Snapple is a brand of tea and juice drinks owned by Keurig Dr Pepper, based in Plano, Texas, United States.Snapple originated as an apple juice first produced in 1972 by Unadulterated Food Products, with the name Snapple a portmanteau derived from the words snappy and apple.[1]
The brand became popular in the 1990s and 2000s from pop-culture references and sponsorships in television shows, becoming the partial namesake of Dr Pepper Snapple Group in 2008. A series of lawsuits starting the following year questioned the brand's health claims, leading to changes in the products' formula.
History
Snapple was founded by Leonard Marsh, Hyman Golden, and Arnold Greenberg in 1972 in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York.[2] Their company, which was originally known as Unadulterated Food Products, was first conceived as a part-time venture to supply fruit juices to
An early apple juice product led to the company's name, Snapple.[3] Golden, Greenberg and Marsh had created a carbonated apple juice.[3] One of the batches of apple juice fermented in the bottle, causing the bottle caps to fly off.[3] The original name of that particular apple juice product, Snapple, a portmanteau derived from the words snappy and apple, became the new name for their beverage company.Thus the Snapple Beverage Corporation was born, beginning in the early 1980s.[3][4] In 1987, Snapple made their first tea, lemon tea.[5]
As of 2016, there are many different types of Snapple: tea (multiple flavors, such as lemon, raspberry, and peach, all of which come in original and diet), juice drinks, lemonade, and bottled water.Snapple also comes in aluminum cans.[6]
Snapple's brand slogan is "Made from the Best Stuff on Earth".
In the early 1990s, Snapple was known for a popular series of TV advertisements featuring Wendy Kaufman (the "Snapple Lady") answering letters from Snapple fans.[7] In May 1992, in an effort to counteract the Coke and Pepsi challenge commercials, Snapple began running a new line of advertisements, which featured its trademark "Made from the best stuff on Earth" line in ads that spoofed earlier beer and sports drinks promotions. The ads received low marks from advertising industry observers. In addition, the company used its $15-million-a-year advertising budget to pay for a long-lived series of live radio commercials featuring controversial radio hosts Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh.
At the end of the summer of 1992, Snapple conducted a five-week search for a new advertising agency that could better convey its corporate identity in preparation for a wider national push. Later that year, Snapple signed tennis player Jennifer Capriati to endorse its products. By August 1992, Snapple had expanded its distribution to every major city in the United States and signed new contracts with beverage distributors.
The company owned no manufacturing facilities, but instead made agreements with more than 30 bottlers across the country. In this way, Snapple was able to keep its overhead low and its payroll short. The company administration consisted of just 80 employees, 50 of whom worked out of a modest office building on Long Island.[8]
In 1992, Thomas H. Lee, an American businessperson, financier and investor of Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL), acquired Snapple Beverages on undisclosed terms. The three founders of Snapple, Leonard Marsh, Hyman Golden and Arnold Greenberg, said they would own about one-third of the new company and be involved in its management. Hellen Berry, vice president of the Beverage Marketing Corporation, a consultant in New York, estimated that Snapple, which had been for sale for more than a year and had $100 million in sales in 1991, sold for $140 million.[9]
Only eight months after buying the company, Lee took Snapple Beverages public.In 1994, Lee sold the company to the Quaker Oats Company for $1.7 billion.[10] Lee was estimated to have made $900 million for himself and his investors from the sale.Quaker Oats ran into problems and sold Snapple to Triarc in 1997 for $300 million.[11] In September 2000, Triarc sold it to Cadbury Schweppes for $1.45 billion.[12] In May 2008, Snapple was spun off to its current owners.
Controversies
Lawsuits
In 2009, a consumer lawsuit was brought against Snapple in California.The suit alleged the drinks contained unhealthy ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and deceptive names on labels that led consumers to believe that certain healthy elements are in the drinks that are not really present.[13]
In 2010, in a lawsuit against Snapple in the federal District of New Jersey, the court certified to the FDA for an administrative determination the question whether high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) qualifies as a "natural" ingredient. In 2010, the FDA responded by letter and declined to provide the court with the requested guidance. Stating that it would take two to three years to engage in a transparent proceeding to elicit the proper public participation, the FDA again cited its limited resources and more pressing food-safety concerns.[14]
In 2011, a New York federal court dismissed a different lawsuit accusing Snapple of misleading consumers by labeling drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup as "all natural" when the drink contained no natural juice. The court found that the plaintiffs had failed to show that they were injured as a result of Snapple's labeling.[15]
After the lawsuit in May 2009, Snapple was made with sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. In certain areas the older formula is still sold in stores, but this is becoming increasingly rare.
Snapple and New York City schools
In October 2003, Snapple began its sponsorship of the New York City public school system, as part of the deal to make Snapple New York City's official beverage.[16] 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 machines.[16]
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 and 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.[16]
The flavors available under this brand include Green Apple, Fruit Punch, Melon Berry, Grape, Orange Mango, and Strawberry Lime.[16]
K symbol
In the early 1990s, the original label graphic on the Iced Tea flavor, a depiction of the United States historical event the Boston Tea Party, was replaced due to misinformation espoused by protest groups claiming the ships on the packaging were slave trading vessels in New York Harbor.Snapple also fell victim to a 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.There were also rumors that the company donated to the controversial pro-life organization Operation Rescue.
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.[18][19]
Real Facts
Snapple is well known for printing a numbered list of Snapple "Real Facts" on the inside of their bottle caps.A list of these "Real Facts" is available on the company website[20] and fan sites.The "Real Facts" currently go from #1 to at least #2060, although many numbers in this range have never had facts written for them and have never been put into circulation.[21]
Several of the facts on Snapple caps have been found to be outdated, incorrect or exaggerated.
Popular culture
Snapple was the official beverage sponsor of America's Got Talent from season 7 to season 9 of the NBC show[44]Howard Stern, one of the judges on the show, was a spokesperson for Snapple in the 1980s.It was replaced by Dunkin' for season 10.[45]
In the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11, New York Paramedic Robert Ruiz was trapped inside a darkened building. He was able to locate a light source, but when he got closer, he discovered it was a refrigerator full of Snapple:
"No, I didn't want a drink. I tell everybody that part about the Snapple. I said, you know, I thought it was light. I thought it was the way out, and it turns out to be a giant refrigerator full of Snapple. I got so mad at that point.[46]"
Snapple Theater Center
In 2007, Snapple opened the Snapple Theater Center 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 40×50 ft (12×15.2 m) rehearsal space which is available for rent. The theaters are considered off-Broadway because of their low seating capacities.[47] The theater has since dropped the Snapple name and sponsorship and is simply known as The Theater Center.
Kosher certification
Most Snapple drinks do have a kosher certification from the OK KosherAgency. Exceptions include:
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."[16] 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."[16]
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.[17]
