Content about Soft drink

BETHESDA, Md. — Coca-Cola's Honest Tea brand is expanding its initial launch of Honest Fizz, a line of naturally sweetened zero calorie sodas. Honest Fizz comes in four varieties: Lemon Limey, Orange Pop, Professor Fizz, and USDA Organic Root Beer — the only organic zero-calorie root beer on the market. Honest Tea is sweetened with a blend of stevia leaf extract and erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol. Low- and no calorie sodas are a fast-growing segment of the carbonated beverage market. Honest Fizz is available in 12-oz. single cans and six-packs.

WASHINGTON — Three Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday released a report that found inconsistencies in the labeling and classification of energy drinks, extensive marketing to adolescents and young adults through social media and events, and high caffeine levels that exceed what is considered safe in soda by the Food and Drug Administration. The report was compiled using responses from 14 energy drink companies received by Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., from their investigation into the industry.

NEW YORK — A judge in New York has blocked a controversial law banning the sale of large-sized sugary drinks, according to published reports.

The New York Times reported that state Supreme Court justice Milton Tingling invalidated the law. Mayor Michael Bloomberg had pushed the rule as a way to promote healthier diets for New Yorkers, but it attracted widespread criticism as intrusive.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — PepsiCo is testing the waters of a new beverage segment with Kickstart, a new breakfast drink that's a mix of Mountain Dew and 5% real fruit juice. The beverage comes in two flavors, orange citrus and fruit punch, and has 80 calories per 16-oz. can, about half the calories found in a typical soda.

So far, Kickstart is being positioned as an alternative to coffee or juice, and not as an energy drink.

There’s plenty of pep left in energy drinks. “Energy drink performance accelerated in 2011, and we expect strong growth once again in 2012,” said Gary Hemphill, SVP of Beverage Marketing Corp.’s information services division. “The energy need-state is large, and demographics for the category have begun to broaden, which has helped to continue the strong growth.” The segment now represents more than one-tenth of the total carbonated soft drink market, according to Beverage Digest.


Drug Store News spoke with Paddy Spence, CEO of Zevia, about the potential for natural sodas in the U.S. marketplace.



DSN: What is the awareness level of nonartificial sweeteners, and how is that trending in the U.S. market?

AIRPORT CITY, Israel — SodaStream has launched a new line of flavors sweetened with an all-natural plant-based sweetener.

SodaStream said its stevia-laden flavors initially will launch in Europe, with U.S. sales expected to begin this summer. The initial flavors, with less than five calories per serving, include pink grapefruit, peach-pear, orange, lemon-lime, cranberry-apple and others.

NEW YORK — A new machine from a company based in Wando, S.C., gives retailers a new way to sell ice cream, according to published reports.

RetailWire reported that Robofusion, founded by Allan Jones, had developed an eponymous robot that allows customers to create their own ice cream desserts.

According to the company's website, customers walk up to the machine, choose 1-of-4 "Robot Characters" that program the robot movements and effects and then design a five-layer ice cream and candy treat.

SEATTLE — Jones Soda has launched its pure cane soda in 16-oz. cans.

The new product is specifically aimed at the convenience store channel, the company said. The product was unveiled at the National Association of Convenience Stores Show and will hit store shelves later this month.

Jones pure cane soda cans retail for $1.29.

ATLANTA — After announcing that it would roll out a 1.25-liter package for several of its soft drink brands, Coca-Cola reportedly also is revamping its Diet Coke cans, according to a published report.

Diet Coke, which has been on the market since 1982, will debut a limited-edition can that will make its way to stores shelves next month, according to Adweek.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — PepsiCo's Canada operations has introduced its first soft drink bottle made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

The company said that its 7UP soft drink will be available in the EcoGreen bottle in Canada. With the introduction of the 7UP EcoGreen bottle in Canada, PepsiCo Beverages Canada will reduce the amount of virgin plastic used by approximately 6 million lbs. over the course of one year.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — PepsiCo said that it is ready to test market a new reduced-sugar cola.

The company said that its latest innovation, Pepsi Next, would be available in the Iowa and Wisconsin markets. The beverage offers consumers the taste of a full-calorie cola while touting less sugar, Pepsi said at the Beverage Digest Wall Street Smarts conference on Monday.