BAWLS has added L&L Distributors to its DSD network. L&L is based out of Fargo, North Dakota and services North Dakota, northern Minnesota, and northeast South Dakota. The company also announced that it has
BRAND NEWS
Energy Drinks
added Preferred Wholesale Inc. headquartered in Albia, IA as a distribution partner. Preferred Wholesale services the entire state of Iowa, and parts of Kansas and Missouri, Nebraska, Illinois, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Redux Beverages’ Cocaine Energy Supple-
ments provide 280 mg of caffeine per serving and utilizes a scientifically engineered formula of sugars and amino acids to counteract the effects normally associated with high doses of caffeine. Cocaine comes in three varieties: Cocaine Spicy Hot, Cocaine Mild and Cocaine Shot. Cocaine Spicy and Cocaine Mild are lightly carbonated and come in an 8.4 oz. aluminum can; the 2 oz. PET bottle shot format is non-carbonated and zero-calorie. Steaz has introduced a new promotional con-
test called “My Steaz.” The contest asks consumers to create a video about their inspiration for style. The winner will receive $5,000 and $5,000 for a charity. Steaz. Consumers can submit entries at http://www.mysteaz.com.
well as many essential vitamins. The beverage is packaged in an 8.4 oz. can and is currently distributed in the Middle East. Bulletproof offers a regular and a sugar-free
version of its energy drink in 8.4 oz. and a 16 oz. can sizes. The drinks are distributed on military bases and retailers throughout the Western U.S. Bulletproof donates five cents from every can sold to foundations that support wounded veterans. DNA Brands, Inc., makers of DNA energy drink, will introduce new exciting new eyecatching can graphics along with a new flavor - DNA Green - to its lineup of Citrus, sugar free Citrus and CranRaz flavors. Vuka LLC. Made with all-natural ingredients and nutritional supplements, Vuka is specifically enhanced to provide energy for a variety of activities. Instead of a one-syrup-fits-all adrenaline rush, Vuka offers intelligent energy that enables consumers to choose the kind of boost they need to achieve goals.
Hydrive has redesigned its label and logo
to enhance the communication of its energy benefits. In accordance with the pending FDA regulations for packaged beverages, Hydrive added its calorie content to the front of the label and switched from supplement facts to nutrition facts. Expanding on its core line of energy drinks, the company converted its Blue Raspberry SKU to HYDRIVE Extra Power, which now contains added B-vitamins and 195 mg of caffeine per bottle. Jones Soda. WhoopAss Energy drink is a functional beverage for active consumers. In addition to energy, WhoopAss supplies important ingredients to support a post-exercise muscle recovery program. Rip It offers an extensive line of flavors in 16
oz. cans, including the new Sugar Free StingeR-Mo, as well as 2 oz. shots now available in four sugar-free flavors.
BSN has introduced a new Cherry Limeade flavor to its line of Endorush energy drinks. Endorush contains a proprietary mix of energy boosting ingredients to improve focus, performance, and hydration. The beverage is non-carbonated and sugar-free, and is available nationwide. Arizona Investment & Trading, LLC. Fikks is an energy drink enhanced with Aloe Vera as 50 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
Radioactive USA, LLC has relaunched its energy drink in a new glow in the dark can. Radioactive Regular and Sugar-Free Formula contain 5,200 percent of the recommended daily amount of B-12, 15-35 mg of sodium, 0-15 grams of carbohydrates and sugar, and 35 mg of caffeine. Nitro2Go has launched Instant Energy: Extra Strength. It is formulated with more herbs, vitamins, and caffeine than the regular Instant Energy. Nitro2Go Just gives you more. Vemma has recently updated the packaging for its Verve energy drink. Verve sales are up 33 percent since the package update, and Verve has been honored in several awards competitions receiving the 2011 MarCom Awards Platinum Award, the 2012 American Package Design Award, the 18th Annual Communicator Awards Silver Award of Distinction, an AMA Spectrum Award, and the 2012 American Business Awards. Roaring Lion is available a variety of on-
premise packages including Bag-in-Box (BIB), resealable 16.9 oz. PET bottles, and 12 oz. & 16 oz. cans. The Roaring Lion line of energy drinks also includes two flavored energy drinks: orange-flavored Oranj, and blue-raspberry-flavored Bluphoria .
BRAND NEWS
Energy Drinks
GURU Beverage Co. has launched of a new design for its packaging and visual identity. The updated design features energy, motion and the authentic nature of the product’s ingredients. It will be rolled-out in Canada and the United States where GURU is distributed in health-food stores, including Whole Foods Market, specialized grocery and fitness centers.
