Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages and Ocean Spray Strategic Alliance to Include Additional Juice and Juice Drinks

Beginning in February, PCNAB, a business of PepsiCo, Inc., will produce, distribute and market, under license from Ocean Spray, several more flavors of Ocean Spray beverages.

22 Oct 2009 --- A healthy beverage alliance has just grown more vibrant with the announcement that Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages (PCNAB) and Ocean Spray have expanded their long-term U.S. sales and distribution agreement to include a broader array of single-serve juices and juice drinks.

Beginning in February, PCNAB, a business of PepsiCo, Inc., will produce, distribute and market, under license from Ocean Spray, several more flavors of Ocean Spray beverages. The agreement includes five Ocean Spray brand juices - 100% Apple; 100% Orange; Ruby Red Grapefruit; Pineapple Peach Mango; and Strawberry Kiwi. In conjunction with Ocean Spray's 2010 blueberry innovations, PCNAB also will distribute a 15.2-ounce Blueberry juice cocktail, the first nationally distributed of its kind.

PCNAB and Ocean Spray teamed up in 2006 to forge a successful strategic alliance that brought Ocean Spray's highly regarded single-serve cranberry juice products to Pepsi bottlers. The net effect of the addition of these other flavors, according to Tom Silk, vice president of marketing for hydration and juice brands, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages, will bring more healthy Ocean Spray products to a greater consumer audience.

"We have had a licensing agreement in effect with Ocean Spray for three years and we're excited to offer our retail customers more Ocean Spray options," said Silk. "Ocean Spray juices and juice drinks represent an important part of our overall beverage strategy, particularly from a wellness standpoint. Not only is an Ocean Spray pioneering beverage innovation with sought-after super fruits like cranberries and blueberries, they have broad equity in a variety of healthy, great-tasting juice options."

"We're proud of our association with Pepsi," adds Keith Benoit, senior director of Special Markets. "The Ocean Spray name has come to represent quality to Americans everywhere, and we know Pepsi's distribution strength will bring these flavors and our brand to health-conscious consumers all across the country."

The agreement between Ocean Spray and PCNAB includes the following 15.2 ounce single-serve SKUs:

* Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail
* Ocean Spray Cran-Grape Grape Cranberry Juice Drink
* Ocean Spray Cran-Pomegranate
* Ocean Spray 100% Orange Juice
* Ocean Spray 100% Apple Juice
* Ocean Spray Ruby Grapefruit Juice Drink
* Ocean Spray Blueberry Juice Cocktail
* Ocean Spray Strawberry Kiwi
* Ocean Spray Pineapple Peach Mango

The expanded product line will be distributed in Convenience and Gas, Club Stores, Drug, Grocery, Mass Merchandise and Foodservice channels across the United States.