Friday, February 20, 2009

Sugar Gaining Ground

Add Snapple to the list of drinks abandoning HFCS for Sugar. Yeah, I know it's not a beautiful, fizzy beverage, but it's a sign of the times and it is owned by Dr Pepper.
Snapple, once the “official beverage of New York City,” is being redesigned — inside and out — this year.

The popular iced teas are losing the high-fructose corn syrup and the dated font. The bottles are becoming more svelte (to better fit into cup holders, which became a force after Snapple iced teas were originally introduced). The labels will also emphasize the green and black tea leaves used to make the drink. The changes are rolling out over the first few months of the year, and they are expected to hit New York in early March, according to Dr Pepper Snapple Group, which is now the owner of the brand.

Snapple, which once defined the genre of specialty tea, now finds itself fading in an increasingly crowded field of competitors. The brand, which passed through many hands before landing as part of Dr Pepper Snapple, went through a round of focus group testing over the last two years.

“Through that work we really found that Snapple had lost of its luster and had been replaced in the minds of consumers by other beverages out there,” said Jim Trebilcock, an executive vice president with Dr Pepper Snapple.

(For example, President Obama prefers (the more lightly sweetened) Honest Tea, and the White House is now stocked with his favorite flavors, Black Forest Berry and Green Dragon.)

Real sugar is replacing the corn syrup. (Sugar vs. corn syrup, by the way, is the difference between Mexican and American Coca-Cola.) In some cases, that has actually resulted in a decrease in calories.

The old ingredient list for Lemon Snapple Iced Tea: “water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, tea, natural flavors.” Calories: 200. The new ingredient list: “filtered water, sugar, citric acid, tea, natural flavors.” Calories: 160.
Now if only Coke and the other people out there would hop on the train.

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5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its good that companies are starting to recognize that there is a demand for healthier versions of sugar. Stevia, for example is really making a break though in the American market being introduced in drinks such as All Sport Natural and teas.

I myself love a soft drink every once in a while, but I need a beverage that I can have often without feeling guilty.

4:43 PM  
Anonymous Robotron said...

The one ingredient I want to see gone from these beverages is MSG. It is almost always called "citric acid" and I am tired of seeing it in my drink.

Seeing sugar make a comeback is good news, but I hope that it will be cane sugar and not beet sugar (ask any baker or chef they will tell you there is a huge difference).

1:52 PM  
Anonymous Ares said...

Soda will make you fat if you drink it in excess. Simple: moderation will allow you to have fun throughout your life. Excess will allow your life to have fun with you.

7:02 PM  
Anonymous Robotron said...

This new Snapple tastes like the original Snapple....very good.
It's so good that it's sold out almost everywhere.

2:34 AM  
Anonymous Nick said...

This just why Bronx Pop Was started we wanted to make a good tasting soda. Our products contain natural flavors made with cane sugar. It is low on sodium with no
caffeine. around 165 cal per flavor
www.bronxpop.com

thank you

12:50 PM  

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