The soft launch of MiO Energy takes place December 2011, with a full rollout starting January 2012.

Original Story 10/4/11: I recently attended the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show here in Chicago (though nowadays they prefer to call their organization the Association for Convenience and Fuels Retailing… but you get the idea!)

From a beverage enthusiast's perspective, there was some interesting product developments to keep your eye on. One upcoming product is MiO Energy.

We've previously reviewed a few versions of this flavor additive from Kraft Foods… and frankly, were a little underwhelmed.

However, based on the feedback of that review (of which many folks said we were just crazy), as well as what the marketing people at Kraft tell me, things have been going really well for the product line.

At the show they were giving a peak at the next line extension, MiO Energy, which takes the original concept and adds caffeine and vitamins.

It's launching in December with 2 flavors, Black Cherry and Thunder Punch.

I was able to try both flavors, which were pre-mixed for sampling at the show, thus I don't know what sort of water-to-MiO ratio they were using (my gut, however, is far more than the recommended "One squeeze for each 8 fl oz. serving."

Still, the flavor was very good, with the Thunder Punch option feeling more citrusy, while the Black Cherry might be what you may expect from a cherry-flavored drink.

So for those of you who are MiO fans out there, this might be something to keep your eyes open for, as the product is now jumping into a realm of light energy drinks at this point.

Here's an excerpt:

Snapple and Grammy award-winning pop-rock band Maroon 5 have partnered to launch 'Tea Will Be Loved' – a delicious blend of healthy green tea and tasty black tea with notes of pomegranate and berries. Tea Will Be Loved will benefit Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, by helping to provide 1,750,000 meals to those in need.

Inspired by the unique personalities of the band members and named for their smash-hit "She Will Be Loved, this limited release Snapple tea will be available at participating retailers nationwide beginning on September 1, 2011.

…Tea Will Be Loved is a five-fruit mash-up of the best stuff on Earth, with each band mate choosing their own flavor to add to the tea: pomegranate, orange, blackberry, raspberry and hibiscus. Tea Will Be Loved features 13 specially marked gold Snapple caps with Real Facts about Maroon 5 and Feeding America, such as Real Fact #682: Maroon 5’s former name was “Kara’s Flowers.” The band also contributed to the graphic design of the packaging for the new tea.

Update 8/15/11: A BevReview reader has spotted Snapple Tea Will Be Loved and shared a cameraphone photo of the packaging:

From this photo, we now know that this flavor is "Pomegranate Berry Flavored Tea With Other Natural Flavors." It's being branded as a "Maroon 5 Fruit Mash-Up" and a "Limited Release" (using phrasing familiar with the music industry, as noted by the inclusion of… a note. A charity element is also at play given that the product lists that it's "In Support of Feeding America."

If you look at that graphical image of fruits in the picture, you'll see the 5 flavors represented: Orange, Raspberry, Blackberry, Hibiscus, and Pomegranate.

Original Story from 8/2/11: We've got confirmation that 7Up Mixed Berry Antioxidant is slated for the holiday season, replacing Pomegranate 7Up, which has been underperforming during its seasonal releases.

Coming Soon: 7Up Mixed Berry

Additionally, a new limited edition Snapple flavor, Snapple Tea Will Be Loved, should be coming this fall. Continuing the moves by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to link to pop culture phenomenon, this beverage plays off the name of the Maroon 5 song "She Will Be Loved," a hit from their 2004 album. The drink itself is slated for feature a combination of 5 flavors.

Discontinued: Pomegranate 7Up

If the 7Up Mixed Berry name sounds familiar, it's because it was used as the launch flavor for 2004's disastrous 7Up Plus line, which included 7Up Plus Mixed Berry, 7Up Plus Island Fruit, and 7Up Plus Cherry. Those drinks attempted to differentiate themselves by featuring real fruit juice, calcium, Vitamin C, and Splenda. It was a gross combination.

Coming Soon: Snapple Tea Will Be Loved

For this new 7Up Mixed Berry attempt, sources indicate that it will borrow a page from the relaunch of Cherry 7Up, i.e. Cherry 7Up Antioxidant, and throw in some vitamins and stuff.

This seasonal 7Up Mixed Berry drink will be available in both regular and diet versions. Here's hoping it tastes better than 7Up Plus!

