Jones Soda
Encyclopedia
Jones Soda Co. is a beverage company based in Pioneer Square, Seattle, Washington. It bottles and distributes soft drink
s, non-carbonated beverages, energy drink
s, and candy. Jones Soda is a carbonated soft drink that has many unusual flavors that are not offered by other soft drink makers.
Founded by Peter van Stolk in 1986, Jones Soda Co. started off as a beverage distributor in Western Canada
in the late 1980s. As the company grew, they gained significant knowledge of the beverage industry and decided to get into the market with alternative beverages as the Urban Juice & Soda Company. In 2000, the company officially changed its name to Jones Soda and moved from its headquarters in Vancouver
, British Columbia
to Seattle, Washington to improve U.S. sales.
Until 1995, the company was a distributor of other beverage lines such as AriZona Iced Tea
and Thomas Kemper
sodas in Western Canada
. The Urban Juice and Soda Company changed its name to Jones Soda Co. on August 1, 2000, most likely hoping to benefit from the fact that over 85% of the total revenues came from the Jones Soda brand.
In November 2006, Jones Soda announced that the company would be transitioning to use pure cane sugar
(in the form of an inverted syrup
) instead of high fructose corn syrup
(HFCS) in its products. This is unusual in the carbonated soft drink category compared to other national brands that most often use corn syrup. On January 22, 2007, Jones Pure Cane Soda was launched in 12 ounce cans. By April 2007, all of the company's products switched to cane sugar, except for its energy drinks, which changed that fall.
In March 2010, Jones Soda agreed to allow rival Reed's, Inc.
to purchase the company at a steep discount, though later in the month Jones backed out of the deal. The company named former Talking Rain
president William Meissner as President and CEO.
.
In 2008, Jones Soda announced a second-quarter loss and the downsizing of 42 employees (40% of its workforce), cutting costs a little over $2.6 million annually.
In June 2010, the company announced a distribution deal with Wal-Mart and $10 million in financing from Glengrove Small Cap Value Ltd.
During the summer of 2011, Jones moved out of its South Lake Union headquarters to a building in Pioneer Square opposite CenturyLink Field.
, Cherry
, Lemon
, Lime
, Strawberry
, Raspberry
and Grape
in 12oz glass bottles. The use of photos on the labels was a marketing ploy designed to create an "emotional attachment" to the brand.
To help break into the soft drink marketplace, Jones pursued what it calls an "alternative distribution strategy" to attract consumer attention, selling soft drinks in venues such as clothing and music stores, tattoo
and piercing parlors, and sporting equipment shops. Eventually Jones Soda was available nationwide in larger chain stores such as 7-Eleven
, Safeway
, Albertsons, Wal-Mart
, Winn-Dixie, and Barnes & Noble
. Recent business distribution deals have further expanded the company, placing some basic flavors in stores such as Meijer
, World Market, and Panera
. On March 17, 2004, it announced a deal to distribute Jones Soda in over 3900 Starbucks
locations in the United States, though Starbucks
does not supply Jones anymore. On October 12, 2004, Jones Soda introduced 12oz cans for the first time with an exclusive distribution deal with Target
, though other stores (including some Kmart
, Food Pyramid, and Albertsons locations) now also sell the cans. Jones Soda is also sold at Ruby Tuesday's.
Since the original seven flavors were introduced, 22 additional flavors have been created:
There have also been dessert specials available, including such flavors as Apple Pie, Blueberry Pie, and others.
of the Splenda brand and acesulfame potassium
, but no aspartame
. Current Sugar-free flavors include: Cola, Black Cherry, Cream Soda, Green Apple, and Root Beer. Retired flavors include: Ginger Ale and Pink Grapefruit.
Though they were not labeled sugar-free, four flavors were considered "Mid-Calorie": Twisted Lime, Watermelon, Tangerine, and Blueberry. These flavors were sweetened with Splenda, but still included 21 grams of sugar (compared to approximately 45-50 grams in the regular sodas).
-based beverage has been available outside of, for example, a tea store.
. The product label claims that it "promotes focus, balance, and mental clarity". It was produced in four flavors, Fuji Apple Tea-Juice, Grapefruit Tea-Juice, Lemon Honey Tea, and Nectarine Tea-Juice.
. Available flavors include: Green Apple, Fufu Berry, Orange & Cream, Strawberry Lime, Cream Soda, Bacon, and Blue Bubble Gum.
Jones expanded its carbonated candy line further in 2006 to include "Jones Soda Energy Boosters", which contain Niacin
, Vitamin B12
, Taurine, and Vitamin B6
. Marketing literature says, "1 tin of Jones Boosters = 3 Jones Energy Drinks".
In 2007, Big Sky Brands announced a contest to incorporate 24 user-submitted photos of crazy, distorted sour face "cringes" onto new labeling of "Jones Soda Carbonated Sours". They entered the market in 2008, initially in three flavors: Electric Lemonade, Limes with Orange and Spiked Punch.
Pack, created in July 2003 to honor of the 35th anniversary of Hot Wheels. The pack included a Hot Wheels Jones Soda Orange RV along with four themed bottles and was only available through the Jones Soda website.
In November 2003, Jones introduced a "Turkey
& Gravy
" seasonal flavor in honor of Thanksgiving
. Demand was so overwhelming that Jones sold out within two hours, the bottles (both full and empty) fetching in excess of $10 a piece on auction sites such as eBay
.
Casserole
, Cranberry
, Mashed Potato
es with Butter, and Fruitcake. The limited edition pack sold out in under an hour, temporarily crashing the company's email and Internet servers. As in 2003, people resold some seasonal bottles on auction sites such as eBay, with bids reaching as high as $100 a pack. Jones Soda's profits in both years were donated to the charity
, Toys for Tots
.
Limited Edition 8 oz. can 4-packs, exclusively through Target
. The four flavors included two originals (Candy Corn and Caramel Apple), as well as two renamed flavors (Strawberry Slime and Scary Berry Lemonade).
