Naked Juice
An American juice and smoothie brand known for bottled fruit and vegetable beverages marketed around convenience, natural ingredients, and high fruit and vegetable content.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Naked Juice is an American beverage brand producing bottled juices, juice smoothies, protein smoothies, and related drinks. It began in 1983 in Santa Monica, California, when Jimmy Rosenberg and David Bleeden made fruit drinks on a small scale and sold them directly around the Santa Monica beach area. The brand name referred to the founders’ intention to offer beverages without artificial flavors, added sugar, or preservatives, rather than to a particular fruit or product format. The brand’s early proposition centered on refrigerated, not-from-concentrate-style drinks made from fruit and vegetable juices and purées. This positioning placed Naked Juice within the emerging better-for-you and natural beverage segment, where consumers were seeking alternatives to carbonated soft drinks. The absence of preservatives also created operational constraints: the beverages were highly perishable, required cold storage below 38 degrees Fahrenheit, and had a shorter shelf life than many competing products. As demand grew, Naked Juice expanded its distribution infrastructure, including the opening of direct-delivery centers in Sacramento and Seattle in early 2006. A major visual and commercial turning point came in 2005, when the brand undertook a broad packaging redesign. The redesign helped Naked Juice increase its retail presence and, according to the referenced account, move ahead of Odwalla in annual retail sales. The range subsequently grew beyond basic fruit blends to include vegetable-containing drinks, protein-oriented smoothies, probiotic products, reduced-calorie variants, and coconut water. Prominent products have included Green Machine, Mighty Mango, Blue Machine, Strawberry Banana, Orange Mango, Berry Veggie, and protein smoothie varieties. North Castle Partners owned Naked Juice before PepsiCo acquired the brand. PepsiCo announced the transaction in November 2006 and completed it in 2007 for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition placed Naked Juice within PepsiCo’s Americas Beverages operations and supported PepsiCo’s effort to expand its portfolio of health- and wellness-positioned beverages. At the time of the transaction, the brand was reported to have approximately $150 million in annual United States sales; the figure is historical and should not be interpreted as a current financial measure. PepsiCo’s distribution network helped Naked Juice reach all 50 U.S. states and expand internationally, including to Canada and the United Kingdom. The company operated from Azusa, California, until moving its offices to neighboring Monrovia in February 2010. Packaging and product development also became part of the brand’s identity. In 2009, the 32-ounce bottle was changed to a design made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET, promoted by the company as the “reNEWabottle.” The design was extended to additional bottle sizes in 2010, with the company reporting a reduction in virgin plastic use of approximately seven million pounds per year. Naked Juice has also faced scrutiny over the health implications and accuracy of its marketing. A class-action lawsuit filed in 2012 challenged claims including “100% Juice,” “All Natural,” “Nothing Artificial,” and “Non-GMO.” The company settled the case in 2013 for $9 million and agreed to stop using “all natural” language in the challenged manner. Public criticism has additionally focused on the sugar content of some products, especially fruit-heavy blends, and on the tension between high sugar levels and the brand’s health-oriented positioning. In 2021, PepsiCo sold Naked Juice to the private-equity firm PAI Partners. The brand remains an active participant in the packaged juice and smoothie category, with its identity still built around refrigerated fruit and vegetable beverages, recognizable flavor names, and a convenient alternative to preparing juice or smoothies at home.
