Don’t get used to it, but slow news week in the factories, so what the heck, we’ll do a roundup here as well, but for beverages. Yeehah, cowboy guitars etc. First up, Coca-Cola is launching a new brand rejig in which the iconic logo will hug its packaging a little more intimately, with a brand-new payoff: “Real Magic”, replacing 2016’s equally anodyne “Taste The Feeling”. And speaking of beverages, Pioneer’s Appletiser, Liquifruit and Ceres brands have recalled several batches of their product, as has Woolworths, after the detection of high levels of patulin, a mould toxin which can cause nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, and vomiting. And in an update to this developing story, Elgin Fruit Juice has been identified as the supplier of 100% apple juice concentrate to the affected fruit juice producers and is currently under investigation. Finally, Pura Beverages, known for its ‘better-for-you’ soft drinks, has launched a new range that is lower in sugar, designed specifically for kids. Pura Kids is preservative and colourant-free, contains just 34 calories and comes in four natural flavours, and will be available at Pick n Pays and selected convenience stores around the Beloved Country.
Comment: Lots of action in the sector as South African thirsts gear up for a long, hot summer.