Update 5/16/11: As debuted on the 5/15 episode of NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice show, and later illustrated on 7Up.com, here's a look at the packaging for 7Up Retro:

(Source: 7Up.com)

Official description for the bottles above reads: "Introducing 7Up Retro. Made with real sugar for an UNdeniably crisp, clean taste and available in glass bottles for a limited time."

(Source: 7Up.com)

Official description for the 2 can designs above reads: "Introducing two retro-inspired takes on 7Up, from The Celebrity Apprentice Finalists A and B. Made with Real Sugar for an UNdeniably crisp, clean taste and only available for a limited time."

The first option reflects the 1970s, while the second is situated in the 1980s, as denoted by this poll on NBC's official website for the show:

(Source: NBC.com)

7Up's Facebook page also looks at the different decades and how they relate to package design:

(Source: facebook.com/7UP)

Ingredients are as follows: Filtered carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, potassium citrate, natural flavors, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor). Contains no juice.

A 12 oz bottle or can contains 150 calories, 45 mg sodium, 39 g carbs, and 37.5 g sugars.

Also, here are a few screencaptures of 7Up Retro packaging concepts from the same episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. Watch via Hulu.com

(Source: NBC)

(Source: NBC)

(Source: NBC)

(Source: NBC)

Availability is slated to be at least through the end of June.

Original Story from 3/14/11: As hinted at via our tweet on February 28, we've got confirmation that 7Up Retro will be arriving in May.

(Source: Flickr, used via CC BY-NC 2.0 license)

The launch will be tied to a promotion done in conjunction with NBC's Celebrity Apprentice reality show. You may recall that last year, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, the parent of 7Up, used the same show to launch limited runs of Diet Snapple Trop-a-Rocka Tea and Snapple Compassionberry Tea. Apparently the folks at DPSG found that platform successful enough to continue with rollouts.

We've also heard that Snapple's sponsorship of one of BevReview's favorite reality shows, The Amazing Race, will be used to introduce new flavors Papaya Mango Tea and Diet Papaya Mango Tea later this month.

The introduction of a limited time lemon-lime product that uses "real sugar" should provide a nice comparison product to Pepsi's Sierra Mist Natural. While we like the sugar Sierra Mist, we do agree that something in the taste just seems a bit… off.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group experimented with the current limited release "real sugar" trend in soft drinks via Heritage Dr Pepper (bottled by Pepsi) and Dr Pepper with Real Sugar (bottled by Coke). Of course what got this whole thing started was the rollout of PepsiCo's Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, which after 4 limited edition rereleases, are now permanent parts of the Pepsi lineup. With the recent reboot of 7Up's normal formula, we're looking forward to tasting this sugar-infused version.

We couldn't turn up any trademark filings or early packaging art on 7Up Retro, but keep your eyes open! Remember we're just an e-mail, tweet, or Facebook post away!

Pepsi is rolling out a new grapefruit-inspired beverage called Citrus Blast, apparently targeted at the likes of Coke's Fresca and Fanta Grapefruit, as well as Dr Pepper Snapple Group's Squirt.

Citrus Blast
(Source: Beverage Digest. Used with Permission)

Thanks to information provided by Salute to Soda and Beverage Digest, we know that it will be arriving soon.

Looking at filings with the US Patent and Trademark Office, there are some weird entries. For example, trademark requests for both "Citrus Blast" (#85192888) and "Diet Citrus Blast" (#85192887) were filed on December 8, 2010, but then "abandoned because the applicant filed an express abandonment" by December 14, 2010, just two days later. In this case, it was "PepsiCo Corporation" who applied for the trademarks.

The next day, December 9, 2010, these trademarks were once again applied for, again as "Citrus Blast" (#85193898) and "Diet Citrus Blast" (#85193906), with both proceeding along as being "Published for Opposition" on March 1, 2011. Here's the goofy part. For this second set of trademark filings, the owner is listed as "The Concentrate Manufacturing Company of Ireland Corporation, Ireland Corner House, 20 Parliament Street, Hamilton, Bermuda". Some research revealed that this is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PepsiCo, serving as "a worldwide supplier of ingredients and concentrates to bottling agents." Pepsi seems to use to them license flavors of their international brands and a couple odds and ends. For example, Manzanita Sol as well as their old Tava brand were trademarked through this subsidiary. They also seem to control the international, non-US trademarks of 7Up and 7Up Free via The Concentrate Manufacturing Company of Ireland.