History
Naked Juice was created in Santa Monica, California, in 1983 by Jimmy Rosenberg and David Bleeden. Rosenberg initially prepared fruit drinks at home and sold them directly in the Santa Monica beach area. The name expressed the founders’ concept of a beverage made without artificial flavors, added sugar, or preservatives. This early identity later became the foundation for the brand’s natural and health-oriented marketing, although some of those claims were subsequently challenged. The company’s products were refrigerated juices and smoothies made from fruit and vegetable juices and purées. Because the drinks were deliberately made without preservatives, they were more perishable than many shelf-stable beverages. Products had to remain below 38 degrees Fahrenheit and required efficient refrigerated distribution. Rising demand led the company to add direct-delivery centers in Sacramento and Seattle in early 2006, helping it address supply and cold-chain limitations. In 2005, Naked Juice introduced a major packaging rebrand. The redesign was associated with improved retail performance and helped the brand move ahead of Odwalla in annual retail sales. During the same period, the product portfolio broadened from core fruit drinks to include vegetable blends, protein smoothies, probiotic products, reduced-calorie options, and coconut water. The range included both juice-style beverages and thicker smoothie products, with more than 20 drinks reported in the product line by 2011. North Castle Partners owned the company before PepsiCo’s acquisition. PepsiCo announced the planned purchase in November 2006 and completed it in 2007 for an undisclosed sum. The deal was part of PepsiCo’s expansion into beverage brands associated with health and wellness and also strengthened its competitive position against Coca-Cola’s Odwalla business. Naked Juice was subsequently operated as a wholly owned PepsiCo subsidiary within PepsiCo Americas Beverages. Historical reporting placed United States annual sales at approximately $150 million around the acquisition period. Naked Juice continued operating from Azusa, California, until its offices moved to Monrovia in February 2010. PepsiCo’s distribution system supported broader national and international availability. The brand became available throughout the United States and was distributed in markets including Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France. Sustainability-related packaging became another part of the brand’s development. In 2009, Naked Juice changed its 32-ounce bottles to 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET. The company called the design the “reNEWabottle” and extended it to 10-, 15.2-, and 64-ounce formats in 2010. The company reported that the change reduced the use of new plastic by roughly seven million pounds annually. The brand’s marketing and nutritional profile generated controversy. A class-action lawsuit filed in 2012 alleged that several label and advertising statements were misleading, including “100% Juice,” “All Natural,” “Nothing Artificial,” and “Non-GMO.” The dispute concerned ingredients described by the plaintiffs as synthetic vitamins, sweeteners, fibers, and flavors. In July 2013, Naked Juice agreed to a $9 million settlement and to stop using “all natural” language in the challenged context. Separately, commentators criticized the sugar content of some products, arguing that certain fruit-heavy beverages could contain more sugar per ounce than conventional soft drinks despite their better-for-you positioning. In 2021, PepsiCo sold Naked Juice to PAI Partners. The brand therefore moved from a large public multinational beverage portfolio to private-equity ownership. Its continuing identity is based on chilled bottled juices and smoothies, recognizable blend names, and an accessible alternative to preparing fruit- and vegetable-based drinks at home.
- 2021
Sale to PAI Partners
[1]PepsiCo sells Naked Juice to private-equity firm PAI Partners.
- 2013
Class-action settlement
[1]The company settles litigation over several product and marketing claims for $9 million and agrees to discontinue the challenged “all natural” wording.
- 2010
Monrovia office move and product expansion
[1]The company moves its offices from Azusa to Monrovia and adds reduced-calorie smoothies and coconut water to its portfolio.
- 2009
Recycled-PET bottle introduced
[1]The 32-ounce format adopts a bottle made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET.
- 2007
PepsiCo acquisition completed
[1]PepsiCo completes its acquisition of Naked Juice from North Castle Partners.
- 2006
New refrigerated distribution centers
[1]Naked Juice opens direct-delivery centers in Sacramento and Seattle to support its perishable product range.
- 2005
Brand-wide packaging redesign
[1]A major packaging refresh supports the brand’s retail growth and is associated with surpassing Odwalla in annual retail sales.
- 1983
Naked Juice is founded in Santa Monica
[1]Jimmy Rosenberg and David Bleeden create the brand and begin selling homemade fruit drinks in the Santa Monica area.
Products and positioning
A refrigerated, health-oriented beverage brand emphasizing fruit and vegetable ingredients, convenience, and products positioned as free from artificial ingredients or added sugar. Its positioning has also been shaped by scrutiny of sugar levels and the substantiation of natural and nutritional claims.
Fruit and vegetable smoothie
Green Machine
A flagship green-colored blend combining fruit and vegetable ingredients. It represents the brand’s central proposition of a convenient bottled drink with a strong natural and wellness-oriented identity.
Fruit smoothie
Mighty Mango
A mango-led fruit smoothie and one of the brand’s best-known flavor names. It illustrates Naked Juice’s use of bold, single-fruit-led naming within a chilled bottled format.
Fruit smoothie
Blue Machine
A dark-colored blended fruit smoothie positioned as a high-fruit beverage and promoted within the brand’s range of antioxidant-oriented drinks.
Fruit and vegetable juice blend
Berry Veggie
A blend combining berries and a broad selection of fruits and vegetables, including purple carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, chickpeas, cherries, strawberries, plum, apple, and lemon according to the referenced product description.
Protein smoothie
Protein Zone
A protein-focused smoothie line developed for consumers seeking more protein than in the standard fruit blends. Mango and Double Berry variants were added in 2009.
Probiotic smoothie · 2007
Probiotic
Introduced in 2007, this product was promoted as a 100-percent juice smoothie containing probiotics and positioned around digestive support.
