Memphis Water in the News

From today's Commercial Appeal.

Taste and talent: Beverage maker taps Memphis water, Hardy Bottling savvy
By Cassandra Kimberly

Taste is the difference at Cintron Beverage Group. It even says so on its line of energy drinks, teas and fruit juice drinks.

So when the company decided to move 95 percent of its production to Memphis, co-founder Rev. Joe Roberts knew he made the right choice.

"We pride our whole concept of marketing on 'taste is the difference'," he said. "So if we're going to coin that phrase and believe that we add a better-tasting product to the market, then Memphis water helps us even take it to another level."

Memphis-based Hardy Bottling Co. began bottling, packaging and distributing Cintron's beverage line Wednesday. MNG Wholesale, also based in Memphis, will launch Cintron products this week.

Cintron is distributed in 38 states in the United States, and in Canada, South America and the Caribbean.

Cintron, a new-age line of Kosher energy drinks, teas and fruit juices, was co-founded in 2006 by Roberts, pastor of Holy Spirit Cathedral in Camden, N.J., and partner Wes Wyatt.

The company has grown quickly, Roberts said. Packaging and distributing from seven different locations nationwide and in Canada didn't make a lot of financial sense. Cintron also needed help on the production end -- help Hardy Bottling could offer.

"We can sell," Roberts said, "but to bring it all together, we need help."

So the company decided to consolidate to two of its distribution centers in California and in Memphis, saving the beverage company "18 to 21 percent across the board" annually.

Hardy's contract with Cintron comes just in time for high season for beverages, which starts in April and ends in August.

Cintron expects to distribute 2.8 million cases of product in 2008, Roberts said.

Hardy Bottling Co., which bought the old Molson Coors Brewing Co. plant in 2006 for $9 million, can manufacture and package drinks in cans, glass bottles, aluminum bottles and plastic bottles.

The company also offers warehousing and distribution services for its customers, such as Crunk Energy Drink, Rockstar Energy Drink, and The Liquid Experience.

The multimillion-dollar Cintron deal is big lift for bottling company owner Carolyn Hardy, whose building on East Raines suffered $50 million worth of damage from the Feb. 5 tornado that ripped through the Mid-South.

The storm also forced Hardy to reduce employees from 120 to 85 and to lose contracts with Arizona Iced Tea and a major contract with Coors to package Coors Light.

After two months of waiting for its 1.3 million-square-foot facility to be repaired, Hardy Bottling Co. reopened April 7 with 85 employees.

"(This deal) starts replacing all of the pain and everything that I lost," said Hardy.