Jones Soda Co. is a beverage company based in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It bottles and distributes
soft drink
A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names) is a drink that usually contains water (often carbonated), a sweetener, and a natural and/or artificial flavoring. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a su ...
s, non-carbonated beverages,
energy drinks, and candy.
History
The 1990s
The company was founded by Peter Van Stolk in 1995
as a beverage distributor in Western Canada.
The 2000s
The company entered the alternative beverages market as the '
''Urban Juice & Soda Company. By 2000, over 85% of its revenues came from the Jones Soda brand, and the company officially changed its name to Jones Soda and moved its headquarters from Vancouver to Seattle. In November 2006, Jones Soda announced that it would replace
high fructose corn syrup
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), also known as glucose–fructose, isoglucose and glucose–fructose syrup, is a sweetener made from corn starch. As in the production of conventional corn syrup, the starch is broken down into glucose by enzym ...
(HFCS) in its products with
cane sugar
Sucrose, a disaccharide, is a sugar composed of glucose and fructose subunits. It is produced naturally in plants and is the main constituent of white sugar. It has the molecular formula .
For human consumption, sucrose is extracted and refine ...
(in the form of
an inverted 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 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
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
and
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi was ...
.
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.
The 2010s
In March 2010, Jones Soda agreed to allow rival,
Reed's, Inc.
Reed's Inc. is a USA based company that manufactures soft drinks and candies. The company was founded by Christopher J. Reed in 1989. It was originally based in Los Angeles, California but moved its headquarters to Norwalk, Connecticut in Septem ...
, to purchase the company at a steep discount. Later in the month, Jones backed out of the purchase.
The company then named former
Talking Rain
Talking Rain is a privately held beverage company based in Preston, Washington that manufactures still and sparkling waters. Sparkling Ice accounts for the majority of their business.
History
Talking Rain was founded in 1987 by John Stevens ...
president William Meissner as President and CEO.
In June 2010, the company announced a distribution deal with Walmart and $10 million in financing from Glengrove Small Cap Value Ltd.
In June 2011, Jones moved out of its
South Lake Union
South Lake Union (sometimes SLU) is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, so named because it is at the southern tip of Lake Union.
The official boundaries of the City of Seattle Urban Center are Denny Way on the south, beyond which is Den ...
headquarters to a building in
Pioneer Square opposite
CenturyLink Field
Lumen Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. Located in the city's SoDo neighborhood, it is the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL, t ...
.
In 2012, Jennifer Cue was hired as CEO.
In Spring 2015, Jones moved out of its Pioneer Square building to a larger space in Seattle.
The 2020s
In December 2020, Mark Murray was promoted to CEO.
Beverage line
![LotsaJones](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/LotsaJones.JPG)
Jones Soda was developed in 1995 and introduced in 1996 with six flavors: Orange, Cherry, Lemon-Lime, Strawberry-Lime, Raspberry, and Grape in 12 oz. glass bottles.
On March 17, 2004, a deal was announced to distribute Jones Soda in over 3900
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
locations in the United States, though
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
stopped distributing Jones Soda in the United States as of 2007. On October 12, 2004, Jones Soda introduced 12oz cans for the first time with an exclusive distribution deal with
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
, though other stores (including some
Kmart
Kmart Corporation ( , doing business as Kmart and stylized as kmart) is an American retail company that owns a chain of big box department stores. The company is headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States.
The company was inc ...
, Food Pyramid, and
Albertsons
Albertsons Companies, Inc. is an American grocery company founded and headquartered in Boise, Idaho.
With 2,253 stores as of the third quarter of fiscal year 2020 and 270,000 employees as of fiscal year 2019, the company is the second-larg ...
locations) now also sell the cans. Jones Soda was also sold at
Ruby Tuesday restaurant.
Since the introduction of the original flavors, Jones has created many
additional flavors.
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. Its sugar-free formulas contain
sucralose of the Splenda brand and
acesulfame potassium, but no
aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial non-saccharide sweetener 200 times sweeter than sucrose and is commonly used as a sugar substitute in foods and beverages. It is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide with the trade names ...
.
Four flavors were considered "Mid-Calorie", including 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).
In 2019, Jones introduced two new sugar-free flavors: SF Strawberry Lime, and SF Cream Soda. These flavors join sugar-free Cola on the current zero-sugar menu.
WhoopAss and Jones Energy
In October 1999, Jones introduced Jones Soda WhoopAss.
