PepsiCo acquires IZZE; new management on board

BOULDER – PepsiCo Inc. has acquired Boulder-based IZZE Beverage Company, maker of all-natural, sparkling fruit juices.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

PepsiCo said that IZZE will remain in Boulder and continue to operate as a separate unit, reporting through Pepsi-Cola North America President and Chief Executive Officer Dawn Hudson. But management will change.

John Galloway, former vice president of sports marketing, media and interactive media for Pepsi, was named general manager of IZZE.

Todd Woloson is stepping down as IZZE president and chief executive to focus on Project Reach, the company’s philanthropic effort. The project addresses education-based development in communities where IZZE buys its fruit including Maine, California, Washington and Argentina.

“He seems like a super nice guy with great experience at Pepsi, and he’s enthusiastic to move to Boulder,” Woloson said. “We’re not moving IZZE.”

According to Woloson, not much else will change at the 29-employee company. “The messages we heard (from Pepsi) were there was a strong desire not to ‘Pepsi-fy’ the company. They have a desire to let us continue to grow organically but with access to some larger resources.”

IZZE is an up-and-coming brand in the rapidly expanding market for heathier beverages. It is sold in Starbucks throughout North America, as well as nationally in SuperTarget and Cost Plus World Market stores. It also is sold locally in Costco, Target, Safeway, Whole Foods, Wild Oats, grocery stores, delis, and casual and fine-dining restaurants across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and South Pacific.

The sparkling juice is available in eight flavors – apple, blackberry, blueberry, clementine, grapefruit, lemon, pear and pomegranate – and is sold in four-packs, 12- packs, single-serve 12- and 16-ounce glass bottles, and single-serve 8.4-ounce cans.

Founded in 2002 by Woloson and Greg Stroh, the company built its base of consumers through grassroots marketing and sales efforts.

Stroh, who left the company in mid-2005, is a member of the Stroh family, which owns Stroh Brewery Co. in Detroit.

IZZE received an IQ Award from the Business Report in 2003.

Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America is the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo Inc., in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. brands include Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Jazz, Pepsi ONE, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Pepsi Twist, Pepsi Vanilla, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Code Red, Mountain Dew LiveWire, Sierra Mist, Sierra Mist Free, Mug, Tropicana Twister Soda, Aquafina, Aquafina FlavorSplash, Aquafina Sparkling, Quaker Milk Chillers, Dole single-serve juices, Tropicana Juice Drinks and SoBe. The company also makes and markets ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees via joint ventures with Lipton and Starbucks.

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