Snapple
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Snapple started off as an apple soda (hence the “apple” in Snapple) cooked up in 1972 by Leonard Marsh, Hyman Golden, and Arnold Greenberg who had a hobby business (the “Unadulterated Food Corporation” later named the Snapple Beverage Corporation) selling fruit drinks to health food stores in and around New Yorks Greenwich Village. Previous to Unadulterated Food Corporation, Leonard Marsh and Hyman Golden owned a window washing business.
Unadulterated Food Corporation held to a philosophy of offering a beverage made from high quality ingredient but charging only a little more than a can of soda. The company also refused to package their drink in a plastic or cans, believing glass (again a costlier component) held the flavor better.
In 1987 the trio introduced the iced tea version. They introduced quirky names for their beverages like “Mango Madness”. They got loud-mouthed DJ Howard Stern to promote their product. Unadulterated Food Corporations entire ad budget went to Stern.
The iced tea, the funky names, the “all natural” appellation, and Sterns big fat yapper helped turn Snapple into wildly popular regional beverage.
Unadulterated Food Corporation expanded distribution to New England and California in 1988. Founder Leonard Marsh quipped the company would expand anywhere they could find competent distributor.
Within only a couple years, sales of the iced tea were $24 million and quadrupling every year. The original owners sold the company to a Boston-based investment firm. The firm took Snapple public. Quaker Oats acquired the brand in 1994. Upon acquisition Quaker Oats somewhat rudely dropped Stern as Snapples long time pitchman (Sterns whole “lesbians-granting-a-dying-cancer-patients-last-wish-by-doing-each-other-in-front-of-him-with-strap-ons” shtick did not mesh well with Quaker Oats wholesome image). On air, Stern got a lot