Article as seen in "BEVNET"

Leaf Brands Announces New Zero-Calorie Astro Pop Sodas

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — LEAF^® Brands LLC, announces new ‘Zero Calorie’ versions of their popular Astro Pop^® sodas. The candy and snack manufacturer gained attention last month at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago when their Farts® Candy won the award for “Most Innovative New Product 2014’’. Now LEAF^® continues their innovations with a new 100% naturally sweetened ‘zero calorie’ line extension of their popular sodas.

LEAF Brands^® elevated their retro candy Astro Pops^® to a whole new level when they announced in 2011, they would release a line of Astro Pop^® sodas using real cane sugar in glass bottles, using the exact flavors of their popular Astro Pop^® lollipop. The line of sodas then sold out shortly after their release. Ellia Kassoff, LEAF’s CEO remarked; ‘’The sodas really taste like you’re drinking your favorite candy, Astro Pop^®! ‘‘They’re perfect for mixing and matching to create the entire Astro Pop^® candy experience!’’ Since its release in 2011, sales of Astro Pop^® sodas have exceeded company expectations. Following the success of their cane sugar-sweetened version of its sodas, LEAF^® launched three additional varieties; ‘Zero Calorie’ Pineapple, ‘Zero Calorie’ Passion Fruit, and ‘Zero Calorie’ Cherry’ in response to a growing demand for naturally sweetened, zero-calorie products in the beverage category.

The Astro Pop^® ‘Zero Calorie’ sodas are made with LEAF^® Brand’s proprietary, all natural sugar-free blend called ‘Ultrasweet™’. ‘’We created Ultrasweet™ since there wasn’t a natural sugar substitute on the market which didn’t leave a strange taste in one’s mouth,’’ LEAF CEO, Ellia Kassoff stated, ‘’We also wanted to create a sweetener which is 100% naturally derived without the GMO’s found in other natural sweeteners.’’ The sodas are sold in Rocket Fizz and other specialty stores nationwide, with later availability in larger retailers by year-end. “We’re really excited to start experimenting with different flavors as well’’ Kassoff suggested, ‘’With as many Astro Pop^® variations we can make, the possibilities for our sodas are endless’’. Astro Pop^® sodas are currently sold in 12-ounce glass bottles with a suggested retail price of $1.69.

LEAF Brands has also been garnished attention all over the country for their rebuilding of retro brands. Look for Hydrox Cookies™, the original sandwich cookie, as well as Tart n Tinys™, Bonkers! ™ Fruit Chews, and Wacky Wafers™ to reach retail stores by late 2014. LEAF’S strategy is to rebuild one of the largest candy and snack companies in the US, through brand acquisition and development of new and fun products for consumers to enjoy. LEAF focusses on resurrecting many old brands in their original form, and then expands the product lines once the products are re-launched.

About Leaf^® Brands, LLC

The original LEAF^® Brands was started in the 1920’s.  LEAF Brands, once the fourth largest candy producer in North America, produced candy classics such as Whoppers^®, Jolly Rancher^® and Rain Blo Bubblegum^®, which were later sold to Hershey^® Chocolate & Confectionary Corporation in the late 1990’s. Family members have acquired the LEAF brand name for the US, and assembled together to revive the Leaf name and its famous image.  Products include Astro Pops^®, Yummers!™, Farts Candy™ and David’s Signature Beyond Gourmet™ products.