Jones Energy was the second entry into the energy drink market and included three flavors in 8.4 oz. 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 such flavors as Limes with Orange, Berry White, Dave, Black, Purple Carrot, and Fu Cran Fu. "Dave" was a tea named for Dave Dafoe, founder of Flavorman, the company which developed all of the Jones brand's original flavors. 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.
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.
24C
Jones came out with 24C sports drinks in 2006, first available in two flavors.
GABA
In April 2009, Jones released a new line of beverages named GABA, after its featured ingredient,
gamma-aminobutyric acid. The GABA line is now listed on their retired products list.
Jones Zilch
Released in the fourth quarter of 2009, Zilch is a sugar-free, aspartame-free soft drink sweetened with
Splenda
Splenda is a global brand of sugar substitutes and reduced-calorie food products. While the company is known for its original formulation containing sucralose, it also manufactures items using natural sweeteners such as stevia, Siraitia grosveno ...
. Its flavors are pomegranate, cream soda, vanilla bean, black cherry, and cola.
Nuka Cola
From 2009-10, Jones Soda produced a limited edition
Nuka-Cola
Many works of fiction have incorporated into their world the existence of beverages or drinksliquids made for popular consumptionwhich may create a sense of the world in which the story takes place, and in some cases may serve to advance the pl ...
in collaboration with
Target stores
Target Corporation (doing business as Target and stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American big box department store chain headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the seventh largest retailer in the United States, and a compon ...
and
Fallout series
''Fallout'' is a series of post-apocalyptic role-playing video games—and later action role-playing games—created by Interplay Entertainment. The series is set during the 21st, 22nd and 23rd centuries, and its atompunk retrofuturistic settin ...
developer
Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks LLC is an American video game publisher based in Rockville, Maryland. The company was founded by Christopher Weaver in 1986 as a division of Media Technology Limited, and in 1999 became a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media. In its ...
. Jones' Nuka-Cola was re-released from 2014-16 and 2020-22 to capitalise on the release of
Fallout 4
''Fallout 4'' is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fourth main game in the ''Fallout'' series and was released worldwide on November 10, 2015, for PlayStation 4, ...
and
Fallout 76
''Fallout 76'' is a 2018 online action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is an installment in the ''Fallout'' series and a prequel to previous entries. ''Fallout 76'' is Bethesda ...
. Flavours included the original
Nuka-Cola
Many works of fiction have incorporated into their world the existence of beverages or drinksliquids made for popular consumptionwhich may create a sense of the world in which the story takes place, and in some cases may serve to advance the pl ...
,
Nuka-Cherry,
Nuka-Victory and blue Nuka-Cola Quantum.
7-Select
In 2016, Jones Soda partnered with
7-Eleven
7-Eleven, Inc., stylized as 7-ELEVE, is a multinational chain of retail convenience stores, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The chain was founded in 1927 as an ice house storefront in Dallas. It was named Tote'm Stores between 1928 and 1946. A ...
to produce a line of five flavors available exclusively at the convenience store chain.
Jones Cane Sugar Fountain
2015 saw the addition of BiB (bag-in-box) product and custom photo-collage fountain equipment. Flavors available on the fountain range from traditional selections like Cane Sugar Cola and Root Beer to the company’s specialty flavors like Berry Lemonade and Green Apple.
Mary Jones
In 2022, Jones announced a cannabis-infused soda and candy brand, Mary Jones. The brand was to be rolled out in California as a
test market
A test market, in the field of business and marketing, is a geographic region or demographic group used to gauge the viability of a product or service in the mass market prior to a wide scale roll-out. The criteria used to judge the acceptabilit ...
starting April 1, and in other legalized states later.
Non-beverage products
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
Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation i ...
and
UV-B
Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation i ...
protection,
SPF 15, Aloe Vera, and
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a group of eight fat soluble compounds that include four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Vitamin E deficiency, which is rare and usually due to an underlying problem with digesting dietary fat rather than from a diet low in vitami ...
. 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 were part of a three-year licensing agreement with Kroger, and 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, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variet ...
,
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin involved in metabolism. It is one of eight B vitamins. It is required by animals, which use it as a cofactor in DNA synthesis, in both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. It ...
,
Taurine
Taurine (), or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is an organic compound that is widely distributed in animal tissues. It is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine, and accounts for up to 0.1% of total human body weight. It ...
, and
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is one of the B vitamins, and thus an essential nutrient. The term refers to a group of six chemically similar compounds, i.e., "vitamers", which can be interconverted in biological systems. Its active form, pyridoxal 5′-phosphat ...
