Local governments nix bottled water, Coke names torch bearers

DISTRIBUTION
The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. bought Pepsi-Cola Batavia Bottling Corp., which serves the western end of New York state. • Who's Your Daddy, Inc. announced it has signed an exclusive master distribution agreement with Empire Beverage Group, LLC. to distribute its King of Energy drinks in the Northeast. • Purple Beverage Company signed a distribution deal with Crosset Company for placement in key outlets in the Midwest. • Texas-based Central Market added BYB Bands’ vitamin enhanced water, Respect , to their cooler case. • Lifeway Foods expanded the distribution network for its ProBugs probiotic kids drink to include 280 more stores for all three of its SKUs. • TeaZazz announced that it entered into an agreement with Allied Distributing Company for the Central California coastal regions of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. • Mountain Valley Spring Water signed distribution agreements with Crescent Crown in New Orleans, Hedinger in southern Indiana and Palmentere Bros in N Kansas City, Mo.

LAW AND POLICY
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said the city will save $58 million by not purchasing bottled water or cooler jugs. • The legislature of Suffolk County, New York (Long Island) approved a bill barring county offices from purchasing bottled water. • Red Bull reached an agreement with a Houston-based bar that was “passing off” generic energy drinks as Red Bull. The settlement bars the tavern from continuing the practice, and requires the bar to pay $150,000 for damages.

PEOPLE
Former Reed’s Inc., manager Rory Ahearn will join Big Red Inc., as the vice president and general manager for the Northeast region.

PROMOTIONS/APPEARANCES

CytoSport announced its national partnership with Elite Racing, Inc., to establish Cytomax as the official sports drink of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series and the Carlsbad 5000. • Hall of Fame Beverages hired DJ Jiji Sweet to produce a branded mix tape for the company. • Power Trip launched a newly-enhanced Web site. • Gatorade named California teen Jrue Holiday as the nation’s top high school basketball player. Coca-Cola announced their American torchbearers for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Click here to see the list of participants. • Hall of Fame Beverages, Inc. will be joining Scion of North Hollywood at its second annual car show at MB2 Raceway in Sylmar, California on March 29, 2008. • Purple Beverage Company announced the launch of “The Weekend Workout,” a weekly radio show geared to health-conscious consumers, hosted by Dr. Jose “Joey” Antonio, Ph.D. and Dr. Douglas S. Kalman, Ph.D., RD.