Zico (drink) facts for kids
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| Industry | Beverages |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2004 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Founder | Mark Rampolla |
| Headquarters | El Segundo, California, U.S. |
| Parent | PowerPlant Ventures |
Zico is a brand that makes drinks, mostly from coconut water. These drinks are produced by a company called Zico Rising. It first started in 2004 and was known as Zico Beverages.
In 2013, a very big company, the Coca-Cola Company, bought Zico. Coca-Cola owned Zico for seven years. Then, in January 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Zico was sold back to its original founder, Mark Rampolla. This happened through his company, PowerPlant Ventures.
The Story of Zico Coconut Water
Zico Beverages was started in 2004 by Mark Rampolla. He first learned about coconut water while working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Central America. He loved it and wanted to bring it to more people.
In 2009, the Coca-Cola Company bought a small part of Zico. They bought more shares in 2012, owning most of the company. By 2013, Coca-Cola bought all of Zico, making it fully theirs.
In 2020, Coca-Cola announced they would stop selling Zico products. They said that sales of coconut water had gone down. Also, Zico was not selling as much as its main competitor, Vita Coco. The economic problems from the COVID-19 pandemic also played a role.
But the story didn't end there! In January 2021, PowerPlant Ventures announced they had bought the Zico brand from Coca-Cola. This was a big moment because PowerPlant Ventures was co-founded by Mark Rampolla. He was the same person who started Zico back in 2004. The company was then renamed Zico Rising.
What's Inside Zico Drinks?
As of late 2023, Zico offers three main types of drinks. You can find these on their website.
- Zico Natural is made only from pasteurized coconut water. This means the coconut water is heated to make it safe, and it's not made from a concentrated mix.
- Zico Chocolate contains 70% coconut water, along with water, cane sugar, and cocoa powder. It's advertised as a "dairy-free" option for chocolate milk. It also has less sugar than many chocolate milks.
- Zico Hydrate comes in a Coconut Lime flavor. It has 30% coconut water, plus other flavorings. The official website also mentions Fruit Punch and Tropical flavors, but they might not be available everywhere right now.
A few years ago, in 2017, Zico also offered other flavors like jalapeño mango and watermelon raspberry.
