Flavored mineral water strategy – japanese market essay

South Beach Beverage Company, SoBe, makes and markets herbal enhanced beverages. These beverages, called “ healthy refreshments” have been designed to market to active persons concerned with their health.

Other products that SoBe sells online are hats, shirts, limited collectibles, children’s clothing, sportswear, and some other miscellaneous items to include duffle bags and water bottles. SoBe products are available throughout Canada, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Grand Cayman Islands, Turks ; Caicos, Bolivia, Antigua, Barbados, Guam, Bahamas, Bermuda, United Kingdom, Ireland, The British Virgin Islands, El Salvador, Trinidad, Mexico and Curacao. Beverages can be found in convenience stores, grocery stores, mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs, delis, gas marts, and select restaurants/hotels. A separately operating unit of Pepsi-Cola North America, SoBe markets and sells its beverages through the combined efforts of Pepsi-Cola bottlers and independent distributors.

Starting in 1996 by four partners who were into health and fitness as a way of life, the first product introduced, SoBe Black Tea 3G with Ginseng, Ginkgo and Guarana brought an overwhelming response. As a result, the company gained ground and immediately introduced SoBe Green Tea, SoBe Oolong Tea, SoBe Orange Carrot Elixir, SoBe Cranberry Grapefruit Elixir and SoBe Energy. These products started the company and now serve as the foundation for future brand development.

Most SoBe beverages are sold in a 20 oz. glass “ lizard” bottle that is double sealed to protect the freshness of the beverages. However, in order to make their product more portable and safe for places where glass isn’t the best material to use, the company produced one line of their drink, SoBe Synergy, in a can which is 11. 5 oz. SoBe also makes several other beverages to include SoBe Sports System, an advanced performance beverage system, SoBe Adrenaline Rush, an all-natural maximum energy supplement, Love Bus Brew, an energizing chocolate-flavored drink, and SoBe Ice, an icy-cold fountain-dispensed frozen drink. SoBe’s name can also be found on SoBe Gum and SoBe Chocolate – two of their licensed products.

The newest product is the 16-oz. energy-packed SoBe No Fear Super Energy Supplement. Being in the business of producing healthy drinks, SoBe even has a sugar-free product line called SoBe Lean. This line appeals to diabetics and all health-conscious consumers who want to avoid sugar. These drinks are sweetened with a blend of sucralose and ACE-K. The company boasts many different recipes for health drinks and there are currently over 200 different cap slogans in production. The flavor of the beverage is on all of the front and back labels, excluding the 3G Teas.

Although some products don’t have the flavor of the beverage on it, because it is part of their older stock still on the market, new labels are being generated so that all products will eventually have their flavor name on it. Another health issue for consumers is weather or not caffeine is added. SoBe beverages show an ingredient statement on the back label for all of their beverages. In general, all of their tea drinks contain caffeine that is naturally derived from the tea leaves. The list of flavors available to consumers of SoBe health drinks is so long that room often needs to be made for the production of new drink flavors.

There have been several flavors discontinued to make room to include SoBe Drive, SoBe Essentials, Edge, Eros, Red Tea, Orange-Tomato, Strawberry Carrot Elixir, Karma, Wisdom, Lean Green Tea, Lean Peach Mango, Lean Orange Carrot and Lean Citrus. However, some of these discontinued flavors may come back in the future. Although SoBe just came out with a 4 pack of SoBe bottles in their more popular flavors and currently make 12 pack variety cases, usually sold at wholesale clubs, they don’t make the 6 pack.