Flavors released at the end of October 2005 in many Target stores (and, eventually, via the Jones Soda website) included, as in 2004, five different varieties. "Turkey & Gravy" and "Cranberry" made a return from 2004, with three new additions: Wild Herb Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie, and Brussels sprout
. A list of wines, half-humorously included on a label of the front of the box, offered suggestions which would "match" with said flavors.
A second limited edition collection was also created in 2005, in part to celebrate the Seattle
regional aspect of the company. This collection was also made available in other places across the United States, including select Speedway, Kroger, and Cost Plus World Market
stores. The flavors differed from the first 2005 limited edition and included in addition to Turkey & Gravy; Smoked Salmon Pâté, Corn on the Cob, Broccoli Casserole, and for dessert, Pecan Pie. As in years past, all profits from the Holiday Pack collections went to charities, in this case, St. Jude's Research Hospital and Toys for Tots.
Pack. Each pack contained two bottles of "Love Potion #6" soda, a Love Potion #6 flavored lip balm, a three-track sampler CD, a book of “Love Coupons”, and a coupon for two free bottles of customized myJones. In addition to selling the packs through retailers and their website, Jones partnered with the non-profit organization, Operation AC, to donate 10,000 packs to U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In September 2006, Jones released the 10th Anniversary Pack, which included two “current favorites” (Green Apple and Blue Bubblegum), two “original favorites” (Pineapple Upside Down and Raspberry), along with a Hot Wheels
version of a Jones Van. The bottles were printed with special foil detailing and each pack was numbered with only 10,500 ever made, available only by ordering through their website.
The Halloween cans were available again in 2006 with the return of Candy Corn and Berry Alive (formerly Scary Berry Lemonade) and the new Spider Cider and Gruesome Grape (a renamed version of their regular flavor, MF Grape). Along with the cans, Limited Edition bottles were available in three flavors: Monster Mojito
, Lemon Drop Dead, and Creepy Cranberry. Unlike previous Limited Edition bottles, these were available in the normal 4-pack carriers rather than special packages. Also in October 2006, Jones released the Berries and Cream Limited Edition pack to raise awareness for the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation.
The 2006 Holiday Pack introduced some new flavors in addition to the now classic Turkey & Gravy, including Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll, Pea, and Antacid
(which included a disclaimer stating it had no medicinal qualities). The second 2006 pack was dubbed the Dessert Pack and included Cherry Pie, Banana Cream Pie, Key Lime Pie, Apple Pie, and Blueberry Pie. Proceeds once again went to St. Jude’s and Toys for Tots. Three additional flavors (Egg Nog, Sugar Plum, and Candy Cane) were also created in 4-packs similar to the special Halloween bottles.
Conversation hearts, and a "Spin the Bottle
" board printed on the back of the box.
In preparation for the Seattle Seahawks
' 2007 season
, Jones offered a limited-edition Seahawks pack starting on September 27. The collectors' pack included sodas flavored in Perspiration, Sports Cream, Natural Field Turf
, Dirt
, and Sweet Victory. In the Pacific Northwest
, Jones labeled their regular sodas with Seahawks-themed pictures during the 2007 football season.
The Halloween edition mini-cans returned in October, featuring new flavor Sour Lemon Drop Dead, along with returning flavors Candy Corn
, Strawberry S'lime, and Gruesome Grape. Three Target-exclusive flavors were also released: new flavors Black Cat Licorice (Black Licorice) and Dread Licorice (Red Licorice), along with returning flavor Monster Mojito.
Around Thanksgiving, Jones again released three flavors for the Holidays, exclusively at Target stores. Christmas Cocoa, Candy Cane, and Gingerbread each came in a 4-bottle carry pack. Additionally, the Dessert Pack was rereleased with new flavor Lemon Meringue Pie
, plus returning flavors Apple Pie
, Cherry Pie
, and Blueberry Pie
.
In place of their annual Thanksgiving pack, Jones released two new holiday-themed sets. The 2007 Jones Holiday Packs offered choices for both Christmas
and Chanukah. The 2007 Christmas Pack included new flavors Christmas Ham and Christmas Tree, along with returning flavors Egg Nog and Sugar Plum, with proceeds benefiting Toys for Tots
. The 2007 Happy Chanukah Pack was a four-bottle set of Latke, Applesauce
, Chocolate Coins, and Jelly Doughnut
sodas, and included "1 completely functional dreidel;" proceeds from Chanukah Pack sales benefited Vitamin Angels
. Both holiday packs contained no caffeine. All sodas, including the ham-flavored soda, were certified kosher.
In April, Jones Soda ran a contest called 10,000th label contest. Where fans would vote for their favorite photo of the Top 20 that Jones Soda picked. The winner would have the honor of their photo being on a special edition bottle. With over 5,000 votes cast, this is Jones Soda's most popular contest so far.
In October Jones released, through Target, four 8oz Halloween soda cans that came in four packs. The flavors where paired with Classic movie monsters for each flavor. Lemon Drop Dead was the Mummy, Spooookiwi was Frankenstein's monster, Candy Corn was the Wolf-man, and Buried Pomegranate was Count Dracula. Jones also came out with three 12oz glass bottle Halloween soda consisting of Dread Apple, Blood Orange, and Monster Mojito.
Also in October, the company laid off 42 of its 110 employees, partly the result of the company's expansion into the canned-soda market where it competed directly against Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
In November Jones released exclusively at Target stores three 12oz glass bottle Holiday sodas including Candy Cane, Pear Tree, Mele Kalikimaka (a pineapple and coconut combo)or "Merry Christmas" in Hawaiian. Jones also exclusively released on their website a six pack of Green Apple, Red Apple, and Cream Soda as a Holiday color combo. Another net exclusive was the Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, and Blueberry Pie six pack not so different from last years dessert pack.