This just makes you sort of wonder what's so different about Citrus Blast that they went this route of trademarking vs. using PepsiCo as the owner. Could there be international plans for Citrus Blast? Is there something going on regarding rights or ownership of that name that required a Bermuda holding company to be used. Maybe it's the name of an energy drink flavor elsewhere? The mysteries never cease!

You might wonder why Pepsi all of the sudden needed to have a grapefruit-type drink in its lineup to compete with the likes of Squirt. Well, it all goes back to 2009 when both Coke and Pepsi were on this kick to buy their largest bottlers and merge them into respective corporate cultures (The Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas for Pepsi, Coca-Cola Enterprises for Coke). When that was taking place, both companies had to renegotiate with Dr Pepper Snapple Group for the rights to carry Dr Pepper and other drinks, since DPSU has relationships with those bottlers already.

In the end, what ended up happening is that both Pepsi and Coke paid Dr Pepper Snapple Group a ton of money to retain distribution rights for Dr Pepper in the territories where they previously handled the beverage. However, if you read the fine print, you also found that DPSU got some rights back as part of the deal. For example, Coke surrendered some rights to sell Squirt, Canada Dry, Schweppes and Cactus Cooler, while Pepsi surrendered Sunkist, Squirt, Vernors and Hawaiian Punch. Notice which drink is mentioned in both cases?

Yup, Squirt.

Thus, Citrus Blast seems to be Pepsi's way of fueling that niche since they no longer have the rights to distribute Squirt. At least, that would be my speculation.

Looking at the package design and the name itself, could they have gotten any more generic and boring? One look at that and you instantly think "knockoff store brand," not something from the same folks who brought you Mountain Dew. The fonts and style look like a mid-2000s Sierra Mist (anyone remember Sierra Mist Lemon Squeeze?), complimented by some cheap clip art. Even the name itself has "blah" written all over it. It's going to be interesting to see how they market this flavor, because you are already starting in a hole with a name and design like this.

Diet Citrus Blast
(Source: PepsiProductFacts.com)

Pepsi has some information available on their product facts website, which supports the label's proclamation that both the regular and diet versions will be caffeine free. The official description they provide is as follows:

A whole new twist on Citrus

A deliciously light, crisp and clean-tasting citrus soda with a splash of real grapefruit juice. The combination of bubbles and fresh citrus flavor makes this caffeine free beverage extra refreshing and thirst-quenching

The regular version via 20 oz bottle contains 240 calories, 110 mg sodium, 64 g carbs (and sugars), and overall features 1% "juice".

Citrus Blast
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, grapefruit juice concentrate, modified food starch, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), glycerol ester of rosin, natural flavor, potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor)

Diet Citrus Blast, again in a 20 oz bottle, isn't zero cal, as it's listed as having 10 calories. Along with the use of grapefruit juice concentrate (1% juice), it will be sweetened by the popular combo of aspartame (177 mg) and acesulfame potassium (or Ace-K, 44 mg). It will also have 115 mg sodium, less than 1 g carbs (and sugars), and like the original, features 1% "juice".

Diet Citrus Blast
Carbonated water, citric acid, grapefruit juice concentrate, aspartame, modified food starch, sodium citrate, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), pectin, glycerol ester of rosin, acesulfame potassium, potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor)

Has anyone seen or tasted Citrus Blast yet? What do you know about the drink? Feel free to share in the comments or via Twitter and Facebook as we await more information!

Last year it was Jones Tofurky & Gravy Soda. This year, bacon is on the menu from the folks at Jones Soda.

Jones Bacon Soda Holiday Pack
(Source: Jones Soda Co)

The company has announced Jones Bacon Soda as part of a larger holiday pack you can order for the season. This continues a grand tradition of disgusting drinks such as Turkey & Gravy, Brussels Sprout, and Latke Sodas.

