J2O
 | |
| Type | Soft drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Britvic |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 1998 |
| Related products |
Robinsons Britvic 55 Tango |
J2O is a still soft drink made from fruit juices. It is manufactured by Britvic and sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Launched in 1998 by a team lead by Sheraz Dar after 12 months of development, it was designed to provide an alternative solution for people who were going out to bars and clubs but weren't drinking alcoholic beverages. The name ‘J2O’ is a pun on the chemical formula for water, H2O, chosen due to the drink's 50% fruit juice content. The first flavours available were Orange & Passion fruit, Apple & Mango and Apple & Melon, but the range has progressively grown since.
In 2001 due to growing brand success, ‘J2O’'s packaging was redesigned and a fourth flavour, Orange & Cranberry, was introduced. In 2002, due to the brands' popularity within the on-trade sector, ‘J2O’ was made available to the take-home market for the first time, with four-bottle packs being introduced into supermarkets and shops. 2005 saw the packaging changed once more and a new flavour, Apple & Raspberry being launched.
On 2 August 2006, Britvic announced a promotional campaign designed to coincide with the Little Britain live tour.[1] The campaign, named "J2O is in for a laugh" allows buyers to enter a competition to win one of 96 VIP tickets to see the Little Britain show.
Two new flavours, Orange & Pomegranate and Apple & Blueberry were launched in 2007 and 2008 to further increase the brands' appeal.
As of 15 August 2007, J2O has been made available to bars, clubs, and restaurants in the Chicago area and is imported by Exotic Beverage Co.
In 2009 J2O introduced two new flavours, Grape & Kiwi and Winter Berries. Both of these flavours were originally limited edition but have since been integrated into the range of permanent flavours. 2010 saw a major packaging redesign and the launch of the J2O White Blend range. Two flavours, one based on white grape, the other on red grape, are less sweet than the existing J2O flavours and are designed to complement food, in the same way that white and red wine does. Orange & passion fruit and apple & mango (the 2 most popular flavours) have been released in PET bottles.
In 2011 a limited edition flavour of J2O called glitter berry was brought out. Then in 2012, 2 further limited edition flavours, papaya punch and diamond berry were released. To this day the price for a 4 pack is about £4.29. Share bottles (10x250ml) are no longer sold and have been replaced by 6x250ml cans which sell for around £4.39. When new flavours are released they stand at only £2.00 for a 4 pack. In 2013, a limited edition Pear Gold version was released for summer.
Flavours
- Apple & Mango
- Apple & Raspberry
- Apple & Melon
- Orange & Passion fruit[2]
- Limited Edition – Glitter berry, a drink usually available around the Christmas period (cherry, grape and spice in addition to glitter)
- Limited edition – Pear Gold (A mixture of pear and guava)
References
- ↑ Britvic (2 August 2006). "Little Britain". Retrieved 2006-09-11.
- ↑ "The J2O Range".