In December Jones released their Chanukah Pack was a four-bottle set of Latke, Applesauce
, Chocolate Coins, and Jelly Doughnut
sodas, and included "1 completely functional dreidel;"
inauguration, Jones released a new 'Orange You Glad For Change' orange cola flavor, available from their website.
In February, Love Potion #6 was also made available from the official Jones website.
In June, Internet radio station PunkRadioCast teamed up with Jones Soda to create a punk pop 6 pack featuring labels designed by PunkRadioCast and five punk artists – New Found Glory
, Less Than Jake
, Bad Brains
, Thursday
and The Gaslight Anthem
. The 6 pack includes:
When Magic: the Gathering
released a new core card set
in July, Jones Soda coordinated to produce five limited edition bottles featuring Magic's five colors of mana and artwork from Magic's new Planeswalker
s. The five sodas are titled Elixir of Purity (Cream Soda
), Necromancer's Tonic (Root Beer
), Beast Brew (Green Apple), Illusion Infusion (Blue Bubblegum
), and Purifying Fire water (Fruit Punch).
An exclusive set of bottles based on Dungeons and Dragons, called 'Spellcasting Soda' was made available through the official Jones website. Sodas were titled Illithid Brain Juice, Sneak Attack, Potion of Healing, Dwarven Draught, Bigby's Crushing Thirst Destroyer, and Eldritch Blast.
Halloween brought a return of several promotional flavors, exclusively at Target. Four-bottle packs of Monster Mojito, Dread Apple, and Blood Orange made a return. Four-can packs of Buried Pomegranate, Strawberry S'lime, Lemon Drop Dead, Spookiwi, and Candy Corn were also re-released.
For Thanksgiving, the company introduced a new Tofurky
and Gravy flavored soda that's intended for vegetarians as an alternative option to turkey. A portion of proceeds were donated to the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The drink was also featured on an episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
in a segment where band member Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg (after Andy Richter
refused to drink it) tried and disliked it.
) to be printed underneath the bottle cap.
The website sometimes asks for specific themes for photo uploads like the Patriot Photos or the Landmark Contest in order to create a special collection of labels. Recently, they have created a Signature series which includes photos and written signatures of Jones Soda Pro Athletes.
Above the picture on the label, the word "my" is added before "Jones Soda Co." to indicate it was customized and not bought at retail. In addition, the barcode
is labeled "Not for Resale".
. Athletes such as Benji Weatherley, Matt Hoffman, and Bam Margera
, known as Jones Pro Riders, promote Jones by appearing with the logo (or often the actual product) at various events or on television appearances (During the episode of MTV Cribs
featuring Bam Margera, he opened his fridge to reveal several bottles of Jones Soda). Another group of athletes, the Jones Emerging Athletes, also support Jones. The main reason for the use of athletes is most likely to further target the intended demographic of people in their teens and twenties.
Jones also employs two Jones Soda RVs which travel the West and East coasts of North America "handing out soda and talking to the people on the street".
On May 23, 2007, the Seattle Seahawks
chose Jones Soda as its official soft drink. For the 2007
through the 2009
season, Qwest Field
has sold only Jones Soda drinks at its concession stands. During football season, Jones Soda also produced bottles labeled with photos of Seahawks players for sale both at football games and in supermarkets. The Seahawks previously sold soft drinks from The Coca-Cola Company
; the Jones Soda deal made the team the first in the NFL to sign an exclusive deal with a soft drink company other than Coca-Cola or Pepsi. In June 2010, the Seahawks severed their association with Jones Soda and announced that they had signed a five-year agreement with Coca-Cola.
On February 12, 2008, Alaska Airlines
and Horizon Air
announced they would serve Jones Soda on their flights. This arrangement ended March 1, 2010, when Alaska and Horizon switched to serving Coca-Cola products. The airlines cited customer demand as the reason.
The 2009 February/March issue of the fine beverage publication, Mutineer Magazine, featured Jones Soda on the cover as well as an in-depth article about the company inside the magazine.
The company's motto, "Run with the little guy… create some change.", appears on most Jones products.
Dr. Dre
's character in the film The Wash
is seen drinking a Jones Soda.
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
s, non-carbonated beverages, energy drink
Energy drink
Energy drinks are beverages whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar and caffeine they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulants and vitamins....
s, and candy. Jones Soda is a carbonated soft drink that has many unusual flavors that are not offered by other soft drink makers.
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
in the late 1980s. As the company grew, they gained significant knowledge of the beverage industry and decided to get into the market with alternative beverages as the Urban Juice & Soda Company. In 2000, the company officially changed its name to Jones Soda and moved from its headquarters in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to Seattle, Washington to improve U.S. sales.
Until 1995, the company was a distributor of other beverage lines such as AriZona Iced Tea
AriZona Beverage Company
AriZona Beverages USA is a producer of various flavors of iced tea, juice cocktails and energy drinks from the United States, based in Woodbury, New York....
and Thomas Kemper
Thomas Kemper
Thomas Kemper is a brewer of root beer, ginger ale, and other craft brewed sodas under the Thomas Kemper Soda Co. label. Formerly owned by Pyramid Breweries, Inc., it was sold in 2007 to Adventure Funds of Portland, Oregon, which is running the company under the Kemper Co. name. Thomas Kemper...
sodas in Western Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Urban Juice and Soda Company changed its name to Jones Soda Co. on August 1, 2000, most likely hoping to benefit from the fact that over 85% of the total revenues came from the Jones Soda brand.
In November 2006, Jones Soda announced that the company would be transitioning to use pure cane sugar
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
(in the form of an inverted syrup
Inverted sugar syrup
Inverted or invert sugar syrup is a mixture of glucose and fructose; it is obtained by splitting sucrose into these two components. Compared with its precursor, sucrose, inverted sugar is sweeter and its products tend to remain more moist and are less prone to crystallisation...
) instead of 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...
