Snapple
Encyclopedia
Snapple is a brand of tea and juice drinks which is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group
and based in Plano, Texas
. The brand was founded in 1972. The brand achieved some notoriety due to various pop-culture references including television shows.
Snapple was founded by Hyman Golden
, Arnold Greenberg and Leonard Marsh in Brooklyn, New York in the early 1970's and later moved to Valley Stream, New York
, on Long Island
. The word "Snapple" was introduced in the early 1980s and is derived from a carbonated apple juice. "In 1980, the company introduced a line of all-natural juices with the Snapple name, which came from one of its first products, a carbonated apple juice that had a "snappy apple taste." They first started with pure fruit drinks, and would not manufacture their first tea, lemon tea, until 1987. Currently, there are four different types of Snapple: Tea
(diet and regular), juice
drinks, lemonade
, and bottled water
.
Snapple's brand slogan is "Made from the best stuff on Earth."
Snapple was known for a popular series of TV advertisements in the early 1990s featuring Wendy Kaufman
(the "Snapple lady") answering letters from Snapple fans.
The Quaker Oats Company
bought Snapple for $1.7 billion in 1994. The company ran into problems and sold it to Triarc in 1997 for $300 million. Triarc sold it to Cadbury Schweppes
for $1.45 billion in September 2000. It was spun off in May 2008 to its current owners.
Starting in May 2009, Snapple was made with sugar
, not high fructose corn syrup
. However, in certain areas, the older formula is still sold in stores, but this is becoming increasingly rare.
school system, as part of the deal to make Snapple New York
's official beverage. The company promised an $8 million per year profit for city schools if it were allowed to sell its drinks, including juice and bottled water
, in school vending machine
s. Snapple was able to acquire the contract in part because New York City officials did not want to encourage the consumption of sodas
, which have been linked to childhood obesity
, diabetes
and are generally considered unhealthy. The Snapple juice drinks, specifically created to meet rules banning soda and other sugary snacks from city schools, are marketed under the "Snapple 100% Juiced!" label. The flavors available under this brand include Green Apple, Fruit Punch, Melon Berry, Grape, Orange Mango, and Strawberry Lime. Although the juice drinks are fortified with vitamins and minerals, they still contain more sugar (41 grams) than a 12-ounce container of Coca Cola (39 grams). Dr. Michael F. Jacobson
, the executive director
of the Center for Science in the Public Interest
, called the drinks "little better than vitamin-fortified sugar water." In addition, the concentrates used in the drinks, apple, grape and pear, are the least expensive and nutritious. Dr. Toni Liquori, associate professor at the Columbia Teachers College
, questioned the sale of bottled water in schools, saying "If anything, we should have cold water in our schools."
The deal also gave Snapple exclusive rights to sell its tea and juice-based drinks in vending machines on all New York City properties starting in January 2004. Snapple paid the City $106 million for the rights and agreed to spend $60 million more to marketing and promotion over the length of the five-year contract.
and, depending on the flavor, a lemon wedge/peach slice/several raspberries and a lemon tree/peach tree/raspberry bush. In early 2009 the label design would receive another makeover, this time with a somewhat more simplified design.
Snapple also fell victim to the old rumor that the small "K" was either a representation of the Klan, or of an imagined "Jewish Tax
" (augmented by the fact that all three founders were Jewish). The "K" on the products actually meant that they were certified kosher
.
Snapple initially tried to quell these rumors quietly, but ultimately had to launch a media campaign to squash them, pointing out it would be bad for business to support controversial issues in such a way as the rumors implied. Through a media campaign with the NAACP, Snapple successfully fought back these rumors, although occasionally they are still brought up as fact.
photos of Snapple "Real Facts" caps from its visitors to display as a reference to all Snapple fans.
The basis of the site is to bring together a community of Snapple fans and simultaneously show the power of the internet. In fact, Dani links the personal website links to the caps they submit in appreciation of their submission. The goal is to collect all of the "Real Facts" ever printed.
sitcom Seinfeld
featured Snapple several times during the 9 season run of the show. Perhaps the most famous example is in the Season 4 Episode 'The Visa
'. The storyline of the episode revolves around the deportation of the character Babu Bhatt, played by Brian George
. When Babu is unfortunately deported, his brother arrives at Jerry Seinfeld
's apartment. Elaine Benes
offers him a Snapple, to which he replies, "No, too fruity." This was a directorial comment on the criticism that Seinfeld received for product placement
.
