Beverages
Sip Responsibly with Pop Jones: Elevating Craft Soda to Healthier Heights
Jones Soda Co. introduces Pop Jones, a low-calorie, functional soda with natural ingredients, prebiotics, and zinc, featuring five unique flavors, launching next month.
Soda lovers, rejoice! If you’ve been searching for a flavorful refreshment that won’t sabotage your health goals, your quest ends here. Craft soda trailblazer, Jones Soda Co., is stepping into the functional beverage arena with the launch of Pop Jones, a line of all-natural, low-calorie sodas crafted to tantalize your taste buds without the guilt.
Meet Pop Jones: Flavor Without Compromise
Launching next month, Pop Jones is an exciting addition to the rapidly growing functional beverage market. Each 12 oz can contain just 30 calories—making it a standout in a category often dominated by high-sugar options. With five original, artisan-inspired flavors to choose from, you’ll find yourself savoring every sip of Cucumber Watermelon, Pineapple Ginger, Orange & Cream, Strawberry Passionfruit, and Mixed Berry & Kiwi.
But how do they taste so good and remain low-cal? Pop Jones is expertly sweetened with a clean blend of real fruit juice, pure cane sugar, and natural stevia leaf extract. This thoughtful formulation results in only 4 grams of total sugar, including just 2 grams of added sugar—which is half of what many other functional brands offer and a staggering one-twentieth of the sugar found in a standard soda.
A Health-Conscious Beverage Choice
Beyond delicious flavor, Pop Jones boasts functional ingredients designed to support a healthier lifestyle. Each can is infused with apple cider vinegar and agave inulin, both known for their prebiotic properties. The addition of 20% of your daily recommended intake of zinc further enhances immune support, making Pop Jones not just a treat but a smart beverage choice.
And the cherry on top? Pop Jones is shelf-stable, meaning no refrigeration is necessary to keep these remarkable flavors ready for your enjoyment.
A Vision for Modern Sodas
David Knight, CEO of Jones Soda, reflects on this innovation: “Functional beverages with cleaner ingredients and lower sugar content have created a new modern soda category that meets rising consumer demand for tastier and healthier food and beverage choices.” With nearly 30 years of experience in flavor innovation, Jones Soda is in an excellent position to redefine what soda can be.
Expanding the Flavor Frontier
Pop Jones joins an expanding portfolio of creative products from the beloved brand. Alongside their new functional line, you can also explore Jones Minis (7.5 oz cans of classic flavors), Jones+ (with a boost of caffeine), and even Spiked Jones that melds their industrial flavors with hard cider for a refreshing adult twist. New additions, like Jones Craft Cola and Jones Craft Zero Cola, further illustrate the brand’s commitment to variety and innovation in the beverage space.
With the recent growth of the Mary Jones cannabis brand in legal markets, Jones Soda is clearly leading the charge in expanding beyond traditional boundaries—appealing to diverse tastes and preferences.
A Rich History of Creativity
Founded in 1995 by Peter Van Stolk, Jones Soda quickly rose to prominence, earning a reputation for its unique flavors and unconventional branding. The journey has seen its share of challenges, but with consistent innovation and dedication to quality, the brand has transformed over the years, becoming a staple in craft soda.
From the bold choices of using cane sugar over high fructose corn syrup in 2006 to reimagining flavor profiles today, Jones Soda is all about providing consumers with exceptional beverages that they can enjoy responsibly.
Join the Guilt-Free Soda Revolution!
If you’re ready to refresh your beverage choices with a health-conscious spin, keep an eye out for Pop Jones at select retail locations and on JonesSoda.com next month. Here’s to a new era of soda—where you can indulge in bold flavors without compromising your health.
Join the celebration of taste and wellness with Pop Jones! Explore the delightful range of flavors crafted just for you and raise your can of better-for-you soda in cheers to health, happiness, and creativity. After all, why should quality and flavor ever be sacrificed for health? With Pop Jones, they go hand in hand!
https://www.jonessoda.com/products/myjones-custom-labeled-soda
SOURCE Jones Soda
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.
Cool Down This Summer with a Sweet Slushie
(Family Features) Each season throughout the year seems to
have its own “flavor,” and summer is no exception. Hamburgers and hot dogs off
the grill, refreshing watermelon at snack time and cool, delicious ice cream on
warm evenings.
While many people think of sweetpotatoes during the
holidays, you can make this sweet vegetable a key ingredient all year-round –
including summertime. As one of the most versatile veggies you can find,
they’re easy to add to a variety of recipes while enhancing flavor and boosting
nutrition content.
Sweetpotatoes can be your summer staple in both simple and
elevated recipes alike, as well as in both sweet and savory dishes. They can be
cooked or prepared in several ways: on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled or
slow cooked.
Or, for an easy way to cool down in the heat, try them in a
creamy drink like this Sweetpotato Summer Slushie. It may surprise you, but
sweetpotatoes are ideal for sipping – smoothies and cocktails are both
crowd-pleasers, especially during sweltering summer days. This refreshing treat
can be made with or without the boozy kick; just break out the blender and kick
back in the sunshine.