(HFCS) in its products. This is unusual in the carbonated soft drink category compared to other national brands that most often use corn syrup. On January 22, 2007, Jones Pure Cane Soda was launched in 12 ounce cans. By April 2007, all of the company's products switched to cane sugar, except for its energy drinks, which changed that fall.
In March 2010, Jones Soda agreed to allow rival Reed's, Inc.
Reed's, Inc.
Reed's, Inc. manufactures naturally brewed sodas including Reed's Ginger Brew, Virgil's Root Beer, Virgil's Natural Cream Sodas and China Cola. Founded by Christopher J. Reed, the company is located in Los Angeles, California. Reed's also owns China Cola and recently acquired . It began...
to purchase the company at a steep discount, though later in the month Jones backed out of the deal. The company named former Talking Rain
Talking Rain
Talking Rain is a privately held beverage company based in Preston, Washington. It specializes in spring water products, some of which are distributed only in the Pacific Northwest region. The company was founded in 1987.-Products:...
president William Meissner as President and CEO.
History
In 2007, the company announced an $11.6 million loss, due to the attempted expansion into the canned-soda market, whose barriers to entry were high against mass-produced Coca Cola and PepsiPepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
.
In 2008, Jones Soda announced a second-quarter loss and the downsizing of 42 employees (40% of its workforce), cutting costs a little over $2.6 million annually.
In June 2010, the company announced a distribution deal with Wal-Mart and $10 million in financing from Glengrove Small Cap Value Ltd.
During the summer of 2011, Jones moved out of its South Lake Union headquarters to a building in Pioneer Square opposite CenturyLink Field.
Beverage lines
Jones Soda was developed in 1995 and introduced in 1996 with seven flavors: OrangeOrange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, Cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
, Lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
, Lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
, Strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, Raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
and Grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
in 12oz glass bottles. The use of photos on the labels was a marketing ploy designed to create an "emotional attachment" to the brand.
To help break into the soft drink marketplace, Jones pursued what it calls an "alternative distribution strategy" to attract consumer attention, selling soft drinks in venues such as clothing and music stores, tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
and piercing parlors, and sporting equipment shops. Eventually Jones Soda was available nationwide in larger chain stores such as 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
, Safeway
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
, Albertsons, Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Winn-Dixie, and Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
. Recent business distribution deals have further expanded the company, placing some basic flavors in stores such as Meijer
Meijer
Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
, World Market, and Panera
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is a chain of bakery–café quick casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that sells breads, sandwiches, soups, salads, and other bakery items. Its headquarters are in Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.-Corporate history:In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co...
. On March 17, 2004, it announced a deal to distribute Jones Soda in over 3900 Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
locations in the United States, though Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
does not supply Jones anymore. On October 12, 2004, Jones Soda introduced 12oz cans for the first time with an exclusive distribution deal with Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, though other stores (including some Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
, Food Pyramid, and Albertsons locations) now also sell the cans. Jones Soda is also sold at Ruby Tuesday's.
Since the original seven flavors were introduced, 22 additional flavors have been created:
There have also been dessert specials available, including such flavors as Apple Pie, Blueberry Pie, and others.
Slim and Sugar-Free
In January 1999, Jones introduced the “slim” line of diet sodas, but discontinued it in 2003 in favor of a sugar-free line. It is ironic as, when the company first began, a clear marketed difference from other more "mainstream" soft drinks was the lower sugar content the company's blends originally had. Its sugar-free formulas contain sucraloseSucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener. The majority of ingested sucralose is not broken down by the body and therefore it is non-caloric. In the European Union, it is also known under the E number E955. Sucralose is approximately 600 times as sweet as sucrose , twice as sweet as saccharin, and 3.3...
of the Splenda brand and acesulfame potassium
Acesulfame potassium
Acesulfame potassium is a calorie-free artificial sweetener, also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K , and marketed under the trade names Sunett and Sweet One. In the European Union, it is known under the E number E950...
, but no aspartame
Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. In the European Union, it is codified as E951. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide. It was first sold under the brand name NutraSweet; since 2009 it...
. Current Sugar-free flavors include: Cola, Black Cherry, Cream Soda, Green Apple, and Root Beer. Retired flavors include: Ginger Ale and Pink Grapefruit.
Though they were not labeled sugar-free, four flavors were considered "Mid-Calorie": Twisted Lime, Watermelon, Tangerine, and Blueberry. These flavors were sweetened with Splenda, but still included 21 grams of sugar (compared to approximately 45-50 grams in the regular sodas).
WhoopAss and Jones Energy
In October 1999, Jones introduced Jones Soda WhoopAss (later shortened to simply "WhoopAss"). Jones Energy was the second entry into the energy drink market and included three flavors in 8.4oz cans: Mixed Berry, Lemon Lime, and Orange. Big Jones Energy and Sugar Free Jones Energy (both 16oz cans) were also available. Jones Energy was discontinued in late 2008.Jones Juice and Naturals
Jones Juice debuted in 2001 with Limes with Orange, Berry White, Dave, Black, Purple Carrot, and Fu Cran Fu. The line was renamed Jones Naturals in 2002 and later expanded to include Betty, Bananaberry, D'Peach Mode, Bada Bing!, Bohemian Raspberry, and Strawberry Manilow. Naturals do not have the fortunes under the caps; instead, they have cartoon-like symbols. Naturals are sold in 20oz glass bottles, making them almost twice as big as Jones Soda. Naturals contain between 1 and 10 percent juice depending on the flavor. AÇAI=MC2, Bada Bing!, Berry White, Betty, Black, Dave, Fu Cran Fu, Purple Carrot, and Your Momegranate have since been retired.Jones Organics
In 2005, Jones announced a new line in its series: Jones Organics. The blends consist of six different tea-based flavors—two each of white tea, green tea and red tea. The bottles have a clean, minimal label (designed by Jason Gomez), as opposed to customized photos. The exact blends are: Strawberry White Tea, Cherry White Tea, Berry Green Tea, Mandarin Green Tea, Tropical Red Tea, and Peach Red Tea; each certified Organic by the USDA. This marks one of the few times that a rooibosRooibos
Rooibos is a broom-like member of the legume family of plants growing in South Africa's fynbos.The generic name comes from the plant Calicotome villosa, aspalathos in Greek. This plant has very similar growth and flowers to the redbush...
