Island Sweetwater Beverage sees great potential for it's gourmet sodas.

(PRWEB) September 29, 2000
Sweetwater Seeks Equity Partner, Company sale is also a possibility.

Business Editors & Food/Beverage Writers

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(PUBLIC RELATIONS WEB)--

Island Sweetwater has rolled out a new line of premium soft drinks that combines the
finest ingredients such as pure cane sugar, real fruit pulp and Island spring water. The new
drinks were made to put some focus back into the Island Sweeterwater brand. The
company has extended the Island Sweetwater line with the help of Seaman's Beverages of
Prince Edward Island who has been crafting premium soft drinks since 1939." says John
Ramonett, President of Island Sweetwater Beverage Co., Inc., We decided on Seaman's
to co-pack our premium line because they can prepare our classic flavors the olde
fashioned way in small batches and in glass bottles and pay close personal attention to
quality. Sure, it's more expensive bottling sodas of this quality, but people all over the
world searching for simple soft drink refreshment."

Island Sweetwater Birch Beer will remind you of a root beer-but it's not. Island
Sweetwater Root Beer is an original soda fountain root beer that you can taste the
Sassafras. If you like the taste of ginger then you'll love Island Sweetwater Ginger Brew
and Ginger Ale. It's an authentic English style ginger brew as opposed to the more
common Jamaican style. You will notice the English style ginger brew has a lighter color
and a strong ginger taste; and is smoother than the traditional Jamaican style. The Island
Sweetwater Ginger Ale is a dry version. Other flavors include Grapefruit and Lime,
Orange, Diet Orange, Creme Soda and Island Sweetwater Lime Ricky. Legend has it that
the flavor Lime Rickey originated from the English Colonel Rickey who was stationed in
Washington D.C. and frequented many beverage rooms in the 1920's. He was famous for
requesting a mixture of citrus flavors and soda which was very refreshing. The drink
caught on and became commonly known as lime rickey Island Sweetwater Lime Rickey is
one of the last sodas still recreating Colonel Rickey's favorite drink. The Island
Sweetwater sodas cost about $1.25 for a 12 ounce bottle in convenience stores and $2 to
$3.50 in clubs and restaurants, including the Hard Rock Cafe.

Island Sweetwater has also stepped up its efforts to secure a minority equity partner to
help the company expand into nutraceutical beverages. Ramonett, Island Sweetwater has
been seeking a minority equity investor for at least the past year. "We have been doing
that quietly and selectively," said Ramonett. Within the past few months, however, the
company has designated Chuck Brockett, a former Island Sweetwater associate who now
runs BroTex Inc., to more actively market the company as an investment. "It was his
(Brockett's) idea to take a nutraceutical spin on Island Sweetwater, Ramonett said.
Brockett has generated a letter that was sent to beverage executives to determine their
interest."

"We are now looking at nutraceuticals that could bring something to Island Sweetwater,
which seems to be in the same boat as SoBe was a few years back, the product has
imagery but the label and package are dated, it isnt keeping up with current consumer
trends of nutraceutical and energy drinks. "Selling Island Sweetwater is a consideration,
but an equity position would be our first choice for our expansion into nutraceutical
beverages, we're coming up with new products and new uses for existing ones (by adding
different 'wellness' ingredients, such as herbs to existing tried and true beverages), we are
realizing that refurbishing the Island Sweetwater brands and making them winners once
again is a possibility." said Ramonett, he did not provide specifics on what nutraceuticals.

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CONTACT:

Island Sweetwater Beverage Co., Inc.

John Ramonett, 858-454-8753

Office: 619-308-3004 ext. 143

Pager: 619-973-6369

E-mail: IslandSweetwater@hotmail.com

http://IslandSweetwater.homepage.com