AriZona aims to regain mojo after years of litigation
Following years of litigation between owners, Arizona Beverage Corp. is regaining lost ground with a wealth of new products and initiatives. The manufacturer of iconic AriZona iced teas is looking to make up lost market share to competitors like Lipton, Snapple and Pure Leaf, who have made inroads as the legal battle over the valuation of the company dragged on over 7 years. Since the settlement, AriZona has launched a pricier iced tea made with real sugar, a tea steeped in oak chips and a coconut based malt beverage called Coco Nutz. Now, AriZona is looking to introduce Crazy Cowboy lager beer, a category that may generate 25% of business by 2020 according to owner Vultaggio. It has also revamped its website for the first time in a decade and has plans to enter African and Asian markets. However, some things are likely to remain the same at AriZona, including the 99-cent price tag of the iconic iced tea and its refusal to use traditional media for advertising.