-based beverage has been available outside of, for example, a tea store.
24C
Jones came out with 24C sports drinks in 2006. They are vitamin enhanced water beverages that come in 20 oz plastic bottles. The flavors include Berry Pomegranate, Blueberry Grape, Cranberry Apple, Kiwi Dragonfruit, Lemon Lime, Mandarin Orange, Peach Mango, Red Grapefruit, Strawberry Lemonade, and Tropical Citrus.GABA
In April 2009, Jones released a new line of beverages named GABA, after its featured ingredient, gamma-aminobutyric acidGamma-aminobutyric acid
γ-Aminobutyric acid is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. It plays a role in regulating neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system...
. The product label claims that it "promotes focus, balance, and mental clarity". It was produced in four flavors, Fuji Apple Tea-Juice, Grapefruit Tea-Juice, Lemon Honey Tea, and Nectarine Tea-Juice.
Jones Zilch
Released Q4 2009, A sugar-free aspartame free soft drink. Flavors are Pomegranate, Vanilla Bean and Black Cherry (all are sweetened with Splenda)Flavored lip balm
In October 2004, Jones announced a licensing agreement with Lime Lite Marketing to create Jones flavored lip balm. The line features UV-A and UV-B protection, SPF 15, Aloe Vera, and Vitamin EVitamin E
Vitamin E is used to refer to a group of fat-soluble compounds that include both tocopherols and tocotrienols. There are many different forms of vitamin E, of which γ-tocopherol is the most common in the North American diet. γ-Tocopherol can be found in corn oil, soybean oil, margarine and dressings...
. Available flavors include: Green Apple, Fufu Berry, Orange & Cream, Strawberry Lime, Cream Soda, Bacon, and Blue Bubble Gum.
Frozen soda pops
In early 2005, Jones Soda entered the "frozen novelty" market with their Jones Frozen Soda Pops. They were available in Green Apple, Berry Lemonade, and Cherry soda flavors. The Jones Frozen Soda Pops are part of a three year licensing agreement with Kroger, but are not currently available.Carbonated candy
On October 19, 2005, a press statement was released in regards to Jones Soda's licensing agreement with Big Sky Brands to produce a soda "flavor booster" candy. At the time, they announced that the candy's three different flavors of "Jones Soda Carbonated Candy" would be Berry Lemonade, Fufu Berry, and Green Apple. The product was released in the United States in 2006. In 2007, the lineup was increased to six flavors, the three new flavors being Orange & Cream, Cream Soda, and M.F. Grape.Jones expanded its carbonated candy line further in 2006 to include "Jones Soda Energy Boosters", which contain Niacin
Niacin
"Niacin" redirects here. For the neo-fusion band, see Niacin .Niacin is an organic compound with the formula and, depending on the definition used, one of the forty to eighty essential human nutrients.Niacin is one of five vitamins associated with a pandemic deficiency disease: niacin deficiency...
, Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, vitamin B12 or vitamin B-12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins...
, Taurine, and Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the vitamin B complex group. Several forms of the vitamin are known, but pyridoxal phosphate is the active form and is a cofactor in many reactions of amino acid metabolism, including transamination, deamination, and decarboxylation...
. Marketing literature says, "1 tin of Jones Boosters = 3 Jones Energy Drinks".
In 2007, Big Sky Brands announced a contest to incorporate 24 user-submitted photos of crazy, distorted sour face "cringes" onto new labeling of "Jones Soda Carbonated Sours". They entered the market in 2008, initially in three flavors: Electric Lemonade, Limes with Orange and Spiked Punch.
2003
The first special edition Jones was the Jones Hot WheelsHot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
Pack, created in July 2003 to honor of the 35th anniversary of Hot Wheels. The pack included a Hot Wheels Jones Soda Orange RV along with four themed bottles and was only available through the Jones Soda website.
In November 2003, Jones introduced a "Turkey
Domesticated turkey
The domesticated turkey is a large poultry bird. The modern domesticated form descends from the wild turkey , one of the two species of turkey ; in the past the ocellated turkey was also domesticated.The turkey is raised throughout temperate parts of the world and is a popular form of poultry,...
& Gravy
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce made often from the juices that run naturally from meat or vegetables during cooking. In North America the term can refer to a wider variety of sauces and gravy is often thicker than in Britain...
" seasonal flavor in honor of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
. Demand was so overwhelming that Jones sold out within two hours, the bottles (both full and empty) fetching in excess of $10 a piece on auction sites such as eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.
2004
In 2004, it offered a complete, drinkable Thanksgiving dinner—five bottles—as a box set for $16. Turkey & Gravy was brought back, and the rest of the flavors were unique to this offering: Green BeanGreen bean
Green beans , also known as French beans , are the unripe fruit of any kind of bean, including the yardlong bean, the hyacinth bean, the winged bean, and especially the common bean , whose pods are also usually called string beans in the northeastern and western United States, but can also be...
Casserole
Casserole
A casserole, from the French for "saucepan", is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word casserole is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a casserole dish or casserole pan...
, Cranberry
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
, Mashed Potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es with Butter, and Fruitcake. The limited edition pack sold out in under an hour, temporarily crashing the company's email and Internet servers. As in 2003, people resold some seasonal bottles on auction sites such as eBay, with bids reaching as high as $100 a pack. Jones Soda's profits in both years were donated to the charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major William L...
.
2005
In 2005, Jones released HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
Limited Edition 8 oz. can 4-packs, exclusively through Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
. The four flavors included two originals (Candy Corn and Caramel Apple), as well as two renamed flavors (Strawberry Slime and Scary Berry Lemonade).
