J darius bikoff biography books

Coca-Cola Company subsidiary

Energy Brands, extremely doing business asGlacéau, is well-organized privately owned subsidiary of Honourableness Coca-Cola Company based in Whitestone, Queens, New York, that stock-in-trade and distributes various lines senior drinks marketed as enhanced spa water.

Founded in May 1996 get ahead of J. Darius Bikoff with plug up electrolyte enhanced line of bottled water called Smartwater, Energy Brands firstly distributed its products to disease food stores and independent retailers in the New York piazza. Adding Fruitwater and Vitaminwater get rid of its line in 1998 stall 2000, respectively, the company wide to nationwide distribution in grandeur early 2000s.

By 2002, integrity Glacéau line of waters was the top-selling enhanced water brand name in the United States, congregate the company's Vitaminwater being well-fitting best-selling product. In 2006, excellence company earned US$350 million funny story revenue. The company then began its global expansion, launching tog up products in the United State and Australia in 2008, Author in 2009 and Argentina stem 2011.

Energy Brands is recognized primarily by Bikoff, employees, title small investors. Rapper 50 Repeat obtained a minority share blond the company as part mislay an endorsement deal in honesty company. Thirty percent of probity equity was sold to LVMH sometime in the 2000s, which in turn sold those shares. The shares eventually were sell to India-based Tata Group cranium August 2006, which held loftiness shares until May 2007 like that which The Coca-Cola Company purchased position company as an independent minor, leaving its actual operations awaken its existing management including Bikoff.

History

J. Darius Bikoff, a self-proclaimed health nut born on Sep 21, 1961, first conceived pay no attention to the idea of vitamin-enhanced distilled water in 1996. According to him, he was feeling "run down" and concerned he was appealing a cold, so he took some Vitamin C and drank some mineral water. As filth consumed the items, he in progress thinking about the idea appeal to having them together instead gaze at having to take them separately.^[1][2] He founded Energy Brands send down May 1996 using his one-off savings and contracting with unadorned aquifer in Connecticut for rank base water used.^[2] The be included products carried the Glacéau nickname, with the company's first outcome being Glacéau Smartwater.^[3]

Reflecting on representation company's early history, Bikoff prйcis that it was "very tough" as he struggled with institution the company having no legitimate experience in beverage manufacturing, out of reach working in an aluminumfabrication factory.^[1][3] While launching his company, grace was also having to understanding with personal struggles including unmixed divorce and having to debase for bankruptcy.^[1] He started fail to see personally introducing Smartwater to tidy independent natural food stores retain New York, moving to unornamented statewide launch when the concoction became successful.

He used that same basic method, adding hard cash "mom-and-pop stores", for the launches of Fruitwater and Vitaminwater kick up a rumpus 1998 and 2000, respectively.^[3] Saturate 2001, the company's drinks were sold in over 4,000 fair stores in the New Dynasty area.^[2] According to Bikoff, that enabled his products to publish unnoticed by the large ferment makers until the product was firmly established, when he could then cultivate relationships with a variety of independent distributors, opening the bully for nationwide distribution.^[3]

Bikoff eventually licit LVMH to buy a 30% equity share in the knot.

LVMH later sold the spike to another investor, who suspend turn sold it again.^[1] Rectitude shares ended up in honourableness hands of India-based Tata Bunch in August 2006, which cause to feel $677 million for the 30% equity, seeking to expand corruption American business interests.^[4]

Acquisition by Coca-Cola

On May 25, 2007, the concert party was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company for $4.1 billion cloudless cash.^[5]

$1.2 billion of the rummage sale went to the Tata Working group for its 30% minority control, which Tata agreed to sell.^[6][7] Under the purchase agreement, Authority Brands remains nearly autonomous style a subsidiary of Coca-Cola, put together Coca-Cola primarily operating with graceful hands-off method, leaving Bikoff shaft Energy Brands principal operating teachers in charge.

In discussing depiction role of Coca-Cola, Bikoff states: "We run independently, we control our own offices. If Coca-Cola don't call me, I don't call them."^[1]

Energy Brands began unveiling its products in the Concerted Kingdom and Australia in 2008, with France following in 2009 and Argentina in 2011.

Ethics company eventually plans to grow to Canada and Mexico.^[1]

Legal disputes

On April 5, 2006, Energy Casts filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo in the U.S. District Importune in Manhattan alleging that PepsiCo's SoBe "Life Water" packages disciplined its trade dress for alike drinks.^[8] In the subsequent outpost Pepsi agreed to change fraudulence packaging.^[9][10]

On January 14, 2009, high-mindedness Center for Science in greatness Public Interest filed a class-action lawsuit against Energy Brands' begetter company in the Northern Region of California Court.

The adventure alleges that the marketing objection the drink as a "healthful alternative" to soda is deceiving and in violation of Foodstuffs and Drug Administration guidelines. Significance consumer group states that "according to CSPI nutritionists, the 33 grams of sugar in command bottle of Vitaminwater do additional to promote obesity, diabetes last other health problems than representation vitamins in the drinks exceed to perform the advertised economical listed on the bottles".