. 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.
Limited editions
2003
The first special edition of Jones was the Jones
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is an American brand of scale model cars introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1997, when Mattel bought Tyco Toys, then owner of Matchbox.
Many automobile manufacturers have ...
Pack, created in July 2003 to honor 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
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
&
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or corn starch for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a simple mix of salt an ...
" seasonal flavor in honor of
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...
. 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 Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became a ...
.
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 Bean
Green beans are young, unripe fruits of various cultivars of the common bean ('' Phaseolus vulgaris''), although immature or young pods of the runner bean (''Phaseolus coccineus''), yardlong bean ( ''Vigna unguiculata'' subsp. ''sesquipedalis ...
Casserole
A casserole ( French: diminutive of , from Provençal 'pan') is a normally large deep pan or bowl a casserole is anything in a casserole pan. Hot or cold
History
Baked dishes have existed for thousands of years. Early casserole recipes ...
,
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species ''Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry ...
, Mashed Potatoes 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
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.
Th ...
.
2005
In 2005, Jones released
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
Limited Edition 8 oz. can 4-packs, exclusively through
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
. 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
The Brussels sprout is a member of the Gemmifera cultivar group of cabbages (''Brassica oleracea''), grown for its edible buds. The leaf vegetables are typically 1.5–4.0 cm (0.6–1.6 in) in diameter and resemble miniature cabbages ...
. A list of wines, half-humorously included on a label on the front of the box, offered suggestions that would "match" with said flavors.
A second limited edition collection was also created in 2005, in part to celebrate the
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
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
World Market, formerly Cost Plus World Market until 2021, is an American chain of specialty/import retail stores, selling home furniture, decor, curtains, rugs, gifts, apparel, coffee, wine, craft beer, and international food products. The bran ...
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
Valentines
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thro ...
Pack. Each pack contained two bottles of "Love Potion #6" soda, a Love Potion No. 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), and two "original favorites" (Pineapple Upside Down and Raspberry), along with a
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is an American brand of scale model cars introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1997, when Mattel bought Tyco Toys, then owner of Matchbox.
Many automobile manufacturers have ...
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 Berried 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
An antacid is a substance which neutralizes stomach acidity and is used to relieve heartburn, indigestion or an upset stomach. Some antacids have been used in the treatment of constipation and diarrhea. Marketed antacids contain salts of alumi ...
(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 No. 6, a pair of Jones-branded boxer shorts, a box of
Necco
Necco (or NECCO ) was an American manufacturer of candy created in 1901 as the New England Confectionery Company through the merger of several small confectionery companies located in the Greater Boston area, with ancestral companies dating b ...
Conversation hearts, and a "
Spin the Bottle
Spin the bottle is a kissing party game commonly played by teenagers. The game was very popular among teenagers during the second half of the 20th century because it fostered "sexual" interactions between boys and girls. It has even been describe ...
" board printed on the back of the box.
In preparation for the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
'
2007 season, Jones offered a limited-edition Seahawks pack starting on September 27.
The collectors' pack included sodas flavored in
Perspiration
Perspiration, also known as sweating, is the production of fluids secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distrib ...
, Sports Cream,
Natural Field Turf,
Dirt
Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty.
Common types of dirt include:
* Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains
* Dust: a genera ...
, and Sweet Victory. In the
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
, Jones labeled their regular sodas with Seahawks-themed pictures during the 2007 football season.
The Halloween edition mini-cans returned in October, featuring the new flavor Sour Lemon Drop Dead, along with returning flavors
Candy Corn
Candy corn is a type of small, pyramid-shaped candy, typically divided into three sections of different colors, with a waxy texture and a flavor based on honey, sugar, butter, and vanilla. It is a staple candy of the fall season and Halloween ...
, Strawberry Slime, and Gruesome Grape. Three Target-exclusive flavors were also released: new flavors Black Cat Licorice (
Black Licorice
Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English) ( ) is a confectionery, confection usually flavoured and coloured black with the extract of the roots of the liquorice plant ''Glycyrrhiza glabra''. A wide variety of liquorice sweets ar ...
) 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 re-released with new flavor
Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon meringue pie is a dessert pie consisting of a shortened pastry base filled with lemon curd and topped with meringue.
History
Fruit desserts covered with baked meringue were found beginning in the 18th century in France. Menon's ''pomme ...
, plus returning flavors
Apple Pie
An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. The earliest printed recipe is from England. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream ("apple pie à la mode"), or cheddar cheese. It is gene ...