Flavors released at the end of October 2005 in many Target stores (and, eventually, via the Jones Soda website) included, as in 2004, five different varieties. "Turkey & Gravy" and "Cranberry" made a return from 2004, with three new additions: Wild Herb Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie, and Brussels sprout
Brussels sprout
The Brussels sprout is a cultivar of wild cabbage grown for its edible buds. The leafy green vegetables are typically 2.5–4 cm in diameter and look like miniature cabbages. The sprout is Brassica oleracea, in the "gemmifera" group of the family Brassicaceae...
. A list of wines, half-humorously included on a label of the front of the box, offered suggestions which would "match" with said flavors.
A second limited edition collection was also created in 2005, in part to celebrate the Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
regional aspect of the company. This collection was also made available in other places across the United States, including select Speedway, Kroger, and Cost Plus World Market
Cost Plus, Inc.
Cost Plus, Inc. is the owner and operator of the chain of Cost Plus World Market specialty/import retail stores. The name originated from the initial concept, since abandoned, of selling items for "cost plus 10%".-History:...
stores. The flavors differed from the first 2005 limited edition and included in addition to Turkey & Gravy; Smoked Salmon Pâté, Corn on the Cob, Broccoli Casserole, and for dessert, Pecan Pie. As in years past, all profits from the Holiday Pack collections went to charities, in this case, St. Jude's Research Hospital and Toys for Tots.
2006
In February 2006, Jones introduced the first ValentinesValentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
Pack. Each pack contained two bottles of "Love Potion #6" soda, a Love Potion #6 flavored lip balm, a three-track sampler CD, a book of “Love Coupons”, and a coupon for two free bottles of customized myJones. In addition to selling the packs through retailers and their website, Jones partnered with the non-profit organization, Operation AC, to donate 10,000 packs to U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In September 2006, Jones released the 10th Anniversary Pack, which included two “current favorites” (Green Apple and Blue Bubblegum), two “original favorites” (Pineapple Upside Down and Raspberry), along with a Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
version of a Jones Van. The bottles were printed with special foil detailing and each pack was numbered with only 10,500 ever made, available only by ordering through their website.
The Halloween cans were available again in 2006 with the return of Candy Corn and Berry Alive (formerly Scary Berry Lemonade) and the new Spider Cider and Gruesome Grape (a renamed version of their regular flavor, MF Grape). Along with the cans, Limited Edition bottles were available in three flavors: Monster Mojito
Mojito
Mojito is a traditional Cuban highball.Traditionally, a Mojito is not very strong and made of five ingredients: white rum, sugar , lime juice, sparkling water and mint. The original Cuban recipe uses spearmint or yerba buena, a mint variety very popular on the island...
, Lemon Drop Dead, and Creepy Cranberry. Unlike previous Limited Edition bottles, these were available in the normal 4-pack carriers rather than special packages. Also in October 2006, Jones released the Berries and Cream Limited Edition pack to raise awareness for the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation.
The 2006 Holiday Pack introduced some new flavors in addition to the now classic Turkey & Gravy, including Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll, Pea, and Antacid
Antacid
An antacid is a substance which neutralizes stomach acidity.-Mechanism of action:Antacids perform a neutralization reaction, increasing the pH to reduce acidity in the stomach. When gastric hydrochloric acid reaches the nerves in the gastrointestinal mucosa, they signal pain to the central nervous...
(which included a disclaimer stating it had no medicinal qualities). The second 2006 pack was dubbed the Dessert Pack and included Cherry Pie, Banana Cream Pie, Key Lime Pie, Apple Pie, and Blueberry Pie. Proceeds once again went to St. Jude’s and Toys for Tots. Three additional flavors (Egg Nog, Sugar Plum, and Candy Cane) were also created in 4-packs similar to the special Halloween bottles.
2007
In 2007 Jones Soda again sold the Valentines Pack, including the two bottles of Love Potion #6, a pair of Jones-branded boxer shorts, a box of NeccoNECCO
Necco , pronounced "neck-o", is the acronym for the New England Confectionery Company, a manufacturer of candy. It was created in 1901 by the merger of several small confectionery companies located in the Greater Boston area; since December 2007 Necco has been owned by American Capital.The company...
Conversation hearts, and a "Spin the Bottle
Spin the bottle
Spin the Bottle is a party game in which several players sit/stand/kneel in a circle. One player spins a bottle and must kiss the person to whom the bottle points, who then spins the bottle in turn...
" board printed on the back of the box.
In preparation for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
' 2007 season
2007 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2007 Seattle Seahawks season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League. The team has improved upon its 9-7 record in 2006 and secured its fourth consecutive NFC West division title and its fifth consecutive playoff appearance...
, Jones offered a limited-edition Seahawks pack starting on September 27. The collectors' pack included sodas flavored in Perspiration, Sports Cream, Natural Field Turf
Pitch (sports)
A pitch is an open outdoor area for various activities. It is used in British and Australian English; the comparable term in American English is field...
, Dirt
Dirt
Dirt is unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin or possessions when they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include:* dust — a general powder of organic or mineral matter...
, and Sweet Victory. In the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, Jones labeled their regular sodas with Seahawks-themed pictures during the 2007 football season.
The Halloween edition mini-cans returned in October, featuring new flavor Sour Lemon Drop Dead, along with returning flavors Candy Corn
Candy corn
Candy corn is a confection in the United States and Canada, popular primarily in autumn around Halloween . Candy corn was created in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderle Candy Company; the three colors of the candy mimic the appearance of kernels of corn...
, Strawberry S'lime, and Gruesome Grape. Three Target-exclusive flavors were also released: new flavors Black Cat Licorice (Black Licorice) and Dread Licorice (Red Licorice), along with returning flavor Monster Mojito.
