Naked Juice

Naked Juice

Type	Drinks
Owner	PepsiCo
Country	United States
Introduced	1983
Markets	United States
Website	nakedjuice.com

Naked Juice is an American brand of natural fruit juice drinks produced by the Naked Juice Company of Monrovia, California;^[1] operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo. The first of these drinks were produced in 1983 and sold in California under the name "Naked Juice", referring to their composition of no artificial flavors, added sugar, or preservatives.^[2] Distribution has since expanded, and Naked Juice products are distributed nationwide within the United States, as well as in Canada and the U.K.

As of 2011, the Naked Juice product line consisted of more than 20 variants, including fruit juices, juice smoothies, and protein smoothies, among other beverages. A line of coconut water is also produced under the Naked Juice brand. The drinks are represented as containing high concentrations of antioxidants. Its primary competition within the super premium juice category is Odwalla, which is owned by The Coca-Cola Company.

History

The Naked Juice Company was created in Santa Monica, California in 1983 by Jimmy Rosenberg. He began on a small scale, producing the fruit drinks at his home and selling them under the "Naked Juice" name in-person on the beaches in Santa Monica. As a result of this initial popularity, the juice drinks were first made available commercially via a local grocery store which agreed to carry the products. Distribution soon expanded to a wider range of stores in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, followed shortly thereafter by growth into the San Diego region.^[3]

Naked Juice products in a grocery store display case.
From left to right: protein zone; orange mango; mighty mango; blue machine(partial).

Distribution remained within the state of California until 2000, when the brand was purchased by North Castle Partners, a private-equity firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Naked Juice became a division of its then-owner's "Ultimate Juice Company" for a short time; however as a result of the pace at which Naked Juice sales and distribution increased, its name was changed back to "Naked Juice Company" in 2001.^[3][4]

The packaging design changed with a re-branding across the Naked Juice line in 2005, which was credited in part for helping Naked Juice surpass the former industry leader in terms of annual retail sales, Odwalla. As demand for its products increased, so did the complexity of distribution. Due to the composition of its juices - namely the purposeful lack of preservatives - Naked Juice beverages are highly perishable, must be kept below 38° F, and have a shorter shelf life than some competing products. In order to alleviate potential supply limitations in early 2006, the company opened two new direct delivery centers in Sacramento, California and Seattle, Washington.^[5][6]

In November 2006, PepsiCo announced plans to acquire Naked Juice from its prior owners, North Castle Partners, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition, which was completed in 2007, was recognized as marking PepsiCo's more recent shift towards ownership of food and beverage brands with a health and wellness aspect. At this time, Naked Juice had recorded annual sales of $150 million within the U.S. According to financial industry analysts, this acquisition was initiated in part to compete with The Coca-Cola Company's 2001 purchase of Naked Juice rival Odwalla.^[7][8][9]

Since 2007, the Naked Juice brand has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo, under the parent company's PepsiCo Americas Beverages division. Naked Juice continued to conduct business in its original Azusa, California headquarters until February, 2010, when its offices were relocated to the neighboring city of Monrovia, California.^[1] Due in part to PepsiCo's scale of existing distributors, Naked Juice has since expanded to be sold in all 50 states within the U.S., as well as in Canada and the U.K.^[10]

Products

Naked Juice peach guava smoothie, which entered production in 2010.

The Naked Juice product line consists of more than 20 variants of straight and blended 100-percent fruit and vegetable juices. Some of the products are produced in a smoothie consistency, while others remain in juice form. The juices are a combination of flash pasteurized fruits, vegetable juices and purees. Among the primary flavors of Naked Juice are strawberry banana, blue machine (blueberry, blackberry and banana blend), orange mango and berry veggie which contains purple carrots, red beets, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, chick peas, sweet cherries, strawberries, plum, apple, and a hint of lemon.^[11]

In addition to juice flavor variants, since 2006 additional Naked Juice versions have been produced with a focus on specific health aspects such as digestion, protein and reduced-caloric content.^[12] In 2007, Naked Juice Probiotic was introduced, having been represented as the first 100-percent juice smoothie to contain probiotics for the aid in digestion.^[13] A protein-focused line of Naked Juice smoothies (marketed as protein zone) was first introduced in the early 2000s, with the addition of mango and double berry flavors in 2009.^[14] Two reduced-calorie Naked Juice smoothies were introduced in 2010: tropical and peach guava. Both of these products contain coconut juice, which is naturally lower in caloric content in comparison to other fruits.^[15]

Also in 2010, The Naked Juice Company added a 100-percent coconut water product, marketed under the name Naked Coconut Water, and sold within the U.S. in Whole Foods stores.^[16]