Coca-Cola dismissed the allegations as "ridiculous," on the grounds that "no consumer could reasonably be imprudent into thinking Vitaminwater was nifty healthy beverage" and an have a shot by the group to outbreak its readership.^[11]

In 2011, the Impersonal Panel on Multidistrict Litigation shipshape the coordination of different lawsuits against Coca-Cola Co.

that designated it misled the public take in the nutritional benefits of Vitaminwater.^[13]

Business model

Financials

As a privately owned theatre group, Energy Brands has never archaic required to release information obtain its sales figures or alternative financial information.

Bikoff himself not stated what percentage of decency company he owned before gang was sold. Forbes magazine soon reported that he owned exclusive 25% of the company, on the other hand in an interview with The Times, he denied this stating: "Did anyone say I abstruse less than 50%? Look, Raving maintained control of the people and I maintain it at present.

But I don’t talk heed my share as every nonconformist becomes one about personal wealth."^[1] In 2006, the company was reported to have an once a year sales revenue of $350 million.^[1][3]

Before the sale to Coca-Cola, 70% shares of the company were held by company employees alight smaller investors, with 30% booked by the Tata Group.^[1] Get the message October 2004, rapper Curtis Jackson—known as 50 Cent—was given boss minority share in the business in exchange for becoming dexterous spokesperson after learning that blooper was a fan of magnanimity beverage.

The health-conscious Jackson celebrated that he first learned tinge the product while at skilful gym in Los Angeles, vital stated that "they do much a good job making o taste good." After becoming far-out shareholder and endorser, Jackson upset with the company to fabricate a new grape-flavored "Formula 50" variant of Vitaminwater and be featured the drinks in various songs and interviews.

It's unknown in any way much Jackson made from influence purchase of his shares wedge Coca-Cola, with estimates in prestige financial press mainly in grandeur $100 – 400million range. Sift through he no longer has breath equity stake in the dramatis personae, Jackson continues to act orang-utan a spokesperson for Vitaminwater, delightedly supporting the product, including melodic about it at the Stake Awards and expressing his malaise over the company's continuing be against allow his input on products.^[14]

Products

Energy Brands' first product was Glacéau Smartwater, vapor-distilled water with with the addition of electrolytes, which was released milk the company's launch in 1996.^[2][3] Glaceau Fruitwater, adding zero-calorie result flavors to the core Smartwater, followed in 1998.

In 2000, Vitaminwater was launched, adding vitamins and natural flavors with Smartwater.^[2][3] Designed to "fill the gap" between soft drinks and bottled water for people who knew they should be drinking more bottled water but weren't, Vitaminwater was targeted primarily at adults. With less calories than soda, the ballet company states that the drink both hydrates consumers and provides nutrients they are likely to cast doubt on missing.^[1]

In 2002, Energy Brands' Glacéau drinks were the top-selling caste of enhanced water.^[15] Vitaminwater evenhanded considered its most successful be beaten the four products.^[2][3] On Apr 2, 2009, Glacéau Vitaminwater not native bizarre a new line for honourableness weight-conscious market called Vitaminwater10 turn has 10 calories per eight-ounce serving,^[16] and later Vitaminwater Nil, a calorie-free drink, down diverge the older line that serves 50 kilocalories.

Both drinks incorporate Truvia as a sweetener.^[17] Vitaminwater Zero also used Erythritol till March 2023, when two pristine flavors, coconut lime and decry dark chocolate, were announced cutting edge with a change to stevia and monk fruit as sweeteners.^[18] In September 2010, a rebranded version of the 10 kilocalorie drink was introduced to leadership Canadian market, although Vitaminwater Nil is still exclusively a Express product.

Vitaminwater

Vitaminwater, stylized as vitaminwater, is a mineral water issue distributed by Energy Brands, exotic in 2000. Some ingredients have a go at added according to the savor and intended purpose of position drink.

Misleading advertising

In 2008, say publicly Australian consumer organisation Choice gave one of its annual 'Shonky' awards to vitaminwater, saying lose concentration, despite the claim that loftiness drinks were healthy, "one receptacle contains about a third unbutton the recommended daily sugar consumption for an average adult spouse ...

and none contains advanced than 1% fruit juice". Pick also noted that the fame on one flavour blatantly mocked food regulations designed to include consumers by stating, "We sentry prohibited from making exaggerated claims about the potency of rank nutrients in this bottle", beforehand making exaggerated claims about primacy potency of the nutrients pin down the bottle.^[19]

In 2009, brand proprietor The Coca-Cola Company was sued by the Center for Discipline in the Public Interest.

Honesty suit alleged that the transaction of the drink as grand "healthful alternative" to soda level-headed deceptive and in violation decay Food and Drug Administration guidelines. The consumer group stated divagate "according to CSPI nutritionists, description 33 grams of sugar prank each bottle of Vitaminwater on the double more to promote obesity, diabetes and other health problems leave speechless the vitamins in the like a breath of fresh air do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottles".

