Dr Pepper Snapple Group to Distribute Vita Coco

PLANO, Texas, June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., (NYSE: DPS) has reached an agreement to distribute Vita Coco, an all-natural, pure coconut water.  

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A leader in the natural-functional beverage category, Vita Coco is the No. 1-selling coconut water in the U.S. with more than a 60 percent share of the market*.  Vita Coco is fresh coconut water extracted from young green coconuts and has grown increasingly popular as both a lifestyle beverage and a natural sports drink since launching in 2004.  

"Allied brands are an important part of our overall route-to-market strategy, enabling us to enhance our own brand portfolio with strong players like Vita Coco," Rodger Collins, president of Packaged Beverages for Dr Pepper Snapple Group, told investors today at a company-hosted investor meeting. "We're excited about the opportunity to expand Vita Coco via the DPS footprint."

"Dr Pepper Snapple Group's distribution footprint is impressive," said Michael Kirban, CEO and co-founder for Vita Coco. "With the power of DPS direct store delivery, we will be able to get Vita Coco into the hands of more consumers than ever before and meet the growing demand for this incredible beverage."

DPS will distribute five Vita Coco flavors: 100% pure, pineapple, acai & pomegranate, peach & mango and tangerine. Initially, distribution will be expanded to Florida and Georgia with other states to follow.  Vita Coco will be available in 11.2-oz., 17-oz. and 34-oz. tetra packs.

* Source: Merrill Lynch / Bank of America, as of October 2009

About Dr Pepper Snapple

Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (NYSE: DPS) is the leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean. Our success is fueled by more than 50 brands that are synonymous with refreshment, fun and flavor. We have 6 of the top 10 non-cola soft drinks, and 9 of our 12 "power brands" are No. 1 in their flavor categories. In addition to our flagship Dr Pepper and Snapple brands, our portfolio includes Sunkist soda, 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Crush, Mott's, Squirt, Hawaiian Punch, Penafiel, Clamato, Schweppes, Venom Energy, Rose's and Mr & Mrs T mixers. To learn more about our iconic brands and Plano, Texas-based company, please visit www.drpeppersnapple.com.

About Vita Coco

Vita Coco was founded by longtime friends Michael Kirban and Ira Liran, in New York City, in 2004.  The company is the sales and volume leader in fresh coconut water sales in the U.S.  Vita Coco—all-natural, 100% pure coconut water—has for many consumers become the best alternative to sports drinks and enhanced bottled waters. One reason: an 11.2-ounce/330-ml serving size of Vita Coco contains almost 700 mg of potassium, approximately 15 times more than the average sports drink in a similar serving size.  The Vita Coco brand is a leader in the natural-functional beverage category and is the #1-selling coconut water in the U.S. with over 60% market share (source: Merrill Lynch/Bank of America).  Of all the coconut water brands presently sold in the U.S., Vita Coco is the only brand with its own production facility, allowing Vita Coco to directly manage quality control, new flavor development and special packaging. Vita Coco is currently sold at over 14,000 retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Giant Eagle, Ralph's, Shaw's, Stop&Shop/Giant, HEB, Hannaford Supermarkets, ACME and Shop Rite, as well as on Amazon.com. To learn more about Vita Coco, visit www.vitacoco.com.

SOURCE Dr Pepper Snapple Group