Naked Juice drinks are produced in 10, 15.2, 32, 64, and 128-US fluid ounce sizes; though not all flavors are packaged in all size formats. In 2009, Naked Juice changed the packaging used for its 32-ounce bottles to a variant consisting of 100-percent post-consumer recycled plastic PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the first beverage with national distribution in the United States to implement this packaging type. The new bottle design, referred to as "reNEWabottle" by the company,^[17] was extended to the 10, 15.2 and 64-ounce sizes in 2010, resulting in the reduction in new plastic consumption by a rate of 7,000,000 pounds (3,175,147 kg) per year.^[18]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Naked Juice Moves to new Headquarters in Monrovia, CA Office". Pollack Architecture. February 2010. http://www.pollackarch.com/solutions/misc_naked_juice_izze.htm. Retrieved 12 January 2011. 
2. ^ Silva, Jill Wendholt (2006-04-26). "These antioxidant-rich foods have the power to change your life". The Seattle Times (Knight-Ridder). http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2002953277_superfoods26.html?syndication=rss. Retrieved 2006-05-28. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Baring it all: Naked Juice brings on the innovation.". Beverage Industry. 1 October 2007. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-7096837/Baring-it-all-Naked-Juice.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
4. ^ Collins, Beth (March 2006). "Naked Juices & Smoothies". The Nibble Specialty Foods Magazine. http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/beverages/juices/naked-juice.asp. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
5. ^ "Naked Juice Re-brands and Updates Packaging to Clearly Communicate Health Benefits". BevNet. http://www.bevnet.com/news/2005/10-19-2005-Naked.asp. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
6. ^ Landi, Heather (October 2006). "A Taste of the Good Life - Super Premium Beverage Market In Focus". Beverage World: 66–68. http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:al4FcgmhgugJ:www.flavorman.com/pdf/A_Taste_Of_The_Good_Life.pdf+%22super+premium+juice+category%22&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESif9gTq-EyxdMp6kBcux6XRVmAD5Q2yZ9QMbuwBxras51u8hyVpU7tL-R5NQnEf7GayrRAHFT5zrh61khR1Y1b-DPlViLZ_l0RYWPx2_NuxSrEPHcorVuXQ0-pu699b5a7o6uGv&sig=AHIEtbTSs91OlHlnam35aJqMNRicqaM6aw&pli=1. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
7. ^ Gilbert, Sarah. "Pepsi Gets Naked". BloggingStocks. http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/28/pepsi-gets-naked/. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
8. ^ "PepsiCo Boosts Its Juice Line". Convenience Store News. 21 November 2006. http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/food-stores/4490478-1.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
9. ^ Strott, Elizabeth (22 November 2006). "Pepsi Gets Naked". MSN Money. http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/PepsiGetsNaked.aspx. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
10. ^ "Naked Juice Co. Company Overview". Bloomberg Businessweek. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=154155. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
11. ^ "Current Naked Juice Products". BevNet. http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/nakedjuicefort. Retrieved 12 January 2011. 
12. ^ Scott, Stephanie (15 January 2009). "Juice and juice drinks squeeze new flavors". Beverage Industry. http://www.bevindustry.com/Articles/Article_Rotation/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000513878. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
13. ^ "Naked Juice introduces 100% probiotic juice smoothie". Food Processing. http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2008/096.html. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
14. ^ Mayer, Marina (1 November 2010). "More than a simple drink". Dairy Foods Magazine 111 (11): 62. http://business.highbeam.com/132757/article-1G1-241414533/more-than-simple-drink-today-beverage-processors-combining. Retrieved 9 December 2010. 
15. ^ "New Product: Naked Juice smoothies with coconut water". Food Biz Daily. 23 March 2010. http://foodbizdaily.com/archive/2010/03/23/97079-product-naked-juice-fruit-smoothies-with-coconut-water-by.aspx. Retrieved 12 January 2011. 
16. ^ "Naked Coconut Water". Beverage World. 9 February 2010. http://www.beverageworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37407&catid=73&Itemid=169. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 
17. ^ McTigue Pierce, Lisa (11 November 2010). "Naked Juice begins using reNEWabottle for all flavors, sizes". Packaging Digest. http://www.packagingdigest.com/article/511489-Naked_Juice_begins_using_reNEWabottle_for_all_flavors_sizes.php. Retrieved 12 January 2011. 
18. ^ "Naked Juice Serves Beverages in Eco-Friendly Package". Environmental Leader. doi:12 November 2010. http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/11/12/naked-juice-serves-beverages-in-eco-friendly-package/. Retrieved 8 December 2010. 

External links

• NakedJuice.com - official website
• Naked Juice on Twitter