3SOF

The Next Big Beverage Stock?

Jones Soda (Nasdaq: JSDA) has been quite a ride over the past 24 months. And while the stock has fallen recently, CEO Peter van Stolk believes that the company's increased distribution presence means the company is positioned better now than ever before.

When I talked to van Stolk last week, he told me why Jones is ready to step up in the marketplace and ramp up its marketing. Here are some excerpts from our conversation:

Tim Hanson: One thing that has really been interesting in the beverage space, from my perspective, is the difficulty giants like Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) and Pepsico (NYSE: PEP) have had coming up with innovative products to spur growth. We saw Glaceau taken out at a big premium. Hansen Natural (Nasdaq: HANS) has been a big story the last couple of years. Jones stock has been successful. What is going on in the development cycle at the big companies that give small operators like you such a big opportunity?

Peter van Stolk: Well I think there is, first of all, there are a lot of things going on, and as a smaller company, like most of these small companies that you follow, we have the ability to react to consumer trends on a fairly quick basis. ... [Small companies like Jones] can bring in new items and new products that react to the consumers' trends, and we are not trying to stay just to the party line that says, "This brand isn't right for the future." As things change, consumers' tastes change.

Hanson: Is the variety of flavors that Jones has a real advantage in terms of creating a big brand?

van Stolk: You can say what I think, but you can also look at Snapple. You don't have to look at me. You can look at Snapple. You can look at Arizona Iced Tea. You can look at Glaceau, which sold for $4.2 billion; they have 24 SKUs. It has nothing to do with Jones sort of making, defending, or discussing it; it is a reality of [how] to get to be a big player, because you have to have a share of mind.

Now this share of mind is three people [for whom] you have to have share of mind [to] be successful in the beverage industry. First is obviously the distributor in the DSD [direct store delivery] network; second is the retailer; and the third is the consumer. Those are the share of mind.

So how do you build share of mind? [First,] you build it by creating ... enough product distributors that they have the auctions that sell to different retailers. Two, you have enough product on the shelf, the holding power, so you can actually be seen when a consumer walks down the shelf, because of the competition that you are fighting for within the category. And third, the consumer has to be able to see, "Oh, that is the Jones set." They may pick the green apple, they may pick the cream soda, and they may pick the sugar-free black cherry. I really don't care, but I need to hold that space.

Hanson: Now, in terms of sort of building out the distribution, you lost the deal with Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX), but I have seen you popping up at Panera (Nasdaq: PNRA), and you got the deal at the stadium out there in Seattle. Is there more of that premium retailer stuff in the pipeline, or what about places like Whole Foods (Nasdaq: WFMI), or even liquor stores?

van Stolk: [It] is all relevant to how big you are. So that thing, we have been in Panera for a long time. I think one of the things that we are very comfortable about with Jones is that we are geared up right now to [expand our] premium retailers and ... food service accounts. [Regarding the Seahawks:] ... One of the things that we wanted to do, and the reason why we went into the Seahawks, is very important for you to understand. It is the first time we have a premium, pure-can soda on fountain. So if we are going to expand our distribution in what is called premium food service, or QSRs [quick-serve restaurants], it is an important part of our component to have a fountain piece.

Hanson: Sure.

van Stolk: We are not talking about going to 7-Eleven, or not going to the Big Gulps and getting that stuff. We are talking about a premium QSR, which is the ideal fit in place. So what we wanted to do is by going into the Seahawk stadium, you have 67,000 people in there on a weekend, and how does Jones soda perform in that type of forum? So it is a closed test environment where we can test our ability to provide fountains. We can test our ability to deliver to the QSR, [which] is our goal.

We want it to be really important for us, so that is where we are looking at. We are expanding our distribution in these restaurants, Ruby Tuesday [and] Panera. We are in Barnes & Noble. We are in tons and tons of places, so Starbucks is a great account and you may be surprised to see [energy drink and Jones acquisition] 24C in Starbucks in Canada, so that is reality, you know?

Hanson: Now those QSRs, those are all bottles, correct? Not fountain yet.

van Stolk: That is correct, it is all bottles. That is one of the things, if you can offer a program to a retailer, right? Then again it comes back to this whole conversation about SKUs, and that is why I am so adamant that ... as yet, it maybe looks great for you or for whomever is talking about it, but it doesn't look great for a retailer, because a retailer wants to have one customer that is providing him, because let's just think of this [in terms of] common sense.

I am just going to talk common sense for two seconds. You own a restaurant ... the more checks you are writing to different vendors costs you more money. That is a reality. So if you as a QSR restaurant, with 40 or 50 or 100 accounts, can be serviced by one beverage company, your costs are cheaper, you are better [in] negotiations, you have a whole bunch of advantages, better distribution, better freight, better all the things that nobody looks at from the front page. All the things that are really important to the customer. Those things are what we have to do.

So if you think that a retailer is going to love to sell one product from here, one SKU from there, one SKU from there, one SKU from there, think about how many checks they are writing to different players. So when you can come in and sort of provide a retailer with all their requirements, you have a competitive advantage.

