• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

1

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Health

Sparkling Ice Rides the Fizzy Water Wave to $667 Million in Sales

By
Laura Entis
Laura Entis
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Laura Entis
Laura Entis
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 15, 2017, 1:42 PM ET
Sauced in the City: A Mighty Quinn's BBQ Pairing Seminar Hosted By Hugh Mangum And Mark Oldman Celebrity Cruises Pairing Seminars Hosted By FOOD & WINE - Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented By FOOD & WINE
Mike Pont 2014 Getty Images

Sparkling water is having a moment. While La Croix has become something of a stand-in for the category, it’s not the only beverage brand to ride the fizzy wave. TalkingRain Beverage has seen sales for its no-calorie, flavored sparkling water line, Sparkling Ice, grow from $10 million in 2010 to $667 million in 2016.

“We consistently get feedback from customers on how Sparkling Ice helped them transition away from soda and diet soda habits to a better alternative without sacrificing the enjoyment,” says Marcus Smith, the company’s president.

Indeed, soda sales have consistently fallen over the last decade. “People are trying to eat and drink more naturally,” says Darren Seifer, a food and beverage analyst at NPD Group. He believes this shift originated in the mid-2000s, when the South Beach and Atkins diet rehabilitated whole foods high in fat and protein, while casting sugar, refined carbohydrates, and artificial ingredients as the real enemies.

Retail abhors a vacuum, and the sparkling water category has risen as soda sales have slumped. Since 2013, sales in the category at grocery and convenience stores have nearly doubled, growing from $961 million to $1.8 billion in the 52 weeks ending May 27, according to data from Nielsen.

The same “natural” trend that have driven the category’s rise, however, also poses a threat for Sparkling Ice. The company’s main line of sparkling water, which includes flavors such as Strawberry Watermelon, Cherry Limeade, Orange Mango, Coconut Pineapple, and Pink Grapefruit, contain the artificial sweetener sucralose, plus a host of multi-syllable ingredients. While Smith says most consumers are still most focused on taste, he concedes that for a growing number of consumers, artificial ingredients are a red flag.

Sauced in the City: A Mighty Quinn's BBQ Pairing Seminar Hosted By Hugh Mangum And Mark Oldman Celebrity Cruises Pairing Seminars Hosted By FOOD & WINE - Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented By FOOD & WINE
Photo by Mike Pont/Getty Images for NYCWFF)

The company is paying attention to peer-reviewed effects of artificial sweeteners. Last year, it debuted Sparking Essence, a line of sparkling waters with no artificial sweeteners, artificial colors or preservatives. While Smith wouldn’t get into specifics, he hinted that more products without artificial ingredients are coming.

In this vein, the company also just announced it has partnered with Tata Global Beverage. Using its network of more than 300 distributors, TalkingRain will begin selling Tata Global’s Himalayan Natural Mineral Water brand in the U.S. It’s a bit of a departure for TalkingRain, which has made a name for itself via carbonated, brightly packaged, fruit-flavored water.

But as more Americans insist they want truly “natural,” “pure,” and “clean” products — terms that don’t have a clear definition, leaving it up beverage companies to one-up each other with their own flowery descriptions– adding Himalayan Natural Mineral Water to the Sparking Ice portfolio makes sense. It might not sparkle, but it’s back story is full of “natural” details.

Or, as the press release puts it, the water “comes from a pure and pristine underground moving stream aquifer, which is about 400 feet below the surface in the foothills of the Himalayas. Every drop travels through layers of rock, sand and silt for over 20 years.”

About the Author
By Laura Entis
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

Forget quiet quitting—4 in 10 millennials are taking ‘quiet vacations’ and checking out of work (and the country) on company dime instead
SuccessMillennials
Forget quiet quitting—4 in 10 millennials are taking ‘quiet vacations’ and checking out of work (and the country) on company dime instead
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 25, 2026
16 hours ago
r
HealthHealth
The quiet $8 billion crisis: long COVID costs keep rising as Washington looks away
By Bruce Y. Lee, Hannah Dimmick and The ConversationMay 24, 2026
2 days ago
mental
Healthmental health
500,000 people were locked in state psychiatric hospitals. Their descendants can’t find out why
By Mike Stobbe, Nick Lichtenberg and The Associated PressMay 24, 2026
2 days ago
Someone leafs through titles stacked in a library
AIResearch
AI hallucinations are infiltrating expert work—and entering the permanent body of knowledge
By Tristan BoveMay 24, 2026
2 days ago
d
HealthHospitals
Meet the hospital dogs ‘making a real difference’ by getting sick kids to smile
By Laura Ungar and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
3 days ago
Ashley Yetman
Commentarydisruption
Everyone is blaming AI for the death of ‘craft.’ Take a good look in the mirror
By Ashley YetmanMay 23, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
20 hours ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
5 days ago
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
16 hours ago
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
Investing
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
By Eva RoytburgMay 25, 2026
15 hours ago
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
Real Estate
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 25, 2026
16 hours ago
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
Lifestyle
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
By Sasha RogelbergMay 24, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.