Here's the press release from Jones outlining the limited edition flavor:

Jones Soda Co. and J&D's Foods Bottle Up Bacon
Bubbly Bacon-Flavored Soda Set to Sizzle

SEATTLE, WA – (Marketwire – November 4, 2010) – Jones Soda Co., a leader in the premium soda category known for its unique branding and innovative marketing, today revealed they are in fact selling a long-rumored bacon-flavored soda made in partnership with J&D's Foods, the maker of such bacon flavored products as Bacon Salt, Baconnaise, BaconPOP and Bacon Gravy.

(Source: Jones Soda Co)

"Bacon is like the eighth wonder of the world," said Jones Soda Marketing Director, Mike Spear. "We spend a lot of time listening to our customers on social media sites, and we couldn't help but take notice of the hundreds of thousands of people taking part in bacon discussion boards and fan groups right now. We felt it was our duty as leaders in the premium soda category to carbonate bacon's salty goodness."

Available today at http://www.myjones.com/store and http://www.store.baconsalt.com, bacon fans can purchase two bottles of the salty new soda; a bag of J&D's Cheddar BaconPOP™ bacon and cheddar flavored popcorn; J&D's Bacon Lip Balm and a package of J&D's Bacon Gravy for $9.99 plus shipping and handling.

Jones Soda, together with the team at J&D's Foods, dedicated a team of flavor experts to the development of the soda for months with the goal of capturing bacon's unmistakable flavor in a carbonated form. Both companies say the successful launch of the new soda may only be the tip of the iceberg in their collaboration.

"Our job is to give our customers the flavors they love, and they undoubtedly love bacon. This was the perfect alignment for us," commented Spear. "Until now, it was impossible to guzzle your favorite breakfast meat, so this is a huge step for bacon lovers everywhere and may be the start of a very long relationship."

Source

We're looking forward to reviewing this beverage, though we probably already know how it's going to taste. However, it wouldn't be the holidays without something crazy from Jones!

6 collectible cans of Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar"
(Source: Beverage Industry magazine)

This release is for a limited time to celebrate Dr Pepper's 125th anniversary over the summer (specifically, "through September" or "while supplies last"). As such, they'll have 6 different can designs and a special bottle look. Soda enthusiast forums such as Salute to Soda have been talking about this since April and the news hit mainstream with a recent Associated Press story. The May 2010 issue of Beverage Industry magazine also hinted at the release when covering the history of Dr Pepper, calling the sugar-sweetened product Dr Pepper Heritage.

Bottle: Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar"
(Source: AP)

The folks over at BevNet's forums report that this new Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar" will be available in markets where Coke has the bottling rights to Dr Pepper, namely the bottlers of Coca-Cola Enterprises (or CCE).

12-pack package design for Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar"
(Source: AP)

Specifically, it's being produced in bottling plants that can handle "liquid sucrose", i.e. refined sugar which can be a generic description of either cane sugar, beet sugar, or a mixture. Based on what was used in Pepsi Throwback, Mountain Dew Throwback, and Heritage Dr Pepper, our guess would be that beet sugar or cane/beet combo is being used in this new Dr Pepper — it's just cheaper to make that way. As such, this drink most likely will not be Kosher. This also makes the drink substantially different from Dublin Dr Pepper, which is bottled in Dublin, TX, and exclusively uses Imperial Pure Cane Sugar (this is typically considered the best Dr Pepper you can find).

Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar" can design
(Source: AP)

The default to Coke-owned bottling sources isn't much different from the release of Heritage Dr Pepper, which was available in locations where Pepsi bottled Dr Pepper (and frankly, made it somewhat harder to find). It's also not confirmed at this time if other bottlers will be involved in the distribution of Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar".

Will it taste the same as Heritage Dr Pepper? We'll have to taste it to find out. Hopefully, the 125th Anniversary edition of Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar" will be easier to find for everyone to enjoy.

Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar" can design
(Source: AP)

Finally, you know one thing we are looking forward to with this release? Well, of course it's the inclusion of sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). I mean, c'mon, it just tastes better. But beyond that, it's actually the novelty of 6 "collectible" can designs! Here at BevReview, one of the first things that attracted us to the world of drinks was all the different cans that used to be featured "back in the day". I mean, do you remember Pepsi's "Cool Cans"? Nowadays, with the 20 oz. plastic bottle gaining dominance as the preferred way to sell and market drinks, you don't see a much in the way of unique can design, so we applaud the folks at Dr Pepper for making effort here with a tip of the hat to cans!