Pomegranate and Grapefruit Ginger each contain 80 mg of naturally-occurring caffeine, and Classic Gold contains 120 mg. The Cranberry Pomegranate and Classic Gold flavors have 65 calories per serving, and the steviaagave sweetened Grapefruit Ginger has 45 calories per serving. XL Energy Drink Corp. is now working
XYIENCE Xenergy, the official energy drink
of the UFC has introduced two new flavors to its line of performance energy drinks: Melon Mayhem and Tangerine Twister. Both flavors will be packaged in silver cans, to communicate the brand’s core proposition as a sugarfree, zero-calorie beverage for active adults. The beverage’s packaging now includes its caffeine content and a recommendation that advises consumers not to mix Xenergy with alcohol. XYIENCE has increased the number of retailers that carry the line of energy drink by 20 percent in 2012. The brand has partnered with Love Bottling Company in Okla., and several East Coast distributors like Oak Beverage and Boening Brothers in New York, High Grade Beverage, Fisher Thompson and Nash Beverage in New Jersey and Metro Beverages of Philadelphia. XYIENCE also renewed its national brand agreement with Circle K. Xyience also had a record-setting first quarter in 2012, with quarter over quarter growth of its sales to distributors up 25 percent. Turbo Energy Drink products are now available as frozen carbonated beverages. Turbo Energy Frozen Carbonated Beverage is available in regular and orange flavors, each with its original energy formulation that includes caffeine, taurine, B-vitamins, glucuronalactone, inositol and pantothenic acid. Turbo also offers its Blue Desire Revitalizing Beverage; the beverage is enhanced with a vitamin blend that includes caffeine, GABA and B-vitamins. Zenergy Drinks LLC. Zenergy is formulated with green tea and utilizes natural ingredients to provide “calm energy,” according to the company. Zenergy offer special introductory pricing to new distributors. Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products.
Guayaki has launched a new line of sparkling yerba mate beverages. The drinks are USDA organic and GMO-free and come in three flavors: Classic Gold (cola), pomegranate/ cranberry, and grapefruit ginger. Cranberry 52 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
with more than 60 distributors on the East Coast, Midwest, Caribbean, South America, and Canada. XL Energy Drink is marketed as a lifestyle drink and promoted at events, nightclubs and parties revolving around the day and night, depending on the pace of each sales region. Golazo has extended its All-Natural Sports
Energy product line to include Mandarina (Mandarin, pronounced Man-Da-Reena) and Jamaica (Hibiscus punch, pronounced HaMy-Ca) Fruit Punch. They join existing teammates Mango-limon and Mango-limon Sugar Free. As are all Golazo products, the new flavors utilize all-natural, non-GMO ingredients. Rhino’s newest flavor is made with natural ingredients and 30 percent real fruit juice (cranberry and white grape) for a cranberry taste that’s not too tart. The beverage is made in Germany and available in 23 U.S. states. Monster Beverage has launched UberMonster, a non-alcoholic energy drink that is made with a base of fermented malt. The brewed, bio-activated product is packaged in a proprietary glass bottle. Monster has also introduced Monster Rehab Orangeade, which combines of orange juice, antioxidant rich tea and the company’s proprietary Rehab energy blend. Monster has also reintroduced its “Free Team Gear” program. Supported with a limited edition Monster Energy 16oz. can the program allows fans to redeem Monster can tabs for authentic Monster Energy athlete gear like sweatshirts, T-shirts, beanies, backpacks and more. Check out facebook.com/MonsterEnergy for details. Pyure Energy has launched two new flavors: Mixed Berry and Citrus. Pyure is an all-natural, organic, zero-calorie, sugar-free solution. The beverage is sweetened with organic Pyure Stevia. ABB Performance’s Anytime Energy is now
available in a half tea, half lemonade shot.
Diet Turbo Half & Half is packaged in an 8.5 oz. bottle that delivers 90 mg of caffeine with no calories, carbs, sugar or fat. Cintron recently inked a deal with Daymond John, star of ABC’s hit TV Series “The Shark Tank” and Shark Branding. Sum Poosie is now available in 8 oz. cans, each available with four different models appearing on the cans. For more information, please call 888-855-PINK, or visit www. SumPoosieWorldWide.com.
NOS and competitive gaming website Virgin
Gaming have reached a partnership agreement to make NOS Energy Drink the official energy drink of Virgin Gaming. Through the relationship, NOS fans, gamers and NOS Rewards Series members will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive sponsored tournaments powered by the Virgin Gaming platform. NOS Energy Drink will execute retail promotions, including an array of Virgin Gaming rewards and special tournament entries for participants. Rockstar has added three new products to its
Red Rocket Energy Drink. An energy drink
with a mission, part of the proceeds from Red Rocket Energy Drink will go to support the Wounded Warriors Foundation. Red Rocket drinks are proudly made in the U.S.A. Jacked Up has created a new bag-in-box line of Jacked Up Energy Teas, Coffees and Cappuccinos. The company has also introduced a new line of Jacked Up frozen carbonated beverages and 20 oz. RTD cans for launch in the summer of 2012.
line of energy drinks. Rockstar Iced Energy + Tea contains B-vitamins, caffeine, electrolytes, and Rockstar’s proprietary herbal blend. Rockstar Coconut Water is made with real coconut juice and formulated with Rockstar’s herbal blend, B-vitamins, caffeine, and electrolytes. Rockstar Relax is a relaxation drink enhanced with chamomile and passionflower, and flavored with guava.
