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Beverage Marketing News Fax
Cadbury Schweppes Welcomes Former Beverage Favorite: Hawaiian Punch; Now In The New Innovative GoPouchBy Richard Davis (Adds details, byline, to previous story) Punch Bowl, Hawaii--(BEVERAGE MARKETING)--Tuesday, November 22, 2005 The lava-hot pouch market is riding high in the saddle for Ron Berman, President, CEO and founder of SaddleSprings Beverage Company, the inventor of the GoPouch, who is like a Paniolo, or, Hawaiian cowboy, riding the wave of the GoPouch, the patented stirrup shaped pouch that is making Hawaiian Punch a household name again. You punch the straw in and take a sip of the sunset red tropical Hawaiian Punch in the GoPouch for the first time - ahhh-loha, this is what comes to mind when you think of this volcanic island paradise. In 1934 A.W. Leo, Tom Yates and Ralph Harrison developed the pineapple fruit juice-based Hawaiian Punch formula in a converted garage in Fullerton, California. Later, Reuben P. Hughes purchased the company with other investors in 1946, and renamed it the Pacific Hawaiian Products Company and made Hawaiian Punch into a national brand. "The GoPouch brings an unprecedented graphic package design to the Hawaiian Punch series, a totally new platform, revolutionizing the distribution of the brand's domestic and overseas marketing," says Roger Cunningham, vice-president for Torrance, Calif.-based, SaddleSprings Beverage Co., said in a joint statement with Ron Berman. In a hastily arranged acquisition RJ Reynolds Company acquired Hawaiian Punch for approximately $40 million in 1963. In 1981, the business was transferred to Del Monte, a wholly owned subsidiary of RJR. Del Monte grew the Hawaiian Punch business and introduced several new products, such as a powder version, soft drinks and other flavors for the brand. Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) acquired the Hawaiian Punch business from Del Monte in 1990. Following the acquisition, P&G doubled the size of the concentrate business and established the gallon as the leading shelf-stable juice drink package. P&G also created several convenient packages for food and convenience store delivery. On May 15, 1999, Cadbury Schweppes, acquired all rights to the Hawaiian Punch brand from P&G for $203 million. Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., Cadbury Schweppes' largest beverage subsidiary, owns the Hawaiian Punch trademarks, produces the concentrate, and markets it in fountain, can and bottle products. Today, the Hawaiian Punch brand has a consumer awareness higher than almost any US soft drink on the market and continues to experience exceptional growth in both the juice and carbonated soft drink categories. In addition, a growing number of pre-teen and tween consumers (the lions-share of the kids who drink branded beverages beyond moo-juice) insist on drinking their Hawaiian Punch straight from the GoPouch, which is a natural compliment for mom's home-made P&J (peanut-butter & jelly) take-to-school sandwich lunches. The main ingredients of the first Hawaiian Punch recipe were first shipped from the Hawaiian Islands, thus the origin of the name. "The real beauty of the packaging is in the design," says Bob Scherer, vice president of CL&D Digital, a fast package and label printer in Delafield, Wisconsin. "The GoPouch is convenient – perfect for when you're on the go, and waste is minimal." The GoPouch is truly paradise found for Hawaiian Punch consumers. The GoPouch is now available in a 296 mL Big Kahuna size and SaddleSprings plans to add a new multi-serve pouch world-wide in 2006 called EZPouch with an easy twist cap! To see the GoPouch round-up mossy on down to http://www.saddlesprings.com. CONTACT:SaddleSprings Beverage CompanyRon Berman, 310/782-9898rberman@saddlesprings.comhttp://www.saddlesprings.com
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