Here's the official press release from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group:

Dr Pepper Commemorates 125 Years With Collectible Cans Honoring Its Heritage
Limited Edition Cans Available Through September

PLANO, Texas, July 7 /PRNewswire/ — Dr Pepper, the oldest major soft drink in America, continues its 125th Anniversary celebration with the release of Dr Pepper made with real sugar in six collectible cans, inspired by the beloved brand's rich history. Consumers can enjoy the 23 flavors of Dr Pepper in this new packaging beginning in early July through early September.

Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar" can design
(Source: AP)

The anniversary cans feature legacy artwork and popular advertising slogans such as "I'm a Pepper" and "10, 2 and 4." In addition, 12-pack cases highlight key moments from the brand's history from its origin at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, TX, in 1885, and its introduction at the 1904 World's Fair, to the widely popular "I'm a Pepper" advertisements first released in 1977.

"Dr Pepper has evolved for 125 years, thanks to its unique flavor and a fan base that continues to grow," said Dave Fleming, director of marketing for Dr Pepper. "We're honoring the brand's legacy and thanking our fans everywhere for their support by offering something special – commemorative cans depicting some of the most memorable moments in our history."

Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar" can design
(Source: AP)

Dr Pepper kicked off its anniversary year on the symbolic date of January 25, 2010, when Dr Pepper ad icons David Naughton and Gene Simmons rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Continuing the celebration, the brand launched its Dr Pepper Cherry flavor during Super Bowl XLIV. The ad spot featured Gene Simmons as "Doctor Love" joined by Paul Stanley and their KISS band mates as well as tribute band MiniKISS.

Dr Pepper 125th Anniversary product is available in 12-oz cans with six collectible can designs and 20-oz bottles at retailers nationwide, until supplies last.

Source

Also, if you missed it, here's the AP's take on the new release:

Dr Pepper orders sugar for 125th anniversary
by Emily Fredrix (AP)

NEW YORK — Dr Pepper is prescribing some sugar this summer in honor of its 125th anniversary, the latest in a series of moves by soda makers to temporarily swap out high fructose corn syrup.

The spicy soda made by Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. is rolling out Dr Pepper "Made With Real Sugar" this weekend through early September.

Cans and bottles will feature old logos in the company's deep red, and colorful designs with lions and bright swirls of color harkening back to the 60s. Popular phrases such as "I'm a Pepper" also appear.

Video: Tribute video to Dr Pepper's anniversary [No Audio]
(Source: YouTube)

There are six different can designs. The company wanted to bring back the sugar version to help highlight its past, which dates to the creation of Dr Pepper by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, in 1885.

Dr Pepper declined to say if it will try out sugar in other brands such as Canada Dry, 7-Up and A&W Root Beer.

Manufacturers are testing sugar drinks as people's appetite for them increases, as some become concerned about high fructose corn syrup. Though they're nutritionally almost identical and equally caloric, some consumers believe corn syrup is less healthy than sugar.

They're also racing to come up with natural, no-calorie sweeteners and reformulate their beverages, though they haven't been able to apply that to major soft drink brands yet.

Last summer, rival PepsiCo Inc. launched real sugar versions of Pepsi and Mountain Dew, calling them "Throwback" and using old packaging designs. Pepsi Throwback was so popular the company brought it back for a brief time in the winter. It declined to say what the drink's prospects are for the future.

Coca-Cola Co. offers a kosher version of Coke that uses sugar (look for bottles with yellow caps), often available around Passover. Mexican-made Coca-Cola, which also uses real sugar, can sometimes be found in the U.S., and fans pay a higher price for it. One Dr Pepper bottler, Dublin Dr Pepper, has been making the soft drink with sugar since 1891, in the drink's home state of Texas.

More could be coming. PepsiCo's Sierra Mist line will now be reformulating into a sugar-sweetened version called "Sierra Mist Natural," according to a report Thursday by trade publication Beverage Digest. PepsiCo, based in Purchase, N.Y., did not return messages seeking comment.

The industry switched to high fructose corn syrup in the 1970s as a cheaper alternative to sugar, said Gerry Khermouch, editor of Beverage Business Insights.