p l ea s e
hydrate
naturally JUNE 2012 BEVNET MAGAZINE 53
PROTEIN By Ray Latif
54 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
The evolution of the sports nutrition category has been
riddled with a range of so-called groundbreaking formulations and chemically manufactured ingredients that are often advertised as “developed for the highest athletic performance.” Yet with the recent exception of coconut water, the infusion of protein into sports drinks represents an added ingredient with the most definable appeal to consumers, and in particular, serious athletes. Protein has been hailed a key component for exercise and workout recovery, and for sport drink manufacturers, the message has become loud and clear: protein sells. Protein’s impact on the development of the sports nutrition market has been clearly visible from the success of Gatorade’s G Series Recover line as well as Cytoport’s Muscle Milk, with both brands leading the category in sales of protein-enhanced sports drinks. Sales of Muscle Milk products have surpassed $200 million in each of the past two years, while Gatorade Recover accounted for more than $27 million in sales for the 52 weeks ending on May 13, according to SymphonyIRI, only two years after its debut in 2010. The numbers have attracted a range of new entries into the market with manufacturers introducing an array of new sports drinks jam packed with whey and milk-based proteins. And while Muscle Milk is infamously known in FDA circles for its lack of actual milk, one of the most notable and growing trends in the category has been the introduction of drinks which utilize milk as the chief ingredient, often in the form of meal replacement smoothies. One noteworthy example of a milk-based sports drink is Shamrock Farms’ Rockin’ Refuel, a line of protein-fortified flavored milk. Shamrock, which is one of the largest family-owned and -operated dairy companies in the U.S., advertises Rockin’ Refuel as a natural recovery beverage for athletes after workouts. Shamrock produces three varieties of the drink including its recently debuted Rockin’ Refuel Muscle Builder. Shamrock worked with vitamin and supplement retailer GNC to develop Rockin’ Refuel Muscle Builder, which contains 30 grams of protein and formulated to be low-carb, low-sugar, and low-fat, and is sold in select GNC stores across the country.
Brand
Gatorade Perform
“Muscle Builder removes the carbs but keeps the great taste of real milk,” said Sandy Kelly, the Director of Marketing for Shamrock Farms. “GNC wanted to provide a more natural protein option that milk brings, so we worked together to develop this new way to get that essential muscle-boost without a lot of carbs or sugar.” Shamrock is not the only dairy manufacturer with a milk-based sports beverage. Fair Oaks Farms Brands recently launched Core Power, a high-protein, low-fat, lactose-free drink made with hormone-free milk and honey. Core Power is shelf-stable and formulated with premium whey and casein proteins and promoted as containing and “optimum protein to carb ratio.” Positioning the brand as a natural alternative to other sports drinks, Fair Oaks has enlisted a range of endurance athletes as endorsers, including triathletes, long distance runners, and cyclists. The natural claims of milk-based sports nutrition drinks appear to be catching on as more consumers grow particularly weary of artificial ingredients. Yet, while manufacturers are able to promote as natural and well-known an ingredient as milk, a significant drawback for is milk’s high calorie count. Enter the all-natural, high-protein, low-calorie sports drinks. Last fall, Shadow Beverages relaunched Whey UP, a line of protein-infused sports drinks made with all-natural colors and flavors. As the name suggests, Whey UP contains 20 grams of whey protein, as well as a combination of 150 milligrams of caffeine and B-vitamins, enhancing the product as a dual function beverage. With 90 calories per 16 oz. bottle, Shadow is looking to reach a broader range of consumers with Whey UP, including stay-at-home moms, who, while not exercising in the commonly held sense of the word, are still leading active and athletic lives. One of the more intriguing entries to hit the sports nutrition category is SPYru, a new line of high protein, low calorie beverages. The drink contains 20 grams of protein derived naturally from Spirulina, an antioxidant-rich blue-green fresh water algae that is composed of nearly 70 percent protein, and 45 calories per 8 oz. serving. Advertised as “The Uberwater,” SPYru is also infused with vitamins E, C, and B complex, as well as a number of minerals, phycocyanin and chlorophyll. Though PRO ADE labels itself as water, the beverage is often sold and promoted alongside sports drink stalwarts like Gatorade and Powerade. The beverage contains the usual mix of electrolytes found in sports drinks including potassium, sodium, and calcium, with one significant difference: PRO ADE’s 20 grams of protein. The drink has no sugar or fat with 90 calories per 16.9 oz. bottle and calls out its low-calorie, high protein formulation as one having a dual functionality of both exercise recovery and weight control.
