Sweet Leaf announces new flavors, board member

Fast-Growing, Ready-to-Drink Beverage Company Announces Two New Products, and New Board Member, Nantucket Nectars Co-Founder, Tom First

Fancy Food Show, Jacob K. Javits Center, New York, NY, June 29, 2008—Proving that there’s plenty brewing at Sweet Leaf Tea, one of the fastest-growing, ready-to-drink beverage companies in the country, the company made several key announcements here today:  the launch of a limited-edition blueberry lemonade in authentic Mason jars; the introduction of an organic mango green tea; an NASFT Gold SOFI Award nomination for its Organic Peach Lemonade; and the addition of beverage industry veteran, Tom First, to its board of directors.  This latest batch of news comes on the heels of an $18 million round of funding from Catterton Partners, the nation’s leading private equity firm in the consumer sector.  Catterton Partners was an early investor in companies including Build-a-Bear, PF Chang’s China Bistro, Odwalla and Kettle Foods.

When Life Gives You Lemons (and Mangos)…

Sweet Leaf Tea announced today the launch of two new products: Sweet Leaf’s Lemonade Stand Blueberry Lemonade and Sweet Leaf’s Organic Mango Green Tea.

Sweet Leaf’s Blueberry Lemonade and the company’s popular Peach Lemonade will be sold in a limited edition, environmentally-friendly, 16-ounce, reusable Mason jar.  The limited edition Mason jars are available for the summer only, and will retail for a suggested $2.49 per bottle at Whole Foods stores throughout the country. 

            In addition to the new Blueberry Lemonade and Peach Lemonade, the other lemonades in Sweet Leaf’s Lemonade Stand line are Organic Original Lemonade, which won a SOFI Award last year for Outstanding Cold Beverage and Organic Cherry Limeade.  

“All of our lemonades are made with the same Granny-inspired goodness that defines our tea products and we’re thrilled that people have embraced them so warmly and are starting to look for each summer’s limited edition,” said Clayton Christopher, CEO of Austin-based Sweet Leaf Tea. “Our lemonades are like getting a little summer-vacation squeeze right from Granny.”

Also unveiled today at the Fancy Food Show was the company’s new Organic Mango Green Tea, a delicious and refreshing organic, ready-to-drink tea made with premium organic green tea, organic mango juice and pure, organic cane sugar. Bottles of Sweet Leaf’s Mango Green Tea will be available in 16 ounce glass bottles that will retail for between $1.39 and $1.59 each, and 20 ounce, recyclable PET bottles, which will retail for between $1.59 and $1.79 each.

First on Board

Sweet Leaf Tea also announced today that Tom First, one of the two co-founders of Nantucket Nectars, and the founder of Owater, a bottled water company, has joined its board of directors. Over the course of his 12-year tenure as co-CEO of Nantucket Nectars, First created one of the most widely recognized ready-to-drink brands in the country. Nantucket Nectars was sold to Cadbury-Schweppes in 2002.

“I am proud and honored to be joining Sweet Leaf Tea’s board of directors, especially at this important juncture when the company is moving to the next level in brand awareness and sales,” said First. “Sweet Leaf has an unwavering commitment to authenticity, appeals to a wide variety of consumers and represents goodness, both in terms of the products they make and the things they do. In my view, they’ve just scratched the surface of success and the best is yet to come.”

In addition to creating all-natural, Granny-inspired beverages, Sweet Leaf Tea is committed to supporting non-profit organizations. Last month, Christopher appeared on The CBS Early Show to discuss the company’s donation of 1,000 bottles of tea to the nation’s largest-ever food drive and the more than 100 other non-profit efforts that the company has supported over the last 10 years. 

“We are delighted that Tom has agreed to serve on our board of directors,” said Christopher. “As one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the ready-to-drink beverage category, Tom has tremendous expertise, experience and a point of view that will be invaluable to us as we continue our strong growth.”

About Sweet Leaf Tea

Sweet Leaf Tea is one of the fastest-growing beverage companies in the United States.  The company was founded in 1998 by Clayton Christopher, then 25, when he couldn’t find a bottled iced tea that tasted like the delicious, homemade tea his grandmother used to make for him when he was growing up in Beaumont, Texas.   Shortly thereafter, Christopher’s childhood friend, David Smith, joined the company and the two began production brewing their homespun tea in 50-gallon crawfish pots, using pillow cases as tea bags. Made from all-natural ingredients, including purified water, pure cane sugar and high-quality organic tea leaves, Sweet Leaf Tea is made and brewed based on Clayton’s grandmother’s recipe and technique.  Sweet Leaf Tea, which is available in 11 classic iced-tea flavors and three lemonade flavors, is available nationwide through Kroger, Safeway and at natural and specialty food stores including Whole Foods.  For more information, please visit www.sweetleaftea.com

Source: Sweet Leaf Tea