NBC's 30 Rock
included Snapple in the episode "Jack-Tor
" dedicated to product placement, where television writer Liz Lemon
argued against including GE’s products in the show.
Liz: “We’re not compromising the integrity of the show to sell…”
Pete: “Wow, this is Diet Snapple?”
Liz: “I know. It tastes just like regular Snapple, doesn’t it?”
Frank: “You should try pomegranate. It’s amazing.”
Cerie: “I only date guys who drink Snapple.”
Jack
: “Look, we all love Snapple. Lord knows I do.”
The show even featured someone dressed in a Snapple suit asking where HR was located. Furthermore, when that episode aired, an actual commercial for Snapple was shown during the break after that scene aired.
In May 2010, a new commercial came out with Pandas talking as humans speaking about Snapple tea. There is a controversy about racism and a possible rip-off of another commercial about Chinese food with talking pandas.
On May 16, 2010, on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice season finale, Bret Michaels
and Holly Robinson Peete have to create a new flavor for Snapple, 30-second commercial, and 3-page advertorial.
In March 2011 on The Amazing Race
(Season 18 Episode 6) upon completing the Roadblock, teams were given a Snapple bottle and were left to figure out that their next clue was printed on the inside of the lid. Upon reaching the Tiwari Tea Stall, teams traded the bottle for their next clue. And in the pit stop they were told that the bottle was actually a Snapple bottle.
In September of 2011, Maroon 5
created a limited release flavor called 'Tea Will Be Loved'. The drink is a 5 fruit mash-up in support of the charity Feeding America.
on 50th Street and Broadway in the heart of New York City
's theater district. It has two theaters, one of which is a traditional theater, the other a thrust stage which can house plays. The center also includes a 40x50 ft rehearsal space which is available for rent. The theaters are considered Off-Broadway
because of their low seating capacities.
Elements
Soda
Juice
Dream-A-Drink
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. is an American soft drink company, based in Plano, Texas.It was spun off from Britain's Cadbury Schweppes, on May 5, 2008, with trading in its shares starting on May 7, 2008...
and based in Plano, Texas
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
. The brand was founded in 1972. The brand achieved some notoriety due to various pop-culture references including television shows.
History
Hyman Golden
Hyman Golden was one of the co-founders of the Snapple Beverage Corporation and was the company's chairman when the firm's juice drinks and teas attained national attention in the late 1980s.Golden was born in Passaic, New Jersey, to an immigrant Romanian father, and grew up in Middle Village,...
, Arnold Greenberg and Leonard Marsh in Brooklyn, New York in the early 1970's and later moved to Valley Stream, New York
Valley Stream, New York
Valley Stream is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population in the village of Valley Stream was 37,511 at the 2010 census...
, on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. The word "Snapple" was introduced in the early 1980s and is derived from a carbonated apple juice. "In 1980, the company introduced a line of all-natural juices with the Snapple name, which came from one of its first products, a carbonated apple juice that had a "snappy apple taste." They first started with pure fruit drinks, and would not manufacture their first tea, lemon tea, until 1987. Currently, there are four different types of Snapple: Tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
(diet and regular), juice
Juice
Juice is the liquid that is naturally contained in fruit or vegetable tissue.Juice is prepared by mechanically squeezing or macerating fruit or vegetable flesh without the application of heat or solvents. For example, orange juice is the liquid extract of the fruit of the orange tree...
drinks, lemonade
Lemonade
Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:...
, and bottled water
Bottled water
Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
.
Snapple was known for a popular series of TV advertisements in the early 1990s featuring Wendy Kaufman
Wendy Kaufman
Wendy Kaufman is an American best known for being the spokesperson for Snapple and for her two stints on Celebrity Fit Club.-Life and career:...
(the "Snapple lady") answering letters from Snapple fans.
The Quaker Oats Company
Quaker Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company is an American food conglomerate based in Chicago. It has been owned by Pepsico since 2001.-History:Quaker Oats was founded in 1901 by the merger of four oat mills:...
bought Snapple for $1.7 billion in 1994. The company ran into problems and sold it to Triarc in 1997 for $300 million. Triarc sold it to Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury is a confectionery company owned by Kraft Foods and is the industry's second-largest globally after Mars, Incorporated. Headquartered in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom, the company operates in more than 50 countries worldwide....
for $1.45 billion in September 2000. It was spun off in May 2008 to its current owners.
