Innocent Drinks, an all-natural smoothie pioneer, have a powerful new backer: Coca-Cola. The soft-drink giant recently took a minority stake in Innocent and will help the founders plan a major distribution expansion across Europe. Will Innocent change now that it's playing in the big leagues? The founders say, in fact, that they hope to influence Coca-Cola.Innocent's founders have been successful precisely because of their refreshingly innocent approach to marketing. They've gained a loyal following for their "completely pure, fresh and unadulterated" fruit drinks by using natural ingredients and sustainable packaging. Their Web site explains: "We sure aren't perfect, but we're trying to do the right thing." How often do companies admit they aren't perfect? It's charming--and effective.
In short, Innocent seems, well, more innocent than its super-sized corporate competitors. Its Web site invites brand fans to AGM (A Grown-Up Meeting) at Fruit Towers, London, in May. If you go, you can chat up the founders and meet fellow fans. Click here to see more and watch a video of last year's AGM. What will Innocent do next?
