Sparkling Ice® STARBURST™ Launches

PRESTON, Wash., February 8, 2024 – The Sparkling Ice® brand, crafted by Talking Rain Beverage Company®, today announced the launch of Sparkling Ice® STARBURST™ – a new line of delicious, zero-sugar  Sparkling Ice flavors that capture the taste and vibrant sensory experience of STARBURST® original fruit chew candy.

“Sparkling Ice STARBURST is a bold collaboration, designed to surprise and delight our loyal fans and also attract a whole new legion of flavor-loving sparkling water consumers to our dazzlingly delicious, zero-sugar beverages,” said Rich DePencier, Chief Growth Officer at Talking Rain Beverage Company. “This brand collaboration is already igniting early enthusiasm among beverage influencers, industry leaders and retailers. It’s just the beginning of a revolution in the Sparkling Ice brand that our fans know and love.”

Influencers eager to experience the tasty synergy of Sparkling Ice and STARBURST began buzzing about the collaboration weeks before news of the launch was available publicly. To date, their organic content has garnered more than a quarter-million views on TikTok alone.

Plus, Talking Rain reports that industry leaders are bullish about the pairing of two beloved brands and category leaders, based on unprecedented early demand from retailers and distributors.

This is the first major brand initiative since Sparkling Ice, the No. 1 sparkling water brand in the U.S., launched its “Anything But Subtle” campaign at the start of the year. That campaign kicked off the company’s largest marketing investment ever, and enlisted Emmy Award-winning actress Annie Murphy to play its “Chief Flavor Officer,” a colorfully-clad executive who gushes about the premium sparkling beverage.

Heading up the team of beverage innovators behind Sparkling Ice STARBURST is Talking Rain’s director of new product development, Tatyana Osipovs.

“Our Sparkling Ice product development team knew Sparkling Ice STARBURST would bring a huge level of excitement to consumers with this flavorful collaboration,” said Osipovs. “We spent months recreating the flavors of the STARBURST fruit chew candies in the Sparkling Ice beverage. Now our fans can enjoy the full-flavored fun of these candy flavors with zero-sugar in our delicious drink!”

The new line of STARBURST-inspired Sparkling Ice comes in the candy’s four original flavors – cherry, lemon, orange, and strawberry. It will be available online via Amazon starting February 19, as well as arriving to select retailers in late January and rolling out nationally throughout the spring.

This partnership was put together through Starburst’s licensing agency Brand Central and Sparkling Ice is represented by Joester Loria Group.

For more information on Sparkling Ice https://www.sparklingice.com. 

About Talking Rain® Beverage Company 

Talking Rain, the makers of Sparkling Ice, is your Washington-based beverage company with an impressive 35-year legacy in the beverage world. We've brewed up a remarkable collection of brands, including the fan-favorite Sparkling Ice®, Sparkling Ice® +Caffeine, Sparkling Ice® +Energy and Talking Rain AQA®. These beverages come in a delightful array of flavors, all focusing on providing healthier beverage options.

But we're not just about making great drinks; we're all about building connections with our community and sharing the love with every sip. That's our special ingredient – a blend of passion and commitment.

For more information, please visit https://www.talkingrain.com.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED

Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world.  

Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With almost $45 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including Ben's Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M's®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, and WHISKAS®. We are creating a better world for pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting-edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing.

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