Around Thanksgiving, Jones again released three flavors for the Holidays, exclusively at Target stores. Christmas Cocoa, Candy Cane, and Gingerbread each came in a 4-bottle carry pack. Additionally, the Dessert Pack was rereleased with new flavor Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon meringue pie
Lemon meringue pie is a type of baked pie, usually served for dessert, made with a crust usually made of shortcrust or shortbread pastry, lemon curd filling and a fluffy meringue topping. Lemon meringue pie is typically prepared with a bottom pie crust, but with no upper crust: i.e. the meringue is...
, plus returning flavors Apple Pie
Apple pie
An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. It is sometimes served with whipped cream or ice cream on top...
, Cherry Pie
Cherry pie
Cherry pie is a pie baked with a cherry filling. Traditionally, cherry pie is made with tart rather than sweet cherries as it is easier to control how sweet the pie eventually becomes and also eventually translates to a sharper taste...
, and Blueberry Pie
Blueberry pie
Blueberry pie is a sweet pie filled with blueberries. Blueberry pie was first eaten by early American settlers and remains a popular dessert in the United States and around the world. Blueberry pie made with wild Maine blueberries is the official state dessert of the U.S. state of Maine....
.
In place of their annual Thanksgiving pack, Jones released two new holiday-themed sets. The 2007 Jones Holiday Packs offered choices for both Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Chanukah. The 2007 Christmas Pack included new flavors Christmas Ham and Christmas Tree, along with returning flavors Egg Nog and Sugar Plum, with proceeds benefiting Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major William L...
. The 2007 Happy Chanukah Pack was a four-bottle set of Latke, Applesauce
Applesauce
Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and a variety of spices . Fruit flavorings or sweeteners such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or sucralose are also commonly added...
, Chocolate Coins, and Jelly Doughnut
Sufganiyah
A sufganiyah is a ball-shaped doughnut that is first deep-fried, then pierced and injected with jelly or custard, and then topped with powdered sugar. It is similar to the German Berliner, the Polish pączki, or the Russian ponchik...
sodas, and included "1 completely functional dreidel;" proceeds from Chanukah Pack sales benefited Vitamin Angels
Vitamin Angels
Vitamin Angels is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on bringing essential nutrition to children around the world through vitamin supplementation.-Mission:...
. Both holiday packs contained no caffeine. All sodas, including the ham-flavored soda, were certified kosher.
2008
For the first time, Jones released three new flavors in celebration of Easter: Robin's Egg Lemonade, Chocolate Bunny, and Little Bunny Fufu. A portion of the proceeds benefited Vitamin Angels.In April, Jones Soda ran a contest called 10,000th label contest. Where fans would vote for their favorite photo of the Top 20 that Jones Soda picked. The winner would have the honor of their photo being on a special edition bottle. With over 5,000 votes cast, this is Jones Soda's most popular contest so far.
In October Jones released, through Target, four 8oz Halloween soda cans that came in four packs. The flavors where paired with Classic movie monsters for each flavor. Lemon Drop Dead was the Mummy, Spooookiwi was Frankenstein's monster, Candy Corn was the Wolf-man, and Buried Pomegranate was Count Dracula. Jones also came out with three 12oz glass bottle Halloween soda consisting of Dread Apple, Blood Orange, and Monster Mojito.
Also in October, the company laid off 42 of its 110 employees, partly the result of the company's expansion into the canned-soda market where it competed directly against Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
In November Jones released exclusively at Target stores three 12oz glass bottle Holiday sodas including Candy Cane, Pear Tree, Mele Kalikimaka (a pineapple and coconut combo)or "Merry Christmas" in Hawaiian. Jones also exclusively released on their website a six pack of Green Apple, Red Apple, and Cream Soda as a Holiday color combo. Another net exclusive was the Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, and Blueberry Pie six pack not so different from last years dessert pack.
In December Jones released their Chanukah Pack was a four-bottle set of Latke, Applesauce
Applesauce
Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and a variety of spices . Fruit flavorings or sweeteners such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or sucralose are also commonly added...
, Chocolate Coins, and Jelly Doughnut
Sufganiyah
A sufganiyah is a ball-shaped doughnut that is first deep-fried, then pierced and injected with jelly or custard, and then topped with powdered sugar. It is similar to the German Berliner, the Polish pączki, or the Russian ponchik...
sodas, and included "1 completely functional dreidel;"
2009
To commemorate Barack Obama'sBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
inauguration, Jones released a new 'Orange You Glad For Change' orange cola flavor, available from their website.
In February, Love Potion #6 was also made available from the official Jones website.
In June, Internet radio station PunkRadioCast teamed up with Jones Soda to create a punk pop 6 pack featuring labels designed by PunkRadioCast and five punk artists – New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
, Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
, Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
, Thursday
Thursday (band)
Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
and The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz...
. The 6 pack includes:
- Less Than JakeLess Than JakeLess Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
– Root Beer - The Gaslight AnthemThe Gaslight AnthemThe Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz...
– Cream Soda - New Found GloryNew Found GloryNew Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
– Fufu Berry - Bad BrainsBad BrainsBad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
– Rootz Beer - ThursdayThursday (band)Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
– Cream Soda - PunkRadioCast – Strawberry Lime
When Magic: the Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
released a new core card set
Magic 2010
Magic 2010 is a Magic: The Gathering expansion set, that was released on July 17, 2009. It is the eleventh core set for Magic: the Gathering...
in July, Jones Soda coordinated to produce five limited edition bottles featuring Magic's five colors of mana and artwork from Magic's new Planeswalker
Planeswalker
In the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering, a planeswalker is a mage with the ability to travel to different planes of existence.-Magic: The Gathering:...
s. The five sodas are titled Elixir of Purity (Cream Soda
Cream soda
Cream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink, often flavored with vanilla.-History and development:A recipe for cream soda—written by E.M. Sheldon and published in Michigan Farmer in 1852—called for water, cream of tartar, Epsom salts, sugar, tartaric acid, egg, and milk, to be mixed together, then...