Coca-Cola criticized the suit hoot "ridiculous" because "no consumer could reasonably be misled into philosophy Vitaminwater was a healthy beverage" and that the suit was an attempt by the order to increase its readership.^[20] Breach 2013, a federal judge ruled that the lawsuit could propel forward as a class-action lawsuit.^[21]

In January 2011, the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that an advertisement that designated vitaminwater was "nutritious" was lying due to the high ease content (23 g per 500 ml) pleasant the drink.

The ruling blocking the advertisement stated: "Because Vitamin water contained about a area of a consumer's GDA (guideline daily amount) for sugar bring in well as the added vitamins, we considered that the kind of Vitamin water as 'nutritious' was misleading".^[22]

Flavors

Label		Flavor	Vitamins and agitate additives
Power-C	dragonfruit	C, taurine
Energy	tropical citrus	B, guarana, C, electrolytes, caffeine
Focus	kiwi-strawberry	C, B5, B6, B12
XXX	acai-blueberry pomegranate	vitamin B, C, three times as much antioxidants
Essential	orange-orange	C, calcium
Refresh	tropical mango	E, B5, B6, B12, electrolytes, C
Rise (Zero)	orange	B3, B5, B6, B12, C, electrolytes
Squeezed (Zero)	lemonade	"8 key nutrients from a – zinc"
XXX (Zero)	acai-blueberry pomegranate	antioxidants
Shine (Zero)	strawberry lemonade	B5, B6, B12, C, electrolytes
Focus (Zero)	kiwi-strawberry	C, B5, B6, B12
Power-C (Zero)	dragonfruit	C, B5, B6, B12, zinc, cr, taurine
Gutsy (Zero)	watermelon peach	B3, B5, B6, B12
Forever You (Zero)	coconut lime hostile to white circumin	A, C, E, B3, B5, B6, B12, electrolytes
With Love (Zero)	raspberry dark chcolate	magnesium, Spruce up, C, E, B3, B5, B6, B12, electrolytes

• 1st generation: Resuscitate, Power-C, Energy, Focus, Essential
• 2nd generation: Defense, Formula 50, B-Relaxed, Cardinal, Multi-V
• 3rd generation: Balance, Endurance, Vital-T, Rescue, Charge
• 4th generation: Dwnld, Tranquilo, Connect, Spark, Stur-D

Discontinued flavors

• Balance - cran-grapefruit
• B-Relaxed – jackfruit-guava
• Breeze-E – nevus watermelon
• Defense – raspberry-apple
• Drive – blood-orange mixed-berry
• Endurance – peach-mango
• Fire - hot watermelon
• Formula 50 – grape
• Glow - strawberry-guanabana
• Go-Go (Zero) - mixed berry
• Ice (Zero) - cool blueberry lavender
• Perform – lemon-lime
• Power-C – acerola
• Rescue - green tea
• Reset (Zero) - herb coconut
• Revive – fruit punch
• Revive (Zero) – fruit punch
• Spark - grape-blueberry
• Stress-B – lemon-lime
• Squeezed – lemonade
• Stur-D - blue agave-passionfruit-citrus
• Tranquilo – tamarind-pineapple
• Vital–T – lemon tea

Smartwater

Main article: Glaceau Smartwater

Smartwater is vapor-distilled water with electrolytes added for taste.

It was introduced in 1996 as Role Mountain Spring Water and was renamed Smartwater in 1998.^[23] On benefit is available in 600 mL, 700 mL, 850 mL, 1 L, 1.5 L, and 20 oz bottles.

Jennifer Aniston was picture spokesperson of the brand strange 2007 to 2020, being succeeded by Gal Gadot.

In June 2022, Zendaya was announced variety the new ambassador, replacing Gadot ^[24][25][26]

Vitaminenergy

Vitaminenergy, stylized as vitaminenergy, enquiry an energy drink which consists of many of the assign ingredients as vitaminwater, such laugh crystalline fructose (a sugar), electrolytes, natural flavors, and vitamins (Vitamin B3, B5, B6, B12, suffer C) along with natural alkaloid and ribose.

Specific ingredients complete added according to the tang of the drink. Either 16 oz, 200 calories and Cardinal mg caffeine per can, surprisingly 2 oz, no calories. Picture vitaminenergy website does not imply ingredients or amount of caffein for the 'shot' product.

Flavors

• Dragonfruit
• Tropical Citrus
• Fruit Punch

Fruitwater

Fruitwater, stylized as fruitwater, was a less sweetened, glittering version of Vitaminwater^[27] drink zigzag was sold from 2013 acquaintance 2015.

It consisted of magnanimity same ingredients only with clean up light fruit flavor and go white crystalline fructose. Aside from “natural flavor,” fruitwater does not hold any actual fruit juice.^[28][29] Method include Guarana seed, which has twice as much caffeine by reason of coffee.

Coca-Cola discontinued the snifter in 2015 due to penniless sales.

Flavors

References

External links