Reduced-calorie smoothie · 2010
Tropical and Peach Guava
Two reduced-calorie smoothies introduced in 2010. Their formulas included coconut juice, which was presented as contributing to a lower-calorie profile than some other fruit-based options.
Coconut water · 2010
Naked Coconut Water
A 100-percent coconut water product added to the United States portfolio in 2010, initially sold through Whole Foods stores.
Controversies
2013
Settlement over natural, juice, and non-GMO claims
A class-action lawsuit alleged that claims such as “100% Juice,” “All Natural,” “Nothing Artificial,” and “Non-GMO” were misleading because some listed vitamins and other components were allegedly synthetic or inconsistent with the claims. Naked Juice settled for $9 million and agreed to stop using the challenged “all natural” language.
Criticism of sugar content
Some Naked Juice products have been criticized for containing substantial amounts of sugar, particularly fruit-heavy blends. Critics argued that the nutritional profile could conflict with the brand’s health-oriented positioning and comparisons with soft drinks.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009reNEWabottle
United States
Naked Juice promoted a bottle made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET, beginning with the 32-ounce format and later extending the design to additional sizes.
Outcome. The company reported a reduction of approximately seven million pounds of new plastic use per year.
- 2005Naked Juice packaging rebrand
United States
The brand redesigned packaging across its range to improve shelf visibility and reinforce its fruit-and-vegetable beverage identity.
Outcome. The redesign was credited with supporting retail growth and helping the brand overtake Odwalla in annual retail sales.
Brand decisions
2021
Sale from PepsiCo to PAI PartnersM&ABackground
After operating Naked Juice within its beverage portfolio, PepsiCo decided to sell the brand to a private-equity owner.
Action taken
PAI Partners acquired Naked Juice from PepsiCo.
Aftermath
Naked Juice moved from PepsiCo ownership to private-equity ownership. The transaction value was not specified in the reference material.
2009
Switch to recycled-PET packagingGeneration changeBackground
Naked Juice sought to reduce the environmental impact of its bottles while maintaining national distribution.
Action taken
The company introduced a 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET bottle for the 32-ounce product and later extended it to other sizes.
Aftermath
The packaging initiative became a visible sustainability element of the brand and was associated with reduced use of new plastic.
2007
PepsiCo acquires Naked JuiceM&ABackground
Naked Juice had become a sizable brand in the natural and better-for-you beverage segment, while PepsiCo was expanding its portfolio beyond traditional soft drinks.
Action taken
PepsiCo completed the acquisition from North Castle Partners for an undisclosed amount and operated the brand through PepsiCo Americas Beverages.
Aftermath
The brand gained access to PepsiCo’s larger distribution system and expanded across the United States and selected international markets.
Historical United States annual sales. $150 million (Around the 2007 acquisition period)
- The Coca-Cola Company — The acquisition was discussed in the context of PepsiCo competing with Coca-Cola’s ownership of rival juice brand Odwalla.
Recent events
- 2021
PepsiCo sells Naked Juice to PAI Partners[1]
M&A
PepsiCo sold the Naked Juice brand to private-equity firm PAI Partners.
- 2010
Naked Juice expands reduced-calorie and coconut-water offerings[1]
Product launch
The brand introduced reduced-calorie Tropical and Peach Guava smoothies and added Naked Coconut Water to its United States range.
- 2009
Naked Juice adopts recycled-PET reNEWabottle packaging[1]
Product generation · Other
The 32-ounce bottle was changed to 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET, with the design later extended to other sizes.
- 2007
PepsiCo completes Naked Juice acquisition[1]
M&A
The transaction was completed, placing Naked Juice within PepsiCo’s Americas Beverages operations.
- 2007
Naked Juice introduces probiotic smoothie[1]
Product launch
The brand introduced a probiotic product promoted as a 100-percent juice smoothie with digestive-health positioning.
- 2006
Naked Juice expands cold-chain delivery capacity[1]
Other
The company opened direct-delivery centers in Sacramento and Seattle to support distribution of its perishable refrigerated beverages.
- 2006
PepsiCo announces acquisition of Naked Juice[1]
M&A
PepsiCo announced plans to acquire Naked Juice from North Castle Partners for an undisclosed amount.
- 2005
Naked Juice redesign strengthens retail position[1]
Campaign · Other
The brand introduced a broad packaging redesign that was credited with improving its retail performance and helping it surpass Odwalla in annual retail sales.
Sources1 sources
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