Battle for the Healthy Heart:
Coke Will Launch Cholesterol-Reducing Orange Juice Oct. 27. Bottler Product With Similar Attributes May Be Introduced in Future. Tropicana Also Plans Entry.

Coke will launch new cholesterol-reducing "Minute Maid Heart Wise" on Oct. 27 in U.S. supermarkets (BD 10/3/03). Will be packaged in 64-oz gable-top cartons. Product will be from-concentrate orange juice with added ingredient: Cargill's "CoroWise" phytosterol plant sterol, which reduces cholesterol. Brad Goist, Coke North America senior vp juices/teas/emerging brands, says Heart Wise will be "line-priced" with Minute Maid Premium orange juice, which is company's from-concentrate orange juice. Minute Maid also sells not-from-concentrate Simply Orange. Goist suggests Heart Wise pricing strategy -- which is different from "other products which have similar benefits in other categories" -- should help maximize product's volume potential. And he notes it will "give consumers a benefit," as "105 mil Americans have elevated cholesterol." Clinical trials. Goist says Coke has done "clinical trials." While "somebody else may come out and try to copy the idea, we're going to be the only ones on the market (with product) that is proven ... in clinical trials to reduce cholesterol." Coke plans to release results of clinical trials in November.

Ingredient. Heart Wise contains CoroWise ingredient, which will be featured on new product's packaging. Goist says Coke has deal with Cargill for one-year exclusive use of CoroWise name and ingredient in orange juice. Bottler product? Goist adds Coke is "currently looking at the opportunity to put this product into our single-serve Juices-to-Go lineup -- it would be safe to say that." Other products. Executive familiar with Cargill ingredient technology says CoroWise or similar product could be used in future in other kinds of beverages, including CSDs; adds CSDs that aren't clear would be most likely candidates. Could include products like flavored CSDs. 'Kids +.' Also on October 27, Coke will introduce Minute Maid Kids+ orange juice with vitamins A, B-1, C, D, E and calcium.

Tropicana. PepsiCo unit also plans new orange juice product -- not-from-concentrate -- geared to toward heart health, says industry executive. Will be called, "Pure Premium Healthy Heart." Instead of using plant sterol, Trop's product will incorporate folates and other vitamins. Introduction planned for January.