Dollar Sales
Change vs. year earlier
$2,066,349,000
6.76%
Powerade Ion 4
$675,943,400
3.09%
Gatorade
$448,994,200
12.68%
Gatorade G2 Perform
$423,167,500
10.32%
Powerade Zero
$190,440,900
1.15%
Gatorade Cool Blue
$60,578,520
34.07%
Gatorade Frost
$58,197,240
11.56%
G2
$51,402,160
-8.06%
Powerade
$41,874,140
11.11%
Powerade Zero Ion 4
$33,109,370
944.44%
Gatorade Recover
$27,297,720
-17.77%
Gatorade Fierce
$23,144,740
14.36%
Private Label
$17,868,680
-15.42%
Gatorade Fierce Bring It
$17,696,150
23.24%
Gatorade Fit Perform
$3,778,343
1,001.59%
Honest Ade
$2,725,113
39.06%
All Sport
$2,579,612
-16.29%
Mega Sport
$2,336,138
3,005.45%
X Ade Xtreme
$2,172,167
1,509.31%
Gatorade X Factor Be Tough
$1,603,165
-27.78%
Neuro Sport
$1,492,794
56.33%
Gatorade G2
$1,070,010
N/A
Bodyarmor
$978,669
N/A
Gatorade Rain No Excuses
$972,474
-62.29%
Gatorade Xtremo
$562,149
8.94%
Gatorade Fit Recover
$506,006
563.84%
Gatorade All Stars
$483,775
-76.33%
Gatorade X Factor
$458,842
-17.56%
RW Knudsen Family Recharge
$448,946
-13.25%
Sportastic
$402,669
-0.50%
Gatorade AM Shine On
$359,913
-92.77%
Gatorade AM
$293,129
709.43%
Title
$211,225
-66.06%
Arizona Sports
$190,088
330.77%
Pickle Juice Sport
$180,922
42.99%
Viso
$141,375
N/A
G2 Natural
$135,206
3,397,027.42%
Powerade Play Ion 4
$94,441
-98.58%
Gatorade Rain
$85,968
-77.23%
Sqwincher
$65,717
43.75%
Gatorade Tiger Focus
$63,125
-94.64%
Gatorade Natural
$60,325
N/A
Powerade Option
$59,529
-0.89%
Lil Sport
$56,999
507.14%
Gatorade Ice
$45,465
-74.90%
Celsius
$38,971
N/A
Viso Organic
$38,747
0.45%
Xzude
$20,449
-99.42%
Golazo
$20,272
N/A
Fitness Edge
$14,906
N/A
JUNE 2012 BEVNET MAGAZINE 55
BRAND NEWS
Sports Nutrition
Galloway Co.’s Fitness Edge was named the best tasting whey protein beverage at the World Dairy Expo and won a gold medal at the Expo for the third year in a row. The fruit juice-based beverage contains 20 grams of whey protein isolates in every bottle. Hydro One. BÖDE Sport Lemon Lime is
an all-natural sports drink. The low-calorie beverage is gluten-free, low in sodium, high in potassium, and contains no artificial coloring and flavoring. Hydro One is offering free shipping with orders of three or more cases of BÖDE Sport at www. thirstmonger.com. Advanced Nutrient Science Intl. has
introduced two sports drinks to the market. Pro-Series Xtreme Shock is an energy performance drink made with beta-alanine and nitric oxide. The drink contains 300 mg of caffeine and no sugar or carbohydrates. Protein Ice is a muscle-building protein drink that contains 42 grams of ultra-filtered pure protein isolate, 13 grams of Glutamine, and 8 grams of BCAA. The product is gluten-free and has no carbohydrates, fat, or lactose. Protein Ice is available in five flavors: Watermelon, Apple, Blue Raspberry, Grape, and Fruit Punch. mix1 Beverage Co. has launched a new 90
calorie version of its chocolate and vanilla flavored nutritional shakes. The beverages contain 9 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and natural antioxidants. Muscle Milk Cookies N Crème and Muscle Milk Light Vanilla Latte are the newest additions to the Muscle Milk family of flavors. Muscle Milk contains a precise blend of premium proteins, complex carbohydrates, functional fats, vitamins and minerals. The drinks are designed to promote workout recovery, build lean muscle growth, and give the body sustained energy. ZICO has launched Team ZICO, a well-
rounded, socially active team of over 70 athletes and brand evangelists ranging from NFL players to professional volleyball players to triathletes to up-and-coming surfers and skaters. All Team ZICO athletes receive benefits like monthly ZICO
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deliveries, cool ZICO gear and marketing support to build their personal brands and to help reinforce the message that ZICO is the hydration choice among naturally powered athletes. Red Ace performance drinks are made
from organic beets and other organic ingredients. Red Ace supports brain & cardiovascular functions while increasing oxygen and stamina, according to the company. Kill Cliff is the world’s first and only antiinflammatory drink. Kill Cliff was created by a former US Navy SEAL and is a lowcalorie recovery aid with key nutraceutical ingredients to help improve athletic performance and speed recovery. Greater Than is now distributed in Whole Foods Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions through Kehe & UNFI. Greater Than will be launching two new flavors later this summer. Vitalyte’s Tri Phase Endurance is the world’s first three-stage endurance fuel formulated for maximum results for serious athletes. Stage 1 provides mental focus and sustained energy with vitamins B6 and B12 combined with fast and slow acting carbohydrates including Palatinose, a patented endurance carbohydrate, to keep you going strong throughout workouts. Stage 2 uses a scientific electrolyte blend to replace essential nutrients lost while sweating, thereby quickly and effectively hydrating on a molecular level. Stage 3 combines Beta Alanine and Histidine to buffer lactic acid, allowing athletes to push longer, harder and faster. Nth Degree Innovations Inc.’s Low Gi is
a new low glycemic performance drink that includes Palatinose. Unlike higher glycemic sweeteners, Palatinose slowly supplies the body with carbohydrates over a longer period of time and generates a much lower effect on already normal blood glucose levels. Low Gi is all-natural with no preservatives and contains a balanced range of electrolytes including natural sea salt, potassium, magnesium and calcium, as well as 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12.
When it comes to potent performance ingredients, we’ve got the inside track.* Boost the hydration and recovery benefits of your next beverage with pure, clinically tested Sustamine™.* Produced through a patented fermentation process, Sustamine is a dipeptide that is more easily absorbed by the body than complex protein molecules.* This makes Sustamine a highly effective ingredient for hydration, endurance and recovery.* Vegetarian, allergen-free and the only GRAS L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine, Sustamine is also tasteless, odorless, and stable in liquids. If you’re looking for a rehydration and recovery ingredient that can give you a real advantage, get to know Sustamine.
