Crystal Light

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crystal Light
Crystal light logo.png
Crystal Light lemonade.jpg
Glass of Crystal light lemonade
Product typeDrink mix
OwnerKraft Heinz
CountryU.S.
Introduced1982; 41 years ago (1982)
Websitecrystallight.com

Crystal Light is an American brand of powdered and artificially sweetened beverage mixes produced by Kraft Heinz. It was introduced in 1982 to a test market and released to the public in April 1984. General Foods, a now defunct company, were the original sellers of the product, but now it is sold by Kraft Foods. It is available in a wide variety of flavors, such as lemonade, sweet tea, and fruit punch.

History[edit]

Test marketing and introduction[edit]

Crystal Light was sold in test markets beginning in 1982.[1][2][3] As of mid-1983, it was being sold in 11 test areas.[4] It was introduced throughout the United States in April 1984.[5] General Foods sold $150 million of Crystal Light during the product's first year on national markets, representing 20% of all powdered drink mixes and 2/3 of all sugar-free drink mixes in the United States.[6]

Advertisements[edit]

A 1985 commercial featuring Linda Evans showed her doing aerobics in a women's gym and drinking Crystal Light.[7] Another undated commercial used a similar format, showing Evans exercising and drinking Crystal Light in a women's gym.[8] Her final commercial, airing in 1987 or 1988, featuring her stuck in traffic in a limousine and performing a variety of difficult stunts, ultimately ending up on a boat drinking Crystal Light.[9] Many of her print advertisements for the brand featured her in workout attire.

A 1986 commercial featuring Priscilla Presley showed her practicing karate in a dojo while drinking Crystal Light.[10]

A 1987 commercial featuring Raquel Welch showed her singing and dancing in a blue jumpsuit and, once finished with her performance, shunning a can of Diet Coke in favor of Crystal Light.[11]

Ingredients[edit]

Crystal Light is sweetened with a combination of aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and/or sugar depending on the specific product line and flavor.[12] First packaged in multi-serve canisters, Crystal Light launched single-serve "On The Go" packets in 2004. In 2009, Crystal Light redesigned its multi-serve packaging. On a finished case goods basis, the new design uses 250 tons less packaging than the original.[13] In 2010, Crystal Light launched Pure Fitness, a "naturally-sweetened" low-calorie fitness drink mix[14] which is sweetened with sugar and Truvia, a sweetener derived from the stevia plant. It is currently sold in "On The Go" packets.[15] In 2011, Crystal Light Pure Fitness was renamed Crystal Light Pure, and three additional flavors were introduced.[15] In April 2012, several Crystal Light varieties were added to the line of sodamix syrups for SodaStream home soda makers.[16]

Kraft Heinz, the parent company of Crystal Light, offers a product locator on its website to help locate flavors in a desired location. Crystal Light is sold in the U.S. and Canada.

Calories per serving have varied throughout the years; non-zero calorie flavors were once as low as 4 calories in 1990 and now, they may be as high as 15 in 2018, depending on flavor.[17] However, it's not certain if the change is due to the use of new ingredients or if serving sizes have increased.

Products[edit]

All product information is based on information and products offered by Crystal Light's official website, as of January 2019.[18]

Classics[edit]

  • Berry Sangria (0 cal)
  • Black Cherry Lime (0 cal)
  • Blackberry Lemonade (0 cal)
  • Blueberry Raspberry (0 cal)
  • Cherry Pomegranate (15 cal)
  • Concord Grape (15 cal)
  • Fruit Punch (15 cal)
  • Lemonade (15 cal)
  • Mango Passionfruit (0 cal)
  • Orange (15 cal)
  • Pink Lemonade (15 cal)
  • Pomegranate Lemonade (0 cal)
  • Raspberry Ice (15 cal)
  • Raspberry Lemonade (15 cal)
  • Strawberry Kiwi (15 cal)
  • Strawberry Lemonade (0 cal)
  • Strawberry Orange Banana (15 cal)
  • Strawberry Watermelon (15 cal)
  • Sweet Tea
  • Tropical Coconut (0 cal)

[19]

Pure[edit]

  • Grape (5 cal)
  • Lemon (5 cal)
  • Lemon Iced Tea (5 cal)
  • Mixed Berry Energy (15 cal)
  • Peach Iced Tea (5 cal)
  • Raspberry Lemonade (5 cal)
  • Strawberry Kiwi (5 cal)
  • Strawberry Lemonade Energy (15 cal)
  • Tangerine Mango (5 cal)
  • Tropical Blend (5 cal)
  • Tropical Citrus Energy (15 cal)

[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Lazarus, George (May 7, 1982). "GF, Wyler betting sugar free worth cost". Chicago Tribune. p. 88.
  2. ^ Dean, Susan L. (July 7, 1982). "Sugar substitute holds promise". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. 34. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  3. ^ Processed Prepared Food. Vol. 151. Gorman Publishing Company. 1982.
  4. ^ Cook, Winifred I. (1983-05-31). "Aspartame is being used". The Central New Jersey Home News. p. 4. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  5. ^ Beverage World Periscope. Vol. 3. Beverage World Periscope. 1984. p. 29.
  6. ^ Austin, Joanne (November 1985). "The Crystal Light persuasion". Madison Avenue. 27 (11): 20.
  7. ^ "1985 Crystal Light commercial featuring Linda Evans". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  8. ^ "Undated Crystal Light commercial featuring Linda Evans". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  9. ^ "Late 1980s Crystal Light commercial featuring Linda Evans". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  10. ^ "1986 Crystal Light Commercial featuring Priscilla Presley". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  11. ^ "1987 Crystal Light commercial featuring Raquel Welch". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  12. ^ The packaging of Crystal Light, ingredients list.
  13. ^ "New Crystal Light Container". Greenerpackage.com. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  14. ^ "Kraft Introduces Stevia Sweetened Fitness Drink". Beveragedaily.com. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  15. ^ a b "Crystal Light - Refreshing Flavors, Pure Flavors and Enhanced Flavors". Kraftbrands.com. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  16. ^ "Kraft and SodaStream in deal for Kool-Aid". Chicago Tribune. Reuters. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  17. ^ "1990 Crystal Light commercial". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  18. ^ "Crystal Light". www.crystallight.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  19. ^ "Crystal Light". www.crystallight.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  20. ^ "Crystal Light". www.crystallight.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crystal_Light&oldid=1140879416"