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, not high fructose corn syrup
High fructose corn syrup
High-fructose corn syrup — also called glucose-fructose syrup in the UK, glucose/fructose in Canada, and high-fructose maize syrup in other countries — comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce...
. However, in certain areas, the older formula is still sold in stores, but this is becoming increasingly rare.
Lawsuit
In 2009, a consumer lawsuit was brought against Snapple. The suit alleges that the manufacturer's marketing use of the words "all natural" is fraudulent because the drink is made with corn syrup. The complaint also raises the issue of Snapple drink names including fruits when the products do not contain those fruits.Snapple and education
In October 2003, Snapple began its sponsorship of the New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
school system, as part of the deal to make Snapple New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's official beverage. The company promised an $8 million per year profit for city schools if it were allowed to sell its drinks, including juice and bottled water
Bottled water
Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
, in school vending machine
Vending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
s. Snapple was able to acquire the contract in part because New York City officials did not want to encourage the consumption of sodas
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
, which have been linked to childhood obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
and are generally considered unhealthy. The Snapple juice drinks, specifically created to meet rules banning soda and other sugary snacks from city schools, are marketed under the "Snapple 100% Juiced!" label. The flavors available under this brand include Green Apple, Fruit Punch, Melon Berry, Grape, Orange Mango, and Strawberry Lime. Although the juice drinks are fortified with vitamins and minerals, they still contain more sugar (41 grams) than a 12-ounce container of Coca Cola (39 grams). Dr. Michael F. Jacobson
Michael F. Jacobson
Michael F. Jacobson , who holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, co-founded the Center for Science in the Public Interest in 1971, along with two fellow scientists he met while working at the Center for the Study of Responsive Law. When his colleagues left CSPI in...
, the executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Center for Science in the Public Interest
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Center for Science in the Public Interest is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group focusing on nutritional education and awareness.-History and funding:...
, called the drinks "little better than vitamin-fortified sugar water." In addition, the concentrates used in the drinks, apple, grape and pear, are the least expensive and nutritious. Dr. Toni Liquori, associate professor at the Columbia Teachers College
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
, questioned the sale of bottled water in schools, saying "If anything, we should have cold water in our schools."
The deal also gave Snapple exclusive rights to sell its tea and juice-based drinks in vending machines on all New York City properties starting in January 2004. Snapple paid the City $106 million for the rights and agreed to spend $60 million more to marketing and promotion over the length of the five-year contract.
Rumors and myths
Like many popular brands, Snapple has had urban myths and false rumors occasionally plague its brand. Various episodes of negative publicity caused the company to redesign their iced tea labels. Their new design(s) featured a smiling sunSun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
and, depending on the flavor, a lemon wedge/peach slice/several raspberries and a lemon tree/peach tree/raspberry bush. In early 2009 the label design would receive another makeover, this time with a somewhat more simplified design.
Snapple also fell victim to the old rumor that the small "K" was either a representation of the Klan, or of an imagined "Jewish Tax
Kosher tax
The "Kosher tax" is a canard or urban legend spread by antisemitic, white supremacist and other extremist organizations...
" (augmented by the fact that all three founders were Jewish). The "K" on the products actually meant that they were certified kosher
Hechsher
A hechsher is the special certification marking found on the packages of products that have been certified as kosher . In Halakha , the dietary laws of kashrut specify food items that may be eaten and others that are prohibited as set out in the commandments of the Torah...
.
Snapple initially tried to quell these rumors quietly, but ultimately had to launch a media campaign to squash them, pointing out it would be bad for business to support controversial issues in such a way as the rumors implied. Through a media campaign with the NAACP, Snapple successfully fought back these rumors, although occasionally they are still brought up as fact.
Collecting Snapple caps
Snapple Top Collection Services is a database, "Global Community Collection", that collectsCollecting
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world...
photos of Snapple "Real Facts" caps from its visitors to display as a reference to all Snapple fans.