For more information about Sustamine™ visit www.sustamine.com
Follow Sustamine™
For more information about Sustamine™ contact Kyowa Hakko USA: (212) 319-5353 www.sustamine.com *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Look for brands with Sustamine™ in their formulations
Sustamine™ is a trademark of KYOWA HAKKO BIO CO., LTD. Copyright ©2012 KYOWA HAKKO U.S.A., INC. All Rights Reserved.
BRAND NEWS
Sports Nutrition
ISS Research. OhYeah! Nutritional Shake
ACTIVATE Drinks is revolutionizing the
is now available in a 17 oz. Tetra Pak. The new package size contains 40 grams of portable, muscle-building protein with 3 grams of sugar. The beverage is lactose and gluten-free.
beverage landscape with a proprietary cap design that stores vitamins separately from the water, enabling vitamins A, B5, B12, and C to stay fresh and potent. ACTIVATE recently refreshed its design and enhanced its formula to create an ownable package that delivers great taste and functionality.
Gastroceuticals, LLC. Slayke, the first
Natural Antioxidant Water beverage to hit the market has created a whole new beverage category with its Lava Orange and Roobi Punch brands. Slayke is the only drink that is unsweetened but contains flavor and the appeal of color along with antioxidants. Slayke contains zero calories, and has no sodium, preservatives, sugar or artificial sweeteners.Slayke is sold to schools, health food stores, markets, cities and hospitals that are interested in promoting an Obesity Free Lifestyle to their consumers. For more information, visit us at www.slayke.com. B’more Organic has launched chain-wide in Wegman’s and repositioned the brand to appeal to a wider audience. The company tweaked its packaging and consumer narrative to reflect the brand’s authentic creation story and make the drink more emotionally and visually appealing. Sports Nutrition has launched GOOD4U Coconut Water Coconut Lime, adding to its current line-up of four functional drinks: Endurance, Recovery, Calorie Burner, and Relaxation. Additionally, GOOD4U beverages are now available in the company’s new Sports Grip PET bottle. GOOD4U products are quickly gaining distribution and a growing consumer audience, according to the company.
GOOD4U
Fair Oaks Farms Brands, Inc. has introduced Core Power, a high-protein recovery drink made with natural ingredients, starting with fresh milk and real honey. Core Power’s unique balance of high-quality whey and casein proteins is the same ratio that is naturally found in milk. Lactoseand gluten-free, Core Power is available in 26 gram and 20 gram protein versions, and comes in 11.5 oz. recyclable plastic bottles. The drinks are aseptically packaged, so no refrigeration is necessary.
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Innovative Health Solutions has released vibrant new packaging and formula improvements to H2O Overdrive HYDRATE. The company continues to ramp up its marketing and advertising campaign both regionally and nationally by advertising in national magazines, on regional radio stations, and strategic TV networks. H2O Overdrive has also increased its efforts on a national and regional scale with extensive social networking campaigns and regional sponsored events. VBlast is an enhanced water with vitamins that are stored in its cap as a liquid concentrate as opposed to being diluted in water where they can, over time, lose potency. The all-natural, sugar-free product contains a range of antioxidants and vitamins that help replenish nutrients in the body. VBlast’s water is bottled at the source in upstate New York. Orgain is a certified organic nutritional shake that is now available in over 9,000 stores nationwide. Orgain recently launched at all Fred Meyer, HEB, Fresh Market and Hi Health stores. Full Core is a lightly carbonated, great tasting drink designed to quench appetite and your thirst. The advanced full-core natural formula helps control appetite and promotes digestive health. Available in 4-pack and single serve 12 oz. skinny cans. PowerCoco is a low-calorie, low-sugar,
low-sodium sports drink that combines the natural hydration and functionality benefits of coconut water and contains no artificial ingredients and no high fructose corn syrup. POWERCOCO is partnering with former and current professional athletes, including Carmelo Anthony, to help with consumer education and bring POW-
ERCOCO to the masses. POWERCOCO comes in Lemon Lime, Tangerine, Grape, and Tropical Berry flavors and is packaged in 16 oz. PET bottles. Vita Coco, the country’s best-selling fresh
coconut water brand, has announced a new partnership with Texas Rangers’ Josh Hamilton. “Hydrate naturally” is the key campaign message in Vita Coco’s ongoing advertising, and Hamilton will be featured prominently in Vita Coco’s U.S. marketing campaign, appearing in billboard, radio, digital and in-store advertising and in digital/social media and PR programs starting this summer. Karma Water has recently partnered with
several new distributors include Dora’s in NYC, Clare Rose on Long Island, High Grade and Fisher Thompson in NJ, and Metro in Philadelphia. Karma is also now authorized for sale in a number of new
retailers including CVS in the Northeast, Sheetz, and Cumberland Farms. Additionally, Karma received an award for excellence in consumer packaging presented by the National Association of Container Distributors (NACD). Attitude Drink Company, Inc.’s Phase