,
Cherry Pie, and
Blueberry Pie
Blueberry pie is a pie with a blueberry filling. Blueberry pie is readily made because it does not require pitting or peeling of fruit. It usually has a top and bottom crust. The top crust can be circular, but the pie can also have a crumble cru ...
.
In place of their annual Thanksgiving pack, Jones released two new holiday-themed sets. Th
2007 Jones Holiday Packsoffered choices for both Christmas and
Chanukah
or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem)
, nickname =
, observedby = Jews
, begins = 25 Kislev
, ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet
, celebrations = Lighting candles each night ...
. 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 is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.
Th ...
. The 2007 Happy Hanukkah Pack was a four-bottle set of
Latke
A latke ( yi, לאַטקע ''latke''; sometimes romanized ''latka'', lit. "pancake") is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah. Latkes can be made with ingredients ot ...
,
Applesauce
Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée (not necessarily served as a true sauce) made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and may be spiced or sweetened. Apple sauce is inexpensive and is widely consumed in North America and s ...
,
Chocolate Coins
Chocolate coins, or chocolate money, are foil-covered chocolates in the shape of coins.
History
As a Christmas tradition, the chocolate coin giving is said to be inspired by the deeds of Saint Nicholas in the fourth century, with chocolate coin ...
, and
Jelly Doughnut
A jelly doughnut, or jam donut, is a doughnut with a Fruit preserve filling.
Varieties include the Polish ''pączki'', the German '' Berliner'', the Israeli ''sufganiyot'', the southern European '' krafne'' and the Italian ''bombolone''.
Histor ...
sodas, and included "1 completely functional
dreidel
A dreidel, also dreidle or dreidl ( ; yi, דרײדל, dreydl, plural: ''dreydlech''; he, סביבון, sevivon) is a four-sided spinning top, played during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The dreidel is a Jewish variant on the teetotum, a gamb ...
;" proceeds from Chanukah Pack sales benefited
Vitamin Angels
A vitamin is an organic molecule (or a set of molecules closely related chemically, i.e. vitamers) that is an essential micronutrient that an organism needs in small quantities for the proper functioning of its metabolism. Essential nutrien ...
. Both holiday packs contained no caffeine. All sodas, including the ham-flavored soda, were certified
kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
.
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 the 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 8 oz. Halloween soda cans came in four-packs. The flavors were 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 12 oz. glass bottle of 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 year's dessert pack.
In December Jones released their Hanukkah Pack was a four-bottle set of
Latke
A latke ( yi, לאַטקע ''latke''; sometimes romanized ''latka'', lit. "pancake") is a type of potato pancake or fritter in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah. Latkes can be made with ingredients ot ...
,
Applesauce
Apple sauce or applesauce is a purée (not necessarily served as a true sauce) made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and may be spiced or sweetened. Apple sauce is inexpensive and is widely consumed in North America and s ...
,
Chocolate Coins
Chocolate coins, or chocolate money, are foil-covered chocolates in the shape of coins.
History
As a Christmas tradition, the chocolate coin giving is said to be inspired by the deeds of Saint Nicholas in the fourth century, with chocolate coin ...
, and
Jelly Doughnut
A jelly doughnut, or jam donut, is a doughnut with a Fruit preserve filling.
Varieties include the Polish ''pączki'', the German '' Berliner'', the Israeli ''sufganiyot'', the southern European '' krafne'' and the Italian ''bombolone''.
Histor ...
sodas, and included "1 completely functional dreidel;".
2009
To commemorate
Barack Obama's
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
inauguration, Jones released a new 'Orange You Glad For Change' orange cola flavor, available from their website.
In February, Love Potion No. 6 was also made available from the official Jones website.
In June, Internet radio station
Punk Radio Cast Punk Radio Cast (PRC) is a streaming online alt-rock and punk radio station. Punk Radio Cast employs a team of 18 DJs, six behind the scenes employees, and is broadcast worldwide to more than 20 million listeners monthly. It is the largest free str ...
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 (formerly A New Found Glory) is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida, formed in 1997. The band currently consists of Jordan Pundik (lead vocals), Ian Grushka (bass guitar), Chad Gilbert (lead guitar, backing vocal ...
,
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxoph ...
,
Bad Brains
Bad Brains are an American rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Originally a jazz fusion band under the name Mind Power, they are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this ...