There seems to be growing demand for it, as evidenced by Pepsi's success with Throwback, even the second time around, he said. But drink makers are also wary of sending a message that there's anything wrong with high fructose corn syrup.

"In some ways their worst nightmare is that this thing sells through the roof, because then that's telling them something about how consumers feel about their product," he said.

Source

And we hated it.

In our May 2006 review, we noted the following:

Upon opening the new formula, it smelled like good ole 7Up. However, the taste was different. It still was the traditionally "clean" taste associated with this brand, but something else was there as well. I couldn't quite place it, but it had similarities to Sierra Mist, which in my opinion, was not a good thing. I'm not a big fan of Mist. The aftertaste is different, but I think I liked the older version of 7Up better.

The problem with 7Up was not the formula. The problem was marketing and support from its owners, Cadbury Schweppes [later renamed Dr Pepper Snapple Group]. Hopefully they put some promotional muscle behind this and its sister brand, Dr. Pepper.

We still stand behind those comments. Around the time, 7Up Plus appeared with its horrid flavor extensions (Mixed Berry, Island Fruit, and Cherry). The flavor wasn't broken. Distribution was lacking, promotion was lacking, "buzz" was lacking. But the flavor was still good.

2006: "Now 100% Natural" vs. 2007: "100% Natural Flavors"

Ironically, the "natural" claims of the 2006 reboot of 7Up got Cadbury Schweppes into trouble with the Center for Science in the Public Interest which threatened to sue the company because the "natural" drink still used high fructose corn syrup. 7Up eventually backpedaled on their claims, changing "100% Natural" to "100% Natural Flavors". They continued this new claim on Pomegranate 7Up and Cherry 7Up Antioxidant.

In any case, it looks like the formula for 7Up is back on the drawing board again. This from The Wall Street Journal:

Dr. Pepper Snapple To Reformulate 7UP; Ad Campaign Planned
May 24, 2010

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–Dr. Pepper Snapple (DPS) is reformulating its 7UP brand, adding new graphics to its packaging and launching new advertising around the brand in a move that could help boost volumes of the drink in the fourth quarter.

In an interview, the company's chief marketing officer, Jim Trebilcock, said the newly "restaged" 7Up will hit U.S. stores in September and that the company is using technology to give the drink a "crisper" lemon and lime taste. Trebilcock said the relaunch could help raise the brand's volumes as soon as the fourth quarter.

7Up is a key brand for Dr. Pepper in the U.S. and is the company's second largest carbonated drink after its namesake Dr. Pepper. "We grew 7Up last year. We wanted to see if we could accelerate it," said Trebilcock.

So, it looks like we're getting a "crisp" flavor back to 7Up. Of course, if they just made it with real sugar, that would go pretty far in differentiating this lemon lime from the likes of Pepsi's Sierra Mist and Coke's Sprite. It's not like the idea hasn't been floated by their competitors (um, Sierra Mist Natural?) Plus, given how 7Up's market share was about 1% in 2009 vs. Sprite's dominant 5.5% (per Beverage Digest), it could use a little love.

In any case, it looks like we may see the new 7Up in the fall. I know we're not alone in curiosity wondering about the new taste!

In early February Beverage Digest's John Sicher tweeted that Dr Pepper Snapple Group was rolling out a new beverage called Sunkist Solar Fusion.

Sunkist Solar Fusion design
(Source: Beverage-Digest. Used with permission)

According to comments the company made at the CAGNY Conference on February 17…

Sunkist has always stood as a flavorful energy. Building on this base will launch Sunkist's Solar Fusion — a powerfully delicious blend of tropical and citrus flavors, combining the great taste of Sunkist with Caffeine and Vitamin B for energy. Priced in line with CSDs, this is a great example of how we're bringing value to the consumer.

Sunkist Growers, Inc. filed for a trademark on the name back in August 2009 under the "light beverage products" category, with the mark being published for opposition in January 2010. No other description is associated with the filing.

The packaging notes that this is a "tropical mandarin flavored soda."

Availability is rumored to be April 2010. We'll see!