III Recovery is a reduced sugar, low-fat recovery drink made from mineral- and nutrient-rich milk created with a strategically balanced protein to carbohydrate ratio for optimal fitness recovery. Fortified with a robust list of nutrients and electrolytes, Phase III is packaged in 14.5 oz., re-sealable and environmentally “green” bottles that do not require refrigeration until opened. Phase III Recovery is endorsed by professional athletes Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics and LeSean McCoy of the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Long overlooked in favor of their ready-to-drink counterparts, powdered drinks have benefited from a spate of innovation in recent years with manufacturers launching a range of new products and formulations specifically targeted to meet consumer demand for functionality. Armed with an array of novel ingredients and flavors, powder drinks have gradually emerged from the doldrums of dusty corner store shelves and are now aiming for prime placement and wider distribution in mass market and grocery chains. For a number of existing beverage companies, including FRS and Kraft Foods, powder drinks have been a formidable conduit to new consumers who are seeking out specific functional benefits, such as weight loss and energy. In many cases, powders offer manufacturers greater flexibility than RTD products when it comes to delivering new and innovative ingredients, and, in turn, a more potent and efficacious functionality. Consumers are not only responding to these new formulations, they’re driving the path for what’s next. “The innovation is in the consumer,” said Gregory Drew, who is the director of food and beverage for PharmaChem, an ingredient supplier and contract manufacturer of powder beverages. “The smart beverage companies are the ones able to react to the demands of customers.” Drew noted that consumers are continuously becoming more aware and interested in what they are drinking, and are particularly drawn to “legitimate” health and wellness claims, which he called a powerful way to market powder drinks. “Legitimate claims [will drive] consumers to buy a product once, and if the drink tastes good, they’ll buy it again,” Drew said. “Manufacturers should not only abide by government policies regulating these claims, they should take ad-
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vantage of and exploit the regulations by utilizing several different types of claims that are at their disposal.” One such company that utilizes a range of health and benefit-related claims is Zipfizz. The energy drink mix is advertised as one that delivers “a powerful charge of micronutrients to the body’s fuel system,” and a “rush of vitamins, minerals and key amino acids to protect the immune system.” With a steady mix of marketing claims and aggressive sampling, Zipfizz has found placement in 2,000 Walmart stores across the country and is aiming for distribution in all Walmart locations by the end of 2012. Another powder drink manufacturer touting a range of functional benefits is Phix. The company claims that its all-natural Phix Energy product is a “sophisticated energy drink powder blending green tea antioxidants, energy-restoring NADH and yerba maté for enhanced vigor.” Phix, which does nearly all of its business online, lists a bevy of research documents on its website to educate consumers about its ingredients and marketing claims. However, not every manufacturer has to convince consumers of the advantages of health and wellness benefits associated with its products. Reva, an all-natural coconut water powder derived from young coconuts, has benefitted from a deluge of positive press and word-of-mouth marketing about coconut water and its natural electrolytes. Reva’s challenge is in convincing consumers – and retailers - that its products are preferable to an RTD coconut water in having a longer shelf life and their ability to be mixed with carbonated without losing flavor and nutrients. The young brand has found some success with distribution on GNC.Com and select GNC stores in New York City and New Jersey.
Freezer Pops
Powdered Drink Mixes
Dessert Mixes
od of Fun Fo
www.jelsert.com
Ready-to-Drink Beverages
Trademarks of Dr Pepper Snapple Group affiliated companies used under license by The Jel Sert Company ©2012 Dr Pepper Snapple Group.
s
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Team up with a leading powdered drink mix producer. When it comes to stocking the brands consumers trust and the flavors they can’t resist, there’s only one name you need to know – Jel Sert!
BRAND NEWS
Powders
Reva, an all-natural coconut water powder
derived from young coconut water, has introduced four new flavors: Chocolate Coconut, Pomegranate Coconut, Cranberry Coconut, and Blueberry Coconut. Reva, which has a longer shelf life than ready-to-drink coconut waters and can be carbonated without losing flavor and nutrients, is distributed on GNC. com and in select GNC stores in New York City and New Jersey. FRS has unveiled new packaging for its Healthy Performance powdered beverages. Low-Cal Wild Berry, Low-Cal Orange and Low-Cal Lemon-Lime are now available in brighter and bolder packaging. FRS powdered drink mix comes in a box of single-serve stick packs, and each stick contains 10 calories - the lowest-calorie way for consumers to get FRS sustained energy.
cient Japanese tea,. Packaging for the brand includes a multi-serving tin and single-serve packets for on-the-go convenience. Crystal Light has introduced two new, limited-edition Mocktails flavors: Pomtini and Peach Bellini. Pomtini and Peach Bellini join permanent Crystal Light Mocktails flavors Margarita, Mojito, and Appletini - and will be available in mass market and grocery stores nationwide while supplies last. Crystal Light flavors contain five calories per serving and are available in multi-serve canisters with five 2 quart packets. Propel Zero powder is a zero-calorie formulation that contains vitamins and antioxidants, and is made with no added sugars. The product comes in eight flavors, including Lemonade, Citrus Punch, and Cherry Lime, each of which is enhanced with calcium.