,
Thursday
Thursday is the Names of the days of the week, day of the week between Wednesday and Friday. According to the ISO 8601 international standard, it is the fourth day of the week. In countries which adopt the "Sunday-first" convention, it is the fi ...
, and
The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 2006. The band consists of Brian Fallon (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Alex Rosamilia (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Levine (bass guitar, backing vocals), ...
. The 6-pack includes:
*
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxoph ...
– Root Beer
*
The Gaslight Anthem
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 2006. The band consists of Brian Fallon (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Alex Rosamilia (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Levine (bass guitar, backing vocals), ...
– Cream Soda
*
New Found Glory
New Found Glory (formerly A New Found Glory) is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida, formed in 1997. The band currently consists of Jordan Pundik (lead vocals), Ian Grushka (bass guitar), Chad Gilbert (lead guitar, backing vocal ...
– Fufu Berry
*
Bad Brains
Bad Brains are an American rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Originally a jazz fusion band under the name Mind Power, they are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this ...
– Rootz Beer
*
Thursday
Thursday is the Names of the days of the week, day of the week between Wednesday and Friday. According to the ISO 8601 international standard, it is the fourth day of the week. In countries which adopt the "Sunday-first" convention, it is the fi ...
– Cream Soda
*
Punk Radio Cast Punk Radio Cast (PRC) is a streaming online alt-rock and punk radio station. Punk Radio Cast employs a team of 18 DJs, six behind the scenes employees, and is broadcast worldwide to more than 20 million listeners monthly. It is the largest free str ...
– Strawberry Lime
When ''
Magic: The Gathering
''Magic: The Gathering'' (colloquially known as ''Magic'' or ''MTG'') is a Tabletop game, tabletop and Digital collectible card game, digital Collectible card game, collectable card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993 by Wizards ...
'' 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
The Rules of Magic: The Gathering govern the play of the card game ''Magic: The Gathering''. The original rules were developed by the game's creator, Richard Garfield, and accompanied the first version of the game in 1993. The rules of Magic have ...
s. The five sodas are titled Elixir of Purity (
Cream Soda),
Necromancer
Necromancy () is the practice of magic or black magic involving communication with the dead by summoning their spirits as apparitions or visions, or by resurrection for the purpose of divination; imparting the means to foretell future events ...
's Tonic (
Root Beer
Root beer is a sweet North American soft drink traditionally made using the root bark of the sassafras tree ''Sassafras albidum'' or the vine of ''Smilax ornata'' (known as sarsaparilla, also used to make a soft drink, Sarsaparilla (soft drink ...
), Beast Brew (
Green Apple), Illusion Infusion (Blue
Bubblegum
Bubble gum or bubblegum is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble.
Bubble gum flavor
While there is a bubble gum "flavor" – which various artificial flavorings including esters are mixed to obtain – it ...
), and Purifying Firewater (
Fruit Punch
The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the ...
).
An exclusive set of bottles based on ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
'', 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 Slime, Lemon Drop Dead, Spookiwi, and Candy Corn were also re-released.
For Thanksgiving, the company introduced a new
Tofurky
Tofurky is the brand name of an American vegan turkey replacement (also known as a meat analogue, or, more specifically, tofurkey) made from a blend of wheat protein and organic tofu.
Tofurky® is a trademark of Turtle Island Foods, a company ...
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'' 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 ''Tonight Show'' franchise. O'Brien had previously hosted NBC's ''Late N ...
'' in a segment where band member
Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg
Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg is an American trombonist originating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a former member of the house band on Conan O'Brien's late-night talk shows.
Early life
Rosenberg became a trombonist when his junior high in ...
(after
Andy Richter
Paul Andrew Richter (born October 28, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and talk show announcer. He is best known as the sidekick for Conan O'Brien on each of O'Brien's talk shows: ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Late Night'' and ' ...
refused to drink it) tried and disliked it.
2013
In 2013, Jones Soda created a
poutine
Poutine () is a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy. It emerged in Quebec, in the late 1950s in the Centre-du-Québec region, though its exact origins are uncertain and there are several competing claims regarding it ...
-flavored limited-edition soft drink, which got international popular culture attention.
In addition, the Halloween flavors were brought back for the fall season. The flavors this year included Return of Candy Corn, Terror of Blood Orange, Dawn of Caramel Apple, and Night of Red Licorice.
2014
To coincide with the back-to-school season, Jones Soda announced a limited-edition Peanut Butter and Jelly flavor.
