AriZona Masterminds Celestial, Kahlua Entries

Brandweek,  May 29, 2000  by Gerry Khermouch

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Ferolito, Vultaggio & Sons is expanding its packaging and positioning magic beyond its AriZona tea brand to two established outside brands with a ready-to-drink tea line for Ham Food's Celestial Seasonings and an iced coffee under Allied-Domecq's Kahlua trademark.

For CS, which had earlier foundered with its own RTD entries, FV&S has come up with a mainly juice-based line packaged in unique silver-metallized-wrap 20-oz. bottles that give the appearance of a bottle stuck inside an aluminum can.

FV&S co-founder Don Vultaggio said that, partly to mask herbal flavors that don't work as well in cold drinks as in hot drinks, four of the six entries will be juice-based, including Gingko Sharp (cranberry juice), Tension Tamer (ruby red grapefruit), Juice Boost (an energy drink) and Sleepytime herbal cider. The other SKUs are the non-caffeinated Green Tea (with peach blossom) and Lemon Zinger.

With line extensions getting often-indifferent receptions from retailers, "We're looking for valuable trademarks we can put on a bottle with sexy packaging and dynamic labeling," Vultaggio said. CS' trademark teddy bears are embossed on the neck.

Despite itself being an alternative brand, CS had failed with new age entries distributed on its own, and via Cadbury Schweppes and Royal Crown.

Also due is a Kahlua iced coffee, in the 15.5-oz. "jug" style bottles that have been employed for Mississippi Mud beer and AriZona's own coffee line. Vultaggio said he will create a separate sales force to manage the new entries, neither of them sporting the AriZona or FV&S names.

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