AriZona has extended its Arnold Palmer Tea
Stix line to include Arnold Palmer Peach Half & Half with Sweet Tea and Lemonade, Arnold Palmer Southern Style Half & Half with Sweet Tea and Pink Lemonade, and Arnold Palmer Half & Half with Green Tea and Lemonade. The Tea Stix size is designed to be added to a 16 oz. bottle of water for delicious flavor on-the-go. Each flavor is sweetened with Splenda and contains five calories per serving. AriZona has also extended its Arnold Palmer Peach Half & Half Powder Mix to 2 quart sizes. All three flavors are sweetened with Splenda and contain five calories per serving. Additionally, AriZona’s Green Tea made with Organic Sugar is now available in a powder form that comes in an easy-to-use, re-sealable package. Each package makes up to three gallons of Arizona’s classic tea and each serving contains only 70 calories. Stirville has announced that it is approved
to start selling Sahara Spice spiced lemonade mix in Whole Foods in Torrance, CA. Sahara Spice is a lifestyle beverage with 10 calories, 40 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C, and no caffeine. The powder can be mixed with juice, coconut water, tea, wine and liquor. Jade Monk has received international recog-
nition as well as significant interest by some major retailers for its bold packaging as well as its creative new spin on matcha, an an-
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Phix Energy is an all-natural energy drink powder mix designed to provide consumers with smooth and sustained energy along with improved alertness. The powder is made from organic ingredients, and is also vegan, gluten-free, and comes in three flavors: Tropic, Teaberry and Citron. Zipfizz is a healthy energy drink mix powder
packaged in a tube. The powder contains a significant amount of vitamins, and is both low-calorie and low in carbohydrates. Zipfizz is currently in 2,000 Walmart stores and aiming for distribution in all Walmart locations by the end of 2012. CLICKco, LLC has launched a new decaffeinated line of coffee protein drink products to complement its original line of coffee protein drinks. CLICK Espresso Protein Drink Decaf Mocha contains the same gourmet, coffeehouse flavor as the original, but without the caffeine. CLICK Decaf has 15 grams of protein, 23 essential vitamins and minerals and a double shot of decaf espresso. CLICK is designed to be made hot, cold or blended. Nuun & Company has introduced Nuun All
Day to its line of electrolyte hydration tabs. Nuun is enhanced with a natural blend of 17 vitamins and minerals, contains no sugar, and has less than eight calories per serving. Nuun All Day comes in four flavors: Blueberry
Pomegranate, Grapefruit Orange, Tangerine Lime, and Grape Raspberry and is available at retailers nationwide and online at nuun.com. Jel Sert has introduced a new Berry Bonkers
flavor for its Hawaiian Punch Singles to go. The drink mixes offer consumers another way to enjoy the brand in a sugar-free single-serve format. This product is available in over 47,000 retail grocery, mass, drug and dollar outlets in the United States, with 10 signature flavors. Jel Sert has also introduced Cherry Limeade, Strawberry Lemonade and Half Iced Tea/Half Lemonade flavors to its Wyler’s Light powder line. Additionally, Jel Sert has launched Crush and Squirt Singles to go! drink mixes, which are available in top selling Crush flavors including Orange, Strawberry and Grape. Finally, Jel Sert has launched Yoo-Hoo Singles to go! drink mixes for milk. Yoo-Hoo Singles are available in chocolate and strawberry. Each single-serve stick flavors an 8 oz. glass or small carton of milk. Both flavors are available in grocery, mass, drug and dollar stores. Big Train Fit Frappé is a coffee protein drink designed to be consumed as a cup of coffee, afternoon latte, or meal replacement.
This beverage has 130 calories, 20 grams of protein, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 5 grams of fiber in a 16 oz. serving that can be served iced or hot. Fit Frappé is available in three coffee flavors, Mocha, Vanilla Latte and Espresso, and two coffee-free flavors, Vanilla and Chocolate. Big Train’s Fit Frappe was recently selected as one of the best new products at Coffee Fest trade show in Seattle. Eruption USA. Eruption Effervescent Energy is a unique formula of vitamins, amino acids and plant extracts. Eruption can be added to any liquid beverage for a natural boost of energy and electrolytes. Visit www.eruptionusa. com for upcoming events and new retail locations where the brand is sold. Kraft Foods. MiO Energy is a portable liquid
water enhancer that provides 60 mg of caffeine per 8 oz. serving. MiO Energy contains vitamins B3, B6 and B12 and has no sugar or calories. The beverage is available in two flavors - Black Cherry and Green Thunder – and comes in two sizes: 18 or 12- 8 oz. servings per bottle, each with a suggested retail price of $3.99. MiO Energy is available in mass market, grocery and convenience stores nationwide.
The Brand in Demand Increase your sales with a line of Creamy, Great-tasting, Coffee-infused Energy Drinks Now your customers can stay energized and alert with a grab-and-go energy drink that actually tastes great. This decadently creamy coffee drink comes in three irresistible flavors and bright packaging that will jump off your cooler shelf.
www.caffusion.com A product of Cold Star, Inc. (800) 269-4052
A Creamy, Great-Tasting Coffee-Infused Energy Drink.
www.facebook.com/caffusion
JUNE 2012 BEVNET MAGAZINE 63
PROMO PARADE
Promotions, events and specials for the industry
Pepsi Announces Global Partnership with the Estate of Michael Jackson
Tecate Launches Nationwide Search For Official Soccer Correspondent Team
Pepsi has launched an exclusive global partnership with the estate of singer Michael Jackson as part of its new “Live for Now” campaign. The partnership coincides with the 25th anniversary of Jackson’s multi-platinum BAD album and record-breaking tour, around which the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music have celebratory projects underway. Pepsi will feature iconic silhouette imagery of Michael Jackson on cans with the launch of collectible limited edition can designs. Pepsi will also run contests in markets around the world giving fans the opportunity to win merchandise including, a limited number of jackets inspired by the original staff BAD tour jackets and tickets to Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil, the #1 touring show in North America.
