What's Happening Across Beverages
By
BevNET staff
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Hawaii may follow the example set by Chicago, which recently instituted a fi ve-cent per-bottle tax on bottled water. The bill currently before Hawaiian legislators would expand Chicago’s precedent and levy a five cent surcharge on each bottle of water sold or produced in the state – though language in the bill would prevent any bottle from being taxed by the state twice. The IBWA has challenged Chicago’s law in court, and said Hawaii’s bill, which would take effect Oct. 1, would damage the economy and inhibit consumers’ ability to buy beverages free of sweeteners and artifi cial color and fl avorings.
From a regulation point of view, we’re going through a fairly hot period when it comes to the beverage industry. Here are some highlights that we’ll be following:
Kentucky state representative Danny Ford (R-Mt. Vernon) introduced a bill that would ban the sale of energy drinks in his state to anyone under the age of 18. Ford said a student from Brodhead Ky. inspired the bill when he submitted his heart-rate-raising experience with an energy drink for a contest Ford called “It Ought to be a Law.”
Industry professionals said the bill unfairly targets energy drinks.
Ford said he received a positive response to the bill, which has been assigned to Kentucky’s Health and Welfare Committee, but has not yet been heard there.
OMG: It's OG's. Or Maybe Not.
We were all ready to tell you all about famous running back Jim Brown’s new beverage venture, OG Nation, but now we aren’t.
The company has switched over to a new moniker, Hall of Fame Beverages.
*nOte: APParentlY, there’S SOme SOrt Of laWSUIt gOIng On betWeen the PInK Sheet Shell COmPanY that baCKed
OG NatIOn and OGS themSelVeS.
But anyway, it looks like most of the drinks are the same. Hall of Fame is still promising a pair of truly Funkadelic energy SKUs in Atomic Dogg and Atomic Dogg Sugar Free. Most delightfully, however, there’s still the Larry Johnson Beverage Division, featuring Grandmama at his fi nest, dunking into a bottle of sweet tea.
We can’t wait. But we have a feeling we’ll have to.
Costco Gets into the Beer Business
Under its Kirkland Signature label, Costco has long sold dry and paper goods, as well as private label knockoffs of everything from pine nuts to paper towels.
But now the warehouse giant is moving into the beer game. The company has been approved for sales of amber ale, pale ale and hefeweizen, along with a pilsner. Domestic brewer Gordon Biersch has signed on to product the brews.
While store-brand and generic beer has not been a winner in the past (who can forget generic yellow cans with “BEER” on the side) the upscale nature of Costco might be a good fit. The brewer has already made beer for quirky gourmet house Trader Joe’s for several years.
Costco and Trader Joe’s both also sell private label wines and sodas.
Nestle and Jamba go From Juice Bar to Your Store
Here’s one to watch: Nestle and Jamba Juice have announced a worldwide licensing agreement to produce and distribute a line of RTD beverages under the Jamba brand name.
The products will launch domestically in the spring of 2008 in a distinctly New Age package: Smoothies, which include low-fat milk, and Juicies, which include non-fat milk.
Both will contain vitamin and mineral boosts similar to the ones added in to Jamba Juice products in their retail stores.
Jamba Juice has nearly 700 stores worldwide, while Nestle is one of the world’s largest food companies.
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