Hanson: Yeah, so you can act big, kind of.

van Stolk: Right ... So if you look at Panera, let's take Panera. They have our bottles, they have our organic teas, and they have our naturals. Now, if they didn't have our teas, they would have somebody else's teas, and so right there is a pure example of Jones saying, "We want to be a player with Panera. We want to meet their requirements, and we are going to listen to them, and we are not going to just sell them one flavor of soda and say how great our SKUs are in one SKU."

Hanson: Now speaking of different tastes, Jones is sort of notorious for coming out with some wacky flavors. I know before I came in here, my colleagues wanted to make sure you were going to bring back the turkey soda.

van Stolk: This year is going to be better.

Hanson: Better?

van Stolk: Better; I will say it right now. This year we are doing something different we have never done. We wanted to show that we could think outside the box and prove to you and some other people that we just don't rest on our laurels with turkeys, so turkey is off the table this year, and we are doing something completely different for everybody this year. I am sure that when you get it, you will enjoy the humor on it, and you will also enjoy where the [proceeds to] charities go, and hopefully we can continue to provide resources for Toys for Tots ... because that is important.

Hanson: The last earnings report from Jones disappointed the market a little bit. Just for people who maybe own the stock or who are thinking about buying the stock, what are some key indicators that you look at, or things that the company measures, that can give outside shareholders some perspective on whether things are improving? What are you looking at to tell you that the business is working?

van Stolk: I think first and foremost ... what I am looking at is different than what anybody else is looking at. I am looking at that Dec. 31 of 2006. We were in 1,400 stores with cans, right? That is a reality. Now we are in over 15,700 stores. We have done that in a relatively short period of time, and we have done that in a relatively low cost to our shareholders. So I don't know; that is what I have, because if I don't get into the stores, I can't sell.

So there is no magic to this conversation. No CEO should say there is magic to it. ... [You] first have to get into the stores, how much did you spend to get in those stores? If you look at, in some cases, how much did we spend to market? So if you look at Jones Soda from my perspective, I [see] that I have achieved distribution with our cans within 25%-plus on the [all commodity volume]. I have not spent a lot of money doing it, because you can see that. ... The balance sheet is strong, and now that I am on the shelves, I can market [what] allows us to do the next [step].

The silliest thing that people do, in my opinion ... is they market before the product is on the shelf. It feels good and everybody gets excited, so I do a marketing campaign before I am on the shelf. I spend a lot of money, get people all buzzed about it, and then consumers go to find it, and they can't see it. And then I don't have any revenues to justify doing it again, and I look like a complete moron. That is real.

... [So] this year we had some hurdles and challenges and hiccups getting on the shelves within the premium selling season of the summer months. I understand that, and that has punched me in the stomach, and I feel that is not cool. I am not happy about it, but we are working hard on it. But we didn't blow our investment to do that. So we didn't spend all the money, if you look at our balance sheet, we didn't spend. We lowered our investment spending to get on the shelves, so our investment spending to get on [shelves was] some of the lowest in the industry.

So what people like about Jones is hey, we got on the shelf. We now have an opportunity to really move forward. I am disappointed that we didn't get on the shelf earlier. Some of those decisions I cannot control [such as] when the retailer is set. I wish we would have had more people set up earlier to do the open. I can't take that back, but we are now feeling comfortable where we are going.

Jones Soda Announces Release
of Seattle Seahawks Themed Sodas
Jones Soda Co. (JSDA) announced its limited edition Seahawks Collector
Pack of five new football-inspired flavors which includes: Dirt
Soda, Sports Cream Soda, Perspiration Soda, Natural Field Turf Soda,
and Sweet Victory Soda. The limited edition Seahawks Collector Pack
will be available in select stores through the Jones Soda distributor network
the week of September 30th. Each pack will retail at $19.99. In
addition to the Seahawks Collector Pack, Jones Soda Co., will also be
releasing their Pure Cane Cola, Sugar-free Cola, and Lemon Lime Soda
in Seahawks-themed 12 pack can Fridge Packs, featuring 7 unique Seahawks
related photos per box. Athletes featured on the packs include;
Matt Hasselbeck, Deion Branch and Walter Jones. These limited edition
Fridge Packs will be sold in select retailers throughout the Northwest
beginning October 1st.

Press Release Source: Jones Soda Co.


Jones Soda Co. to Broadcast Review of Fiscal 2007 Third Quarter Financial Results over the Internet
Monday November 5, 4:00 pm ET


SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jones Soda Co. (NASDAQ:JSDA - News) today announced that the Company's conference call to review fiscal 2007 third quarter results will be broadcast live over the Internet on Thursday, November 8, 2007 at 4:30 pm Eastern Time. The broadcast will be hosted at www.jonessoda.com and www.earnings.com. To listen to the webcast, your computer must have Windows Media Player installed. If you do not have Windows Media Player, go to the latter site prior to the call, where you can download the software for free.

About Jones Soda Co.

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Jones Soda Co. manufactures its Jones Soda, Jones Energy Jones Organics, Jones Naturals and Whoopass brands and sells through its distribution network in select markets across North America. A leader in the premium soda category, Jones is known for its innovative labeling technique that incorporates always-changing photos sent in from its consumers. Jones Soda is sold through traditional beverage retailers and everywhere you'd never expect to find a soda.

