News Briefs
November 1, 2004
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News Briefs
Tropicana Products Inc. and
a European regulatory group have cleared
Citrosuco Paulista SA of shipping diluted
orange juice, despite anonymous allegations made last month against the
Brazilian juice processor. A letter sent to U.S. and European juice
companies accused Citrosuco of shipping adulterated not-from-concentrate
orange juice.
Castle Brands, New York
City, has become the exclusive U.S. importer of I.L.A.R.’s Pallini Limoncello, a
super-premium lemon liqueur from Italy. The company says the limoncello
category in Italy represents more than 1 million cases, and although it is
relatively new in the United States, has received favorable press and is
growing rapidly. Pallini Limoncello will retail for $25 per bottle.
Coca-Cola is jumping
back into the French bottled water market, with the introduction of
Chaudfontaine, a spring water from a Belgian source. While the brand is
sold at retail in Belgium, the company reportedly will stick to vending for
the time being in France.
Lassonde, a juice and
juice drink manufacturer based in Rougemont, Quebec, has acquired
trademarks, production equipment and automotive equipment from Alfresh Beverages Canada Corp.,
Toronto. Alfresh trademarks include Everfresh, Sunlike, Fairlee, Tropical
Grove and Rich ’n Ready. The newly acquired businesses will operate
under a new division known as Lassonde Beverage
Canada.
“This acquisition will enable A. Lassonde Inc.
to strengthen its presence in the Canadian fruit juice and fruit drink
sector, especially in Ontario foodservices (the institutional
network),” said Lassonde President and Chief Executive Officer Jean
Gattuso, in a statement.
The Chicago Board of Education last month voted to
discontinue its contract with Coca-Cola, replacing vended soft drinks with fruit juice and soft
drinks supplied by American Bottling Co. According to the Chicago
Tribune, American Bottling will pay $6.4
million in guaranteed revenue and sales over five years, compared with
Coca-Cola’s $21 million. The previous contract split the money
between the schools and the district, while Chicago officials say the new
contract will keep all of the money at the schools.
Allied Domecq has selected Magnolia Marketing
Co. to represent its spirits products in
Alabama and Mississippi, and Charmer Industries
to represent its wine and spirits brands in
metropolitan New York.
Anheuser-Busch has
been asked to give up exclusive rights for the 2006 World Cup in Germany,
and allow German beers to be sold. The company had signed an agreement with
FIFA to give Budweiser exclusive sales rights at tournament venues.
Pennsylvania bottler Pittsburgh
Flavor has been charged with distributing
falsely labeled Coca-Cola products to restaurants in southwest
Pennsylvania. Joseph Stefancic Jr. pled not guilty to the charge of
trademark infringement, which is alleged to have occurred between 2001 and
2003.
Vermont Pure Holdings will
acquire the assets of Mayer Brothers Home &
Office in Buffalo, N.Y., in addition to
the distribution assets it purchased from Mayer Brothers earlier this year
in Rochester, N.Y. According to Vermont Pure, the new acquisition will give
it an additional 7,500 customers in western New York, and a total account
base of 95,000 customers.
Pernod Ricard has
completed the sale of its Orangina business in the United Kingdom, Eastern
Europe, Africa/Middle East, South America and Asia to Cadbury Schweppes for 31 million
euro. The transaction completes the sale that began in 2001.
Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Miami, plans to build a 640,000 square foot facility in
Lakeland, Fla. According to a report, the facility will cost $10.5 million,
and will create 300 jobs for the area.
National Distributing Co.’s Midwest Wine &
Spirits division has completed a merger with Universal Marketing, which it
says will make it the leading wine and spirits broker by volume in Ohio.
The merged business will be renamed NDC General LLC, and Ed Nemo will serve
as president and general manager. NDC General will carry products from Allied Domecq, Barton Brands, Brown-Forman, David Sherman, Nolet Spirits, Constellation Brands, Pernod Ricard, Sazerac and White Rock.