When Pepsi Natural hit the market in March 2009, we started doing some research on trademarks to see if any follow-up beverages were also planned. At the time, we noted the following:

Oh, and just between you and me, back in 2006-7 there was also talk about another "sugar" beverage being delivered from Pepsi. Trademarks for the phrases Sierra Mist Essence and Sierra Mist Natural were filed December 18, 2006, with updates in status September 24, 2008. Might we see a sugar-sweetened Sierra Mist eventually? I bet sales of Pepsi Natural will answer that question…

It looks like Sierra Mist Natural is closer to becoming reality based on two recent trademark filings by PepsiCo.

Sierra Mist Natural and Diet Sierra Mist Natural
(Name Source: US Patent and Trademark Office)

Along with the original "Sierra Mist Natural" trademark (#77066208, December 18, 2006), there is an additional "Sierra Mist Natural" mark associated with a design (#77943694, February 2, 2010). The status on this trademark changed on March 1, 2010 to "New Application – Record Initialized Not Assigned to Examiner." Along with this application is the following artwork:

Sierra Mist Natural trademark design
(Name Source: US Patent and Trademark Office)

This description is used to in regards to the attached design: "The mark consists of a stylized drawing depicting a splash design with carbonation bubbles. The top of the design depicts stylizations of a cut green lime and a cut yellow lemon. The background blends from white with a gray outline at the top to light green at the bottom of the mark. The words SIERRA MIST NATURAL in green stylized letters are imposed over the center of the background. The shape of the bottle is shown in dotted lines and is not claimed as a feature of the mark. In addition, the shape and proportion of the label to the bottle is not claimed as a feature of the mark."

Comparison: New Sierra Mist logo vs. Sierra Mist Natural

Of course, this description and logo design might be irrelevant, given that Sierra Mist is going through yet another redesign, with the new look being completely different from the mockup of Sierra Mist Natural in the trademark filing.

Additionally, there's a filing for a "Diet Sierra Mist Natural" (#77927915, February 4, 2010), though not much additional information is available. One wonders how you could have a diet drink that is also natural if one of the elements of making a drink like Pepsi Natural is the use of cane/beet sugar.

Last time I checked, aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium weren't exactly natural. This could be an opportunity for Pepsi to rollout a stevia-sweetened beverage, given that Pepsi uses the PureVia brand with Sobe Lifewater that markets itself as a "natural sweetener."

Things are getting interesting here!

According to discussions taking place at Salute to Soda, BevNET, and Beverage Digest, Coke is going to be breathing new life into their long-neglected citrus brand.

New Mello Yello 20 oz. design
(Source: Beverage-Digest. Used with permission)

The new designs for packaging have been spotted in a couple places on the 'net, including some official Coke websites.

New Mello Yello packaging
(Source: MyCokeRewards.com)

This citrus soda was introduced in 1979 and has had its own ups-and-downs throughout history. Anyone remember when it was featured on Tom Cruise's car in the film Days of Thunder?

Mello Yello, Mello Yello Cherry, Mello Yello Melon
(Source: Coca-Cola Media Downloads)

In the early 2000s, Mello Yello Cherry was introduced in response to Mountain Dew Code Red… and was followed by Mellow Yello Melon.

Mello Yello Afterglow
(Source: BevReview Photo Archives)

In 2004 we saw the introduction of peach/tangerine-flavored Mello Yello Afterglow, which we really didn't care for.

By 2005 Coke had their next Mountain Dew-killer lined up — Vault — and Mello Yello once again took a backseat, seeing regional distribution in the United States and disappearing completely from some areas.

Given all the discussion taking place lately, it would seem that Coke is once again bringing Mello Yello to the frontlines with a package redesign and additional marketing support. The company revised their trademark on the brand earlier this year. Vault is still around, but it's been a few years now and frankly hasn't taken off despite the heavy promotion Coke gave it upon launch. The Mello Yello/Vault combo is an interesting strategy, pushing two citrus flavors with varying amounts of caffeine into the marketplace.

1979 Mello Yello logo
(Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/slieschke / CC BY-NC 2.0)

The new packaging has been leaked via Coke's MyCokeRewards.com website and closely resembles the original 1979 look of the drink. While the packaging is retro and Throwback-like, it seems like the same HFCS-based formula will be used. We'd be more than happy to be proven wrong on that!

The scuttlebutt has Mello Yello returning in April 2010… stay tuned!