Top-Selling beverage brand, Steaz, launches zero calorie Iced Teaz naturally...

Zero Calorie, Ready-To-Drink, Iced Green Teas Now Available to Consumers Nationwide

Date: 5 May 2011

Contacts:
Ann Clark Tucker, Director, Marketing and Communications – Truvia™, 952-742-4057, ann_tucker@cargill.com
Atalanta Rafferty, Executive Managing Director, RF|Binder, 212-994-7511, atalanta.rafferty@rfbinder.com

MINNEAPOLIS, May 05, 2011 – Steaz®, a bestselling brand of organic green tea-based beverages and energy drinks in the United States, expands on its award-winning line of Iced Teaz with the launch of Zero Calorie Iced Teaz naturally sweetened with Truvia® rebiana, a natural and zero calorie sweetener made from the best-tasting part of the stevia leaf.

Zero Calorie Iced Teaz is the first Steaz® product line to be naturally sweetened with Truvia® rebiana, and joins current zero calorie stevia sweetened offerings, including Zero Calorie Sparkling Green Tea and Zero Calorie Energy drinks. Truvia® rebiana adds great tasting, natural sweetness to beverages without the calories of sugar.

“We are forever committed to building a healthier world by providing today’s consumer with what they have been asking for ­ a delicious, ready-to-drink tea with all natural ingredients and zero sugar that fuels the mind, body and soul,” said Steven Kessler, co-founder of the Healthy Beverage Company.

“Since coming to market two years ago, Truvia® rebiana has become a key ingredient in the growing number of naturally sweetened beverages, such as Steaz® Zero Calorie Iced Teaz,” said Zanna McFerson, assistant vice president, Cargill Health & Nutrition and director, Truvia® enterprise. “Consumers throughout the U.S. and Europe are demanding more low or zero calorie natural product offerings, and Truvia® rebiana is meeting that demand.”

The Zero Calorie Iced Teaz are made with organic Ceylon leaf from Sri Lanka, chosen for its unmatched flavor and delicate aroma that makes for exceptional green tea beverages. Refreshing flavor offerings include Citrus, Half/Half, Peach Mango and Raspberry. They are now available at specialty and retail stores nationwide for a suggested retail prices of $1.29-$1.49 per sixteen-ounce can.

Steaz® Zero Calorie Iced Teaz is the newest addition to the growing number of food and beverage products featuring Truvia® rebiana. This adds to a list of more than 30 beverage and food products featuring Truvia® rebiana, including Glaceau vitaminwater zero™, Coca-Cola Sprite Green™, Odwalla® Reduced-Calorie Quencher, Kraft Crystal Light® Pure, Hansen’s® Natural Lo-Cal Juices and Minute Maid Premium® Pomegranate Tea.

Just over two years on the market, the Truvia® brand continues to set the trend in the sugar substitute category. As the number two sugar substitute, Truvia® natural sweetener has achieved a 12.8 percent share of U.S. retail sales of the sugar substitutes category, surpassing Merisant’s Equal® (aspartame) for the past 16 months and Sweet’N Low for the past 12 weeks. (Source: ACNielsen Food/Drug/Mass+Wal-Mart, 4 weeks ending 3/19/11.)

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About the Healthy Beverage Company and Steaz Iced Teaz®

The Healthy Beverage Company (www.steaz.com) is the maker of USDA Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified Steaz® Organic Iced Teaz, Steaz® Sparkling Green Teas, Steaz® ZERO Sparkling Green Teas, and Steaz® Energy, named Energy Drink of the Year by BevNet.com. According to SPINSscan Natural, Steaz® is the best-selling Organic soft drink brand in the U.S., based on total dollar sales.

Steaz® beverages are sold nationally in the U.S. in natural, specialty, gourmet and food service locations. Steaz® beverages are sold in retail outlets such as Whole Foods, Kroger, Ralphs, HEB, and Ahold supermarkets.

Steaz is also sold internationally in Canada, Australia, Mexico, Europe, Latin America, South Africa and the Caribbean islands. Steaz Organic products are Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI) and are Fair Trade Certified by TransFair USA.

About Truvia® natural sweetener tabletop and ingredient

The Truvia® brand business is composed of both consumer products - Truvia® natural sweetener and the ingredient – Truvia® rebiana. Truvia® natural sweetener is a great tasting, natural, zero-calorie tabletop sweetener made with rebiana, derived from the best tasting part of the stevia leaf. Truvia® rebiana is an ingredient used to sweeten foods and beverages. For more information, visit truvia.com.

The Truvia® brand incorporates Cargill standards for food safety, quality assurance and global agronomy expertise. Cargill is the only company in the stevia sweetener market managing from field to the consumer table, and is responsible for opening the category of zero-calorie natural sweetness in 2008.

About Cargill

Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 131,000 people in 66 countries. Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and is committed to applying its global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges wherever it does business. For more information, visit cargill.com.