Dr Pepper Snapple to build new facility

Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Plano, Texas, announced it will build a $120-million production and distribution center in Victorville, Calif. The plant is expected to employ 200 people and will become the company's West Coast hub, serving California and parts of the desert Southwest.

DPSG says it will produce soft drinks, juices, juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas, energy drinks and premium beverages at the Victorville plant. The facility will include an 850,000-square-foot building on 57 acres, including 550,000 square feet of warehouse space, and a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing plant with up to six manufacturing lines.

"This is an important step toward strengthening our production, distribution and overall route to market on the West Coast," said Larry Young, president and chief executive officer of Dr Pepper Snapple Group. "The Victorville plant will enable us to get both our carbonated and non-carbonated brands to our customers and consumers more efficiently than ever before and will lay the foundation for future growth in that region."

Construction will begin in October, and the scheduled opening for the plant is early 2010. The facility will have the capacity to produce 40 million cases of product a year, and will serve nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population.


Honest Tea’s Goldman honored

Seth Goldman, president and chief executive officer at Honest Tea, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Award in the Retail/Consumer category in Greater Washington. The award recognizes entrepreneurs who build and lead dynamic businesses, the company says. An independent panel of judges selects the winner and the award was presented at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner on June 19. With this award, Goldman is now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 national program.

“I’m thrilled that this enterprise we created as an engine of social and environmental change also turns out to be a great business,” Goldman said.


Boulder Beer reaches new states

Boulder Beer Co., Boulder, Colo., introduced its top brands to three new states in the Southeastern United States. The brand will now be distributed in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia. The offered brands include Hazed & Infused Dry-Hopped Ale and Mojo India Pale Ale, as well as rotating seasonal and limited-edition brews.

The brewery teamed up with local craft beer wholesalers Specialty Beverage, Richmond, Va.; Carolina Craft Distributing, Rock Hill, S.C.; and Savannah Distributing, Savannah, Ga., to cover the new markets in each state, the company says.


Guayaki builds distribution

Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products, Sebastopol, Calif., announced partnerships with beverage distributors on both the East and West Coast. The areas or states the partnership covers are southern California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New York City and Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York. The new Guayaki distribution in southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah include John Lenore & Co., San Diego; Underdog Distributing, Las Vegas; Spike Beverage, Tucson, Arizona; and U.S. Foodservice, Utah. The Exclusive Beverage Distribution, Farmingdale, N.Y., will cover New York City and two New York counties.

“Guayaki is the real-dear among brands touting healthy and invigorating drinks and they have done a nice job building the yerba maté category,” said John Lenore, president and owner of John Lenore & Co.


World Tea Championship winners

The World Tea Championship winners were announced at the World Tea Expo. The Hot Tea Class was divided into 22 categories, plus three Super Categories that reflected the tea types, blends and herbal varieties.

The top five finalists in the Hot Tea Class were selected prior to the event and were evaluated again live on May 30 to determine the “best tea” in each category. The Iced Tea Class evaluation was conducted at the Expo and the tea was categorized into ready-to-drink, foodservice and freestyle. Read the list of winners.

Havana Beverages introduced Havana Mojito. The soda is sweetened with cane sugar and is packaged in 12-ounce clear glass bottles. The product joins Havana Cola, and will be sold through an agreement with Amazon.com. More on Havana.

Ito En introduced its first ready-to-drink black tea, Pure Black Darjeeling Tea, to its Teas’ Tea line of RTD teas. Teas’ Tea are available in 16.9-ounce PET bottles, and the new product will be available nationwide. More on Ito En.