Blood Orange and Caramel Apple returned for the Halloween season with similar packaging to 2013's designs, but Red Licorice and Candy Corn were absent from the 2014 limited edition lineup of flavors.
2015
Peanut Butter and Jelly returned once again for the back-to-school season, while Blood Orange and Lemon Drop Dead were back for Halloween. A Thanksgiving favorite, Pumpkin Pie, also returned in 2015.
2015 also saw Jones Soda teaming up with video game publisher
Bethesda to make a signature soft drink from one of Bethesda's games slated for release in November. Nuka-Cola Quantum from the
Fallout series
''Fallout'' is a series of post-apocalyptic role-playing video games—and later action role-playing games—created by Interplay Entertainment. The series is set during the 21st, 22nd and 23rd centuries, and its atompunk retrofuturistic settin ...
went on sale on November 10 at participating
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
locations in North America alongside the release of Bethesda's game
Fallout 4
''Fallout 4'' is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fourth main game in the ''Fallout'' series and was released worldwide on November 10, 2015, for PlayStation 4, ...
.
2016
Christmas themed soda returned in 2016 with
Candy Cane
A candy cane is a cane-shaped stick candy often associated with Christmastide, as well as Saint Nicholas Day. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint, but they also come in a variety of other flavors and colors.
...
,
Sugar Plum
A sugar plum originated as a piece of dragée or hard candy made of hardened sugar in a small round or oval shape.
"Plum" in the name of this confection does not always mean plum in the sense of the fruit of the same name, but commonly refers ...
,
Pear Tree
Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the po ...
, and
Gingerbread flavors.
Labels
![Jones soda](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Jones_soda.jpg)
Jones Soda continually changes the photographs on its Soda and Naturals labels. The photos are generally black and white.
Its website features a database of over one million 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 cookie
A fortune cookie is a crisp and sugary cookie wafer usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil with a piece of paper inside, a "fortune", usually an aphorism, or a vague prophecy. The message inside may also include a Chine ...
) 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 that includes photos and written signatures of Jones Soda Pro Athletes.
myJones
In 1999, Jones began selling Jonas 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 with which anyone can have their picture and message. The creation process involves uploading a picture (with optional photo credit of up to 50 characters) and providing 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.
Marketing
Rather than television commercials or magazine ads, Jones chooses to focus on
product placement. Athletes such as
Benji Weatherley,
Matt Hoffman, and
Bam Margera
Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera ( ; born September 28, 1979) is an American former professional skateboarder, stunt performer, television personality, and filmmaker. He rose to prominence in the early 2000s as one of the stars of the MTV reality s ...
, known as Jones Pro Riders, promote Jones by appearing with the logo (or often the actual product) at various events or on television appearances. Another group of athletes, the Jones Emerging Athletes, also support Jones.
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
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
chose Jones Soda as its official soft drink, and its products were sold at Qwest Field from the
2007 through the
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
season. During the 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 is an American multinational beverage corporation founded in 1892, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, ...
; 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 is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest airline in North America when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and the numb ...
and
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc., operating as Horizon Air, is an American regional airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. Horizon Air and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and all Horizon-opera ...
announced they would serve Jones Soda on their flights.
Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air to Serve Jones Soda on Flights
/ref> 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
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
's character in the 2001 film ''the Wash
The Wash is a rectangular bay and multiple estuary at the north-west corner of East Anglia on the East coast of England, where Norfolk, England, Norfolk meets Lincolnshire and both border the North Sea. One of Britain's broadest estuaries, it i ...
'' is seen drinking a Jones Soda.
Tahj Mowry
Tahj Dayton Mowry (; born May 17, 1986) is an American actor. He is the brother of identical twin actresses Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry and is known for his role on the show ''Smart Guy'' as the main character TJ on The WB, though the show gained ...
's and Aleisha Allen's characters in the 2007 film ''Are We Done Yet?
''Are We Done Yet?'' is a 2007 American family comedy film directed by Steve Carr and starring Ice Cube. The film is a remake of the 1948 Cary Grant comedy film '' Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House'', previously remade as the 1986 Tom Hanks ...
'' are seen drinking Jones Sodas.
See also
* Rocket Fizz – a company that produces unique flavors of soft drinks
References
External links
Jones Soda Co. home page
Jones Soda reviews
at BevNET.com
Mutineer Magazine Issue #4
{{Use mdy dates, date=July 2012
American soft drinks
Drink companies of the United States
Food and drink companies based in Seattle
Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Food and drink companies established in 1995
1995 establishments in British Columbia
Food and drink companies based in Washington (state)