Contact:
Jones Soda Co.
Peter van Stolk, 206-624-3357
[email protected]
or
Integrated Corporate Relations
Chad Jacobs, 203-682-8200
[email protected]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Jones Soda Co.



JONES SODA CO (NasdaqCM:JSDA)   

Pre-Market: $9.64  +$0.79 or (+8.93%) as of 9:04AM ET on 11/06/07

May be looking to place a Double Bottom (reversal) Pattern in here.

Yesterday's closing chart

so looks like Jones Soda and Tony Hawk are pairing up once again. They've apprarently partnered in the past and they're back together again according to this JSDA interview.

there will be a limited edition Boom Boom HuckJam Tony Hawk 4 pack to help promote the Tony Hawk's Boom Boom HuckJam presented by T-Mobile® Sidekick® tour. the stock took a hit in march this year when it plummeted down from 6-7 dollars a share to on average of 2-3 dollars. but the stock is up 9.96% today, you think jones' soda is going to rise with this pairing?

updated chart look, time to check it out.......

updated chart scene.......
You make the call 

 
updated chart look...

Jones Soda Co. Strengthens Management Team with the Appointm...


SEATTLE, Apr 07, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Jones Soda Co. (the Company) (JSDA, Trade ), a leader in the premium soda category and known for its unique branding and innovative marketing, announced today that the Board of Directors has appointed William R. Meissner as the company's new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective Friday April 9th, 2010.

Mr. Meissner is a veteran in the beverage industry, and brings to the Company an exceptional track record of brand building and rapid revenue growth, having taken several products from ideation through commercialization. Mr. Meissner served most recently as President of Talking Rain Beverage, a twenty one-year-old, privately held, beverage company. From 2004 to 2008, he was Chief Marketing Officer of Fuze Beverages, a new age category brand leader and division of Coca Cola North America. Prior to that, Mr. Meissner held other senior level positions in the new age beverage category including Brand Director and Director Brand Development with SoBe Beverages, a division of Pepsi Cola North America as well as Vice President Sales and Marketing of the startup venture SoBe Chocolate. Mr. Meissner began his career with Tetra Pak Inc., a private multinational consumer beverage-packaging firm based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"We're very excited to offer Bill the leadership of Jones at this critical time. Bill's disciplined approach to brand and market development, combined with his high energy and entrepreneurial management style, is just what the company needs as we move to capitalize on the great opportunities that we have worked so hard here at Jones to develop over the past several months." Said Matt Kellogg, Director of Jones Soda.

Mr. Meissner commented "Jones is unquestionably the most exciting brand in beverage today. The company has made difficult yet significant moves over the past two years to prepare itself for a new future of growth and profitability. What you will see going forward, we're calling Jones 2.0, which is a new version of a great idea that seeks to advance the company's enterprise value to match its traditionally strong brand value."

About Jones Soda Co.

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Jones Soda Co. (R) markets and distributes premium beverages under the Jones Soda, Jones Pure Cane Soda(TM), Jones 24C(TM), Jones GABA(R), Jones Organics(TM), Jones Naturals(R) and Whoopass Energy Drink(R) brands and sells through its distribution network in markets primarily across North America. A leader in the premium soda category, Jones is known for its variety of flavors and innovative labeling technique that incorporates always-changing photos sent in from its consumers. Jones Soda is sold through traditional beverage retailers. For more information visit www.jonessoda.com , www.myjones.com , and www.jonesGABA.com .

SOURCE: Jones Soda Co.


Jones Soda Co.
Michael R. O'Brien, 206-624-3357
Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]
or
ICR, Inc.
Chad Jacobs / Brendon Frey
203-682-8200
[email protected] / [email protected]

JSDA with a big pop yesterday.......
not sure where this will go but the distribution channel is worth $

Jones Soda Co. (Nasdaq: JSDA) 57.4% HIGHER; announced a deal with Walmart (NYSE: WMT) that authorizes Jones to retail its products in Walmart's approximately 3,800 U.S.-based stores. The deal increases Jones' total retail outlet distribution by nearly 10%, and will make the product easily accessible to millions of new consumers.


Jones Soda's Walmart deal keeps stock percolating
at bizjournals.com(Tue, Jun 1)Mediacom, Jones Soda: Midday Volume Plays

at TheStreet.com(Tue, Jun 1)UPDATE - Jones Soda to sell in Wal-Mart stores; shares soar

at Reuters(Thu, May 27)Jones Soda soars after Walmart deal

AP(Thu, May 27)Jones Soda Bubbles Up On Wal-Mart Deal
at Forbes(Thu, May 27)


Technicals
Record Volume
Record Price High
Most Actives
Record Price Break Out
Percentage Gainer

Last Price Quote is:
86.63%above 13-day MA
110.83%above 50-day MA
RS Rating: 98 

Fundamentals
Key Data:
Market Cap (M): $27.48 
P/E Ratio: 189.56 
PEG Ratio: N/A 
Next Earnings: 08/05/2010
Last Analyst Rating: Sell