), Necromancer's Tonic (Root Beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
), Beast Brew (Green Apple), Illusion Infusion (Blue Bubblegum
Bubblegum
Bubblegum is a type of elastic chewing gum, designed to be blown out of the mouth as a bubble.-History:In 1928, Walter Diemer, an accountant for the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia, was experimenting with new gum recipes. One recipe was found to be less sticky than regular chewing gum,...
), and Purifying Fire water (Fruit Punch).
An exclusive set of bottles based on Dungeons and Dragons, called 'Spellcasting Soda' was made available through the official Jones website. Sodas were titled Illithid Brain Juice, Sneak Attack, Potion of Healing, Dwarven Draught, Bigby's Crushing Thirst Destroyer, and Eldritch Blast.
Halloween brought a return of several promotional flavors, exclusively at Target. Four-bottle packs of Monster Mojito, Dread Apple, and Blood Orange made a return. Four-can packs of Buried Pomegranate, Strawberry S'lime, Lemon Drop Dead, Spookiwi, and Candy Corn were also re-released.
For Thanksgiving, the company introduced a new Tofurky
Tofurky
Tofurky is the brand name of an American vegetarian turkey replacement made from a blend of wheat protein and organic tofu.Tofurky is a trademark of Turtle Island Foods a company based in Oregon...
and Gravy flavored soda that's intended for vegetarians as an alternative option to turkey. A portion of proceeds were donated to the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The drink was also featured on an episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009 to January 22, 2010 as part of NBC's long-running Tonight Show franchise...
in a segment where band member Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg (after Andy Richter
Andy Richter
Paul Andrew "Andy" Richter is an American actor, writer, comedian, and late night talk show announcer. He is best known for his role as the sidekick of Conan O'Brien on each of the host's programs: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, and Conan on TBS...
refused to drink it) tried and disliked it.
Labels
Jones Soda continually changes the photographs on its Soda and Naturals labels. Except for Root Beer, Vanilla Cola and certain Fufu Berry bottles, the photos are all black and white. Its website features a database of several thousand submitted pictures, as well as an archived collection of internal company notes, detailing which pictures appeared when, on what flavors (for collectors of the images). Customers can also submit fortunes (similar to a fortune cookieFortune cookie
A fortune cookie is a crisp cookie usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and oil with a "fortune" wrapped inside. A "fortune" is a piece of paper with words of faux wisdom or a vague prophecy...
) to be printed underneath the bottle cap.
The website sometimes asks for specific themes for photo uploads like the Patriot Photos or the Landmark Contest in order to create a special collection of labels. Recently, they have created a Signature series which includes photos and written signatures of Jones Soda Pro Athletes.
myJones
In 1999, Jones began selling myJones through a new section of their website in order to meet the growing demand of people wanting to circumvent the photo selection process. myJones is a customizable 12-pack of bottles which anyone can have their picture and message on. The creation process involves uploading a picture (with an option photo credit up to 50 characters) and providing a customization (up to 7 lines of 50 characters). The fortunes under the caps are not customizable.Above the picture on the label, the word "my" is added before "Jones Soda Co." to indicate it was customized and not bought at retail. In addition, the barcode
Barcode
A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it attaches. Originally barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional . Later they evolved into rectangles,...
is labeled "Not for Resale".
Marketing
Rather than television commercials or magazine ads, Jones chooses to focus on product placementProduct 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...
. Athletes such as Benji Weatherley, Matt Hoffman, and Bam Margera
Bam Margera
Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera is an American professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, actor and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew...
, known as Jones Pro Riders, promote Jones by appearing with the logo (or often the actual product) at various events or on television appearances (During the episode of MTV Cribs
MTV Cribs
MTV Cribs and CMT Cribs, depending on which channel it airs, is a franchise reality television program that originated on the MTV Networks' MTV. It later aired on its CMT channel that features tours of the houses and mansions of celebrities. The first show aired September 2000...
featuring Bam Margera, he opened his fridge to reveal several bottles of Jones Soda). Another group of athletes, the Jones Emerging Athletes, also support Jones. The main reason for the use of athletes is most likely to further target the intended demographic of people in their teens and twenties.
Jones also employs two Jones Soda RVs which travel the West and East coasts of North America "handing out soda and talking to the people on the street".
On May 23, 2007, the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
chose Jones Soda as its official soft drink. For the 2007
2007 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2007 Seattle Seahawks season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League. The team has improved upon its 9-7 record in 2006 and secured its fourth consecutive NFC West division title and its fifth consecutive playoff appearance...
through the 2009
2009 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2009 Seattle Seahawks season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League. The Seahawks improved in Jim Mora's first season as their head coach, after a disappointing 4–12 record and a 3rd place finish in what was Mike Holmgren's final season coaching the team...
season, Qwest Field
Qwest Field
CenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer...
has sold only Jones Soda drinks at its concession stands. During football season, Jones Soda also produced bottles labeled with photos of Seahawks players for sale both at football games and in supermarkets. The Seahawks previously sold soft drinks from The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
; the Jones Soda deal made the team the first in the NFL to sign an exclusive deal with a soft drink company other than Coca-Cola or Pepsi. In June 2010, the Seahawks severed their association with Jones Soda and announced that they had signed a five-year agreement with Coca-Cola.
On February 12, 2008, Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
and Horizon Air
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico....
announced they would serve Jones Soda on their flights. This arrangement ended March 1, 2010, when Alaska and Horizon switched to serving Coca-Cola products. The airlines cited customer demand as the reason.
The 2009 February/March issue of the fine beverage publication, Mutineer Magazine, featured Jones Soda on the cover as well as an in-depth article about the company inside the magazine.
The company's motto, "Run with the little guy… create some change.", appears on most Jones products.
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
's character in the film The Wash
The Wash (film)
The Wash is a hip hop-styled film written and directed by DJ Pooh and starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and DJ Pooh, with appearances by Eminem and Ludacris. The film was released on November 16, 2001.-Plot:...
is seen drinking a Jones Soda.