Tecate has launched a national search for a group of soccer fans to travel and report on a soccer game of the team’s choice in Mexico or the U.S. As the “Tecate Correspondent Team,” the selected individuals will receive round-trip airfare, accommodations, tickets to the game and an opportunity to share their passion for the sport. To apply for the opportunity to become the “Tecate Correspondent Team,” a group of three adults aged 21 or older must register on Tecate’s Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/ Tecate) by August 26, 2012. Applicants will have the opportunity to prove their ability to communicate their unique insight, perspective and passion for soccer to others through their blogging and reporting skills, by completing a short online application. The top five eligible groups will be interviewed by a panel of experts, who will select the most qualified trio to capture the excitement of a soccer game of their choice in Mexico or in the U.S. through articles, photos and videos. Details of the search will be communicated to consumers via thematic point of sale materials at retail locations throughout the country. Featuring the tagline “Deja que tu Pasión te Lleve” or “Let Your Passion Take You”, and elaborated by Dieste, they include mass-displays, posters, price cards and mail-in rebates on the purchase of Tecate or Tecate Light product and related snacks.
The Give a Damn Campaign Launches Celebrity T-Shirt Project Presented by Van Gogh Vodka Van Gogh Vodka has partnered with Cyndi Lauper’s Give a Damn Campaign, which promotes the advancement of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. Beginning this month, the Give a Damn Campaign will sell new additions to their Celebrity T-Shirt Project presented by Van Gogh Vodka with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Give A Damn Campaign. The new limited edition T-shirts, which promote the message of equality and acceptance for the LBGT community, are designed by celebrities Jane Lynch, Alan Cumming, Idina Menzel, and Chelsea Handler.
64 BEVNET MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
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PROMO PARADE
HINT Named Official Water Sponsor of City Park Foundation’s Summerstage HINT Inc., maker of all-natural, unsweetened essence water, announced that unsweetened HINT has been selected as the official water sponsor for New York’s City Park Foundation’s SummerStage festival in Central Park. HINT’s variety of no calorie, unsweetened essence waters will be available all summer to attendees at vendor booths. With the recent movement against sugary beverage consumption, HINT will be launching their ‘Drink Water, Not
Sugar’ campaign during three sampling days. In addition to being sold at all 2012 SummerStage events in Central Park, HINT will host three sampling days during The New York Pops with Ozomatl show; at Comedy Central Park; and at the Young and the Giant. These sampling days will feature HINT stations for attendees to relax, refresh, and ‘Drink Water, Not Sugar,’ while educating consumers and providing fun gifts to concert attendees.
Miller Lite Searches for America’s Next Comedic Star Miller Lite is searching for the best up-andcoming comedian in America. “Stand Up. It’s Miller Time.” provides emerging comedians an opportunity to shine at five events across the country. The search will make stops across the country, with actor and comedian Kevin Hart. Hart will serve as a special judge during the four regional semifinal competitions in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago and New Orleans, and the finale to announce the grand-prize winner in Las Vegas. By voting for their favorite comedian online, legal-drinking-age consumers will be entered in a sweepstakes for a chance to win a variety of prizes, including a trip for two to the grand finale in Las Vegas. Through June 25, consumers will have
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the opportunity to cast a vote online at www.StandUpItsMillerTime.com for one of six, pre-selected local comedic contestants in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago and New Orleans. The four comics with the most votes in each market will perform in a semifinal comedy show in their respective city, with the winner advancing to the “Stand Up. It’s Miller Time.” finale in Las Vegas. Consumers will have a chance to vote online from July 23 through August 6, for a fifth semifinalist to advance to the final round in Las Vegas, as a Wild Card contestant. The grand prize winner of the “Stand Up. It’s Miller Time.” competition will receive $10,000 and a feature in the urban lifestyle magazine Complex.
Jarritos and the Urban Luchador Jarritos has launched a new series of video and commercials featuring a new spokesperson, the Urban Luchador, an underdressed wrestler from Mexico. The commercials feature the Urban Luchador armed with glass bottles of Jarritos soda. In one video titled “Marathon,” the Urban Luchador helps runners stay hydrated - by throwing glass bottles at them. In another video called “Locked Out,” the Jarritos hero comes to the aid of a mom in “mom jeans” who’s locked out of her very brown sedan.
Open A CAn of WhoopAss and you open a beverage unlike any other on the market. This multi-functional energy drink packs a one two punch that will keep you going and work to repair your muscles after rigorous or extreme exercise. IN EVERY CAN Amino Acids such as Taurine, L-Arginine, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine: the building blocks of protein that are critical to metabolism. Yerba mate, grape extract, and polyphenols from green tea, which have been linked to supporting workout recovery. A robust Vitamin Blend: B2, B3, B6, B12, and a total 2250 ORAC Units: Equal to antioxidant power of 2.5 servings of vegetables.
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contact: Dan Ashby Director of Sales West • 949.361.8611 • dashby@jonessoda.com John Wolgamot Director of Sales East • 609.744.5466 • johnw@jonessoda.com