TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- Kraft Foods said it is introducing four reformulated and one new Kool-Aid products that meet the company's better-for-you Sensible Solution guidelines. It also announced a new partnership with KaBOOM!, the national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Over the next year, Kool-Aid and KaBOOM! will build 24 playgrounds in cities around the country, provide grants toward building 20 more, and work with local communities, parents and children to encourage healthier and more active lifestyles.
"We understand [image-nocss] that our consumers are looking for more choices that better meet the needs of their families," said Kirstie Krall, senior brand manager for Kool-Aid. "We're firmly committed to providing moms and kids with products that combine the great fun and flavor of Kool-Aid while providing better-for-you beverage options to help support a healthier lifestyle. And, in addition to offering new and improved products, we're partnering with KaBOOM! to create great places to play for kids in cities around the country so that communities have somewhere to come together and get active."
Kool-Aid has also created a partnership with hip-hop pioneer Joseph Simmons (a.k.a. Reverend Run), who will serve as the new brand ambassador for the Kool-Aid KaBOOM! initiative. He and his family will don hard hats and wield shovels as they join the brand on local community build sites. Additionally, Kool-Aid will include Reverend Run in POS displays and other promotions, and he will speak directly to consumers about healthy lifestyle choices and the benefits of play.
The new products include:
Sugar Free Kool-Aid, a low-calorie soft drink mix originally launched in 1983, has been reformulated to deliver a taste closer to regular unsweetened Kool-Aid. Sugar Free Kool-Aid has 5 calories per serving and is caffeine free and a good source of Vitamin C. Sugar-Free Kool-Aid On The Go packets that are easy to carry and mix with a 16.9 fl. oz. bottle or glass of water. One packet makes 2 servings. Each serving contains 5 calories and is caffeine free and a good source of Vitamin C. Kool-Aid Singles have been reformulated so one packet can be used to flavor a 16.9 fl. oz. bottle or glass of water. Kool-Aid Singles have only 30 calories per serving (60 per bottle) and are a good source of antioxidant vitamins C and E. Kool-Aid Burstin' Waters is a new ready-to-drink flavored water beverage that comes in a squeezable plastic bottle. Burstin' Waters is caffeine free, comes in three flavors, and is only 35 calories per serving. Sugar Sweetened Kool-Aid has been fortified with antioxidant vitamins C and E. At only 60-70 calories per serving, sugar-sweetened Kool-Aid contains 35% less sugar than leading regular sodas. (Sugar Sweetened Kool-Aid contains 16-17 grams of sugar per serving as compared to 27 grams of sugar in leading regular sodas.) In addition, Kool-Aid will continue to fund research and development initiatives that support the company's better-for-you Sensible Solution guidelines. Sensible Solution criteria require that all qualifying products contain limited amounts of calories, fat, sodium and sugar. In addition, many Sensible Solution products have the added benefit of providing meaningful amounts of good-for-you nutrients like calcium, fiber, whole grain, protein, or deliver a functional benefit such as heart health.
In 2007, 13% of the entire Kool-Aid line met Sensible Solution criteria; 35% of products sold this year will meet the guidelines, and by 2010, the goal is to transform and rebalance the brand portfolio so that a majority of Kool-Aid products sold will meet the Sensible Solution criteria, the company said.
Kraft Foods brands include Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats; Philadelphia cream cheese; Maxwell House coffee; Nabisco cookies and crackers and its Oreo brand; Jacobs coffees; Milka chocolates; and LU biscuits.
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