Joltin’ Joe inspires new AriZona Beverages drink
Thursday August 30, 2012 12:36 PM By Keiko Morris
AriZona Beverages’ new caffeinated drink featuring Joe DiMaggio.
The iconic image of sports hero Joe DiMaggio will join other legendary athletic figures who have inspired drinks created by Woodbury-based AriZona Beverages USA.
Joltin’ Joe’s drink: a lightly carbonated espresso.
“The Joltin’ Joe drink will evoke DiMaggio’s timeless legacy — not only his greatness on the field but the way he symbolized the potential greatness we all yearn to see in ourselves,” the company said in a news release.
Joltin’ Joe’s young face graces the front of the 16-ounce can, which also features other historical photos and headlines from his 56-game hitting streak in 1941. One feature was altered — his cap reads “USA” instead of the Yankees’ “NY” logo.
“He inspired America,” said Michelle Alfandari, a managing member of Joe DiMaggio Llc, which has the rights to license and market all intellectual property of Joe DiMaggio, including his name, nickname and image. “He brought a nation together. Every time he got up to hit, everyone wanted him to make a hit because he represented something bigger.”
The Joltin’ Joe drink is all natural and made with all espresso, the company said. It contains 80 milligrams of RebA, which the company describes as a natural sweetener derived from the stevia leaf, and has 50 calories per eight-ounce serving — or 100 calories per can. The drink will be in stores by mid-September.
The new drink will be added to AriZona Beverages’ athlete-inspired products, including the Arnold Palmer Half & Half (half tea and lemonade) and Jack Nicklaus’ Golden Bear lemonade lines.
The collaboration between AriZona Beverages, the maker of AriZona Iced Tea, and Joe DiMaggio Llc arose out of a meeting at a trade show. The partnership was a natural fit, said Elizabeth Kanna, a managing member of Joe DiMaggio Llc.
“There is perseverance and determination and a lot of the attributes of what makes up Joe DiMaggio in AriZona,” Kanna said.