The basis of the site is to bring together a community of Snapple fans and simultaneously show the power of the internet. In fact, Dani links the personal website links to the caps they submit in appreciation of their submission. The goal is to collect all of the "Real Facts" ever printed.
Popular culture
The NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
featured Snapple several times during the 9 season run of the show. Perhaps the most famous example is in the Season 4 Episode 'The Visa
The Visa
"The Visa" is the fifty-fifth episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. It is the 15th episode of the fourth season. It aired on January 27, 1993.-Plot:George meets Cheryl , a Chinese woman who is a lawyer, and who thinks he is very funny...
'. The storyline of the episode revolves around the deportation of the character Babu Bhatt, played by Brian George
Brian George
Brian George is a British-Israeli actor and voice actor for Indian accents, who typically plays guest roles for characters of South Asian descent. Perhaps his most famous role is as Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt on Seinfeld.-Early life:...
. When Babu is unfortunately deported, his brother arrives at Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
's apartment. Elaine Benes
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
offers him a Snapple, to which he replies, "No, too fruity." This was a directorial comment on the criticism that Seinfeld received for product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
.
NBC's 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
included Snapple in the episode "Jack-Tor
Jack-Tor
"Jack-Tor" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American situation comedy 30 Rock, which aired on November 16, 2006 on the NBC network in the United States, and on November 8, 2007 in the United Kingdom. The episode was written by Robert Carlock and was directed by Don Scardino...
" dedicated to product placement, where television writer Liz Lemon
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
argued against including GE’s products in the show.
Liz: “We’re not compromising the integrity of the show to sell…”
Pete: “Wow, this is Diet Snapple?”
Liz: “I know. It tastes just like regular Snapple, doesn’t it?”
Frank: “You should try pomegranate. It’s amazing.”
Cerie: “I only date guys who drink Snapple.”
Jack
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
: “Look, we all love Snapple. Lord knows I do.”
The show even featured someone dressed in a Snapple suit asking where HR was located. Furthermore, when that episode aired, an actual commercial for Snapple was shown during the break after that scene aired.
In May 2010, a new commercial came out with Pandas talking as humans speaking about Snapple tea. There is a controversy about racism and a possible rip-off of another commercial about Chinese food with talking pandas.
On May 16, 2010, on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice season finale, Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels is an American musician, actor, director, screenwriter, producer and reality television personality. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his career as lead singer, he has several solo albums to his credit, as well as one chart single...
and Holly Robinson Peete have to create a new flavor for Snapple, 30-second commercial, and 3-page advertorial.
In March 2011 on The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
(Season 18 Episode 6) upon completing the Roadblock, teams were given a Snapple bottle and were left to figure out that their next clue was printed on the inside of the lid. Upon reaching the Tiwari Tea Stall, teams traded the bottle for their next clue. And in the pit stop they were told that the bottle was actually a Snapple bottle.
In September of 2011, Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
created a limited release flavor called 'Tea Will Be Loved'. The drink is a 5 fruit mash-up in support of the charity Feeding America.
Snapple Theater Center
In 2007, Snapple opened the Snapple Theater CenterSnapple Theater Center
The Snapple Theater Center is a multi-theater entertainment complex located on the corner of 50th Street and Broadway in New York City.-History:The complex opened on May 22, 2006 and is sponsored by the beverage company Snapple...
on 50th Street and Broadway in the heart of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's theater district. It has two theaters, one of which is a traditional theater, the other a thrust stage which can house plays. The center also includes a 40x50 ft rehearsal space which is available for rent. The theaters are considered Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
because of their low seating capacities.
Discontinued brands
- Whipper Snapple
- Snapple Sodas
Discontinued flavors
Iced Tea- Lemon is no longer offered without green tea added, Orange Ice Tea, Cactus Ice Tea, Compassion Berry, Mint Ice Tea, lime iced tea.
Elements
- Atomic, Earth, Fire, Lightning, Meteor, Moon, Rain, Spark, Sub-Zero, Sun, Turbulence, Gravity, Velocity, Voltage, Volcano, Infusion, Sky, Altitude, Diet Ice, and Diet Air.
Soda
- Cherry Lime Ricky, Cream Soda, and Tru Root Beer.
Juice
- Bali Blast and Apple Pie (seasonal).
Dream-A-Drink
- Ralph's Cantaloupe Cocktail.