Cricket Cola

Cricket Cola, also associated with the name Cricket Natural Beverages, was a United States soft-drink brand created by John and Mary Heron of Potomac, Maryland. Its central product concept was a cola formulated with a green tea base rather than positioned as a conventional cola alone. The manufacturer stated that each bottle contained the equivalent of two cups of green tea, giving the beverage a functional and natural-ingredient orientation alongside its soda format. The brand differentiated its cola from many mainstream soft drinks through its ingredient and formulation claims. Its cola used kola nut extract, green tea concentrate, and vanilla extract, and was primarily sweetened with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. The manufacturer also stated that Cricket products contained no phosphoric acid, preservatives, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. These attributes placed the brand within the better-for-you and natural-beverage segment, while its use of retro glass bottles gave it a specialty and nostalgic presentation. Cricket was offered in 12-ounce glass bottles, sold individually, in four-packs, and in 24-bottle cases. The cola was available in both a cane-sugar version and a Splenda-sweetened version. Other reported flavors included Pomegranate Raspberry, Mandarin Orange, and White Peach; the latter three were described as naturally flavored. The range therefore extended beyond a single cola product into fruit-oriented specialty sodas while retaining the brand's green-tea-based identity. Distribution was limited rather than mass-market. Cricket was reported as being available through selected retail channels, including Whole Foods Market and Potbelly Sandwich Works. Its limited availability was part of the brand's specialty positioning, but it also made the product difficult to find compared with national soft-drink brands. In late 2008, Cricket was acquired by Chicago-based Meridian Beverage Company in exchange for an undisclosed amount of Meridian stock. Co-founder Mary Heron joined Meridian as senior vice president of sales and marketing. The acquisition created the possibility of expanding or relaunching Cricket within Meridian's healthy-beverage portfolio, but subsequent public information indicated uncertainty about the brand's continuation. By March 2010, Meridian's website did not list Cricket among its product lines, and reports noted that the beverage had become increasingly difficult to find at two of its principal retail chains. The brand's later operating status and any subsequent relaunch are not established by the available reference material.

Cricket Cola was developed as a specialty soft drink by John and Mary Heron in Potomac, Maryland. The brand's product identity centered on using green tea as a base for soda, distinguishing it from conventional colas that are generally formulated around carbonated water, sweetener, flavorings, and acidulants. According to the manufacturer, a bottle contained the equivalent of two cups of green tea. The principal cola formulation used kola nut extract, green tea concentrate, and vanilla extract. Cricket emphasized cane sugar as its primary sweetener rather than high-fructose corn syrup and promoted the absence of phosphoric acid, preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. A Splenda-sweetened cola was also produced, giving the brand a lower-sugar alternative alongside its cane-sugar version. Packaging reinforced Cricket's specialty positioning. The beverage was sold in 12-ounce retro glass bottles rather than standard mass-market plastic bottles or cans. Consumers could purchase single bottles, four-packs, or 24-bottle cases. In addition to cola, the reported flavor portfolio included Pomegranate Raspberry, Mandarin Orange, and White Peach, with the fruit varieties described as naturally flavored. Cricket's distribution remained limited. The brand was associated with selected natural-food and specialty retail channels, including Whole Foods Market and Potbelly Sandwich Works. This channel mix was consistent with its better-for-you claims, green-tea proposition, cane-sugar formulation, and retro packaging, but it did not provide the reach of large national soda companies. In late 2008, Meridian Beverage Company, a Chicago-based healthy-beverage company, acquired Cricket for an undisclosed amount of Meridian stock. Mary Heron became Meridian's senior vice president of sales and marketing as part of the transaction. The acquisition suggested that Cricket could become part of Meridian's broader healthy-beverage portfolio, but the available record does not document a successful relaunch or sustained expansion. By March 2010, Meridian's website did not list Cricket as one of its product lines. At approximately the same time, the product was reported to be increasingly difficult to find at Whole Foods Market and Potbelly Sandwich Works, two of its main retail chains. Publicly available reference material does not establish whether Cricket continued operating, was discontinued, or later returned under another distribution arrangement. Its current status therefore remains unknown.

1. 2010Distribution and relaunch status became uncertain

   Meridian did not list Cricket on its website by March 2010, and the product was reportedly becoming harder to find at important retail accounts.

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2. 2008Acquisition by Meridian Beverage Company

   Meridian Beverage Company acquired Cricket in late 2008 in a stock transaction of undisclosed value.

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3. Brand created in Potomac, Maryland

   John and Mary Heron created the Cricket Natural Beverages business and its green-tea-based soda brand in Potomac, Maryland.

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A specialty, natural-leaning soft-drink brand emphasizing green tea, cane sugar, glass-bottle packaging, and the absence of several conventional soda additives.

• Cricket ColaGreen-tea-based cola

  The core Cricket product was a cola made with green tea concentrate, kola nut extract, and vanilla extract. The manufacturer positioned it as a more natural alternative to conventional cola, highlighting cane-sugar sweetening and the absence of phosphoric acid, preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. It was sold in 12-ounce retro glass bottles in both cane-sugar and Splenda-sweetened versions.

• Pomegranate RaspberryFruit-flavored soda

  A non-cola Cricket flavor combining pomegranate and raspberry flavor profiles. The product was described as naturally flavored and formed part of the brand's expansion beyond its flagship cola into fruit-oriented specialty sodas.

• Mandarin OrangeFruit-flavored soda

  A naturally flavored citrus soda in the Cricket range. It extended the brand's green-tea-based specialty beverage concept into a brighter fruit flavor while retaining the same retro glass-bottle format.

• White PeachFruit-flavored soda

  A naturally flavored peach soda reported as part of the Cricket Natural Beverages portfolio. It complemented the cola and citrus offerings with a softer fruit profile and was packaged in the brand's 12-ounce glass bottles.

• 2008Sell Cricket to Meridian Beverage CompanyM&A

  Cricket was a small, limited-distribution beverage brand operating in the specialty and healthy-drink segment. Meridian Beverage Company was a Chicago-based healthy-beverage company.

  What changed. Meridian acquired Cricket in exchange for an undisclosed amount of Meridian stock. Mary Heron joined Meridian as senior vice president of sales and marketing.

  Aftermath. The available record does not confirm a relaunch. By March 2010, Cricket was absent from Meridian's listed product lines and reportedly harder to find at key retail chains.

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• 2010Cricket availability weakened after the Meridian acquisition

  By March 2010, Meridian did not list Cricket among its product lines, while reports indicated that the brand had become increasingly difficult to find at Whole Foods Market and Potbelly Sandwich Works. A relaunch remained uncertain.

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• 2008Cricket acquired by Meridian Beverage Company

  Cricket was acquired by Chicago-based Meridian Beverage Company in late 2008 for an undisclosed amount of Meridian stock. Co-founder Mary Heron joined Meridian as senior vice president of sales and marketing.

  M&ALeadership change
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1. Cricket Cola