To discover more ways to cook and enjoy sweetpotatoes all
summer long, visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5xyuKDlklQ?si=JiKNgtk78Vc8NiMU&controls=0]
Recipe courtesy of the North
Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
- 1 cup cooked,
mashed North
Carolina Sweetpotatoes - 1 cup
pineapple juice - 1/2 cup orange
juice - 1/4 cup lemon
juice - 1/4 cup coconut
milk - 2-3 tablespoons
simple syrup or honey (adjust to taste) - 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract - 2 cups crushed
ice - 2 ounces
spiced rum, coconut rum or bourbon (optional) - pineapple
slices or orange wedges, for garnish (optional)
- In blender, blend sweetpotatoes, pineapple juice, orange
juice, lemon juice, coconut milk, simple syrup or honey, vanilla extract and
ice until smooth and slushy. - Pour into glasses and serve.
- For alcoholic version: Add spiced rum, coconut rum or
bourbon after blending. Pulse in blender or stir after blending for layered
effect. - Garnish with pineapple slices or orange wedges, if desired.
SOURCE:
News
How healthy is Sodastream?
The SodaStream Sparkling Water Maker is a device that forces carbon dioxide (CO2) gas (stored under pressure in a cylinder) into water, making it sparkling (fizzy)
Sodastream machines have been gaining popularity in recent years as an alternative to store-bought soft drinks. Not only are they more environmentally friendly, but they also offer several health benefits compared to traditional sodas.
Reduced Sugar Intake
One of the most significant health benefits of using a Sodastream machine is reducing sugar intake. Traditional sodas are loaded with sugar, and excessive sugar intake can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health problems such as Type 2 diabetes. With a Sodastream machine, you can control the amount of sugar you add to your drink, allowing you to enjoy a refreshing beverage without the harmful effects of excessive sugar consumption.
No Artificial Sweeteners
Many store-bought soft drinks contain artificial sweeteners, which can have negative health effects such as headaches and digestive problems. Sodastream machines, on the other hand, allow you to use natural sweeteners such as fruit extracts, honey or agave nectar, giving you a healthier and more natural alternative.
No Preservatives
Another advantage of using a Sodastream machine is that you can avoid preservatives commonly found in store-bought soft drinks. Preservatives such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate have been linked to health problems such as cancer and allergies. By making your own drinks, you can avoid these harmful additives and enjoy a healthier, preservative-free beverage.
Eco-Friendly
In addition to the health benefits, using a Sodastream machine is also environmentally friendly. Traditional soft drinks are packaged in plastic bottles or cans, which contribute to environmental pollution. With a Sodastream machine, you can reuse the same bottle multiple times, reducing waste and helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
Variety
Finally, Sodastream machines offer a wide variety of flavors and options, allowing you to customize your drink to your liking. You can mix and match different flavors or create your own unique blends, giving you a healthier and more enjoyable alternative to traditional sodas.
In conclusion, Sodastream machines offer several health benefits compared to traditional store-bought soft drinks. By reducing sugar intake, avoiding artificial sweeteners and preservatives, and being eco-friendly, they offer a healthier and more sustainable alternative to traditional soft drinks. Moreover, with a wide variety of flavors and options, you can customize your drink to your liking, making it a fun and enjoyable way to stay healthy.
Beverages
Caraway Tea Company Scales Up to Meet 2026’s Sleep & Stress Tea Boom
Caraway Tea Company expands Poughkeepsie production for private label sleep and stress herbal teas, including chamomile, valerian, and adaptogen blends.
If 2026 has a defining wellness habit, it might be the “evening ritual”—that intentional wind-down window when people trade late-night scrolling (or a nightcap) for something calmer, warmer, and repeatable. Caraway Tea Company is betting on that behavior in a big way. The Hudson Valley-based, women-owned tea manufacturer and private-label co-packer announced it has expanded production capacity specifically for sleep- and stress-support herbal blends, responding to what it calls one of the fastest-moving consumer wellness categories of the year.
The company, which is SQF Level 2-certified and USDA Organic, has relocated to a larger manufacturing facility in Poughkeepsie, New York. The new setup includes six pyramid tea bag lines, dedicated iced tea bag lines, pyramid envelope lines, and loose tea packing capabilities—giving brands flexibility to launch (or expand) sleep and stress SKUs across multiple retail formats without having to compromise on presentation or scale.
Why “wind-down” tea is having a moment
Caraway points to a broader shift: sleep support isn’t a niche add-on anymore—it’s becoming a primary product driver. Chamomile alone represents roughly 32% of the global herbal ingredient market, making it the most consumed wellness botanical worldwide. And consumer research published earlier this year places sleep-supporting herbal teas among the highest-growth wellness beverage segments, with both retail and DTC brands building full product lines around the wind-down occasion.
In other words: consumers aren’t just buying tea. They’re buying the routine.
“Sleep and stress are no longer a sub-category — they’re driving the conversation,” said Michael Caraway, COO of Caraway Tea Company. He noted that brand requests have evolved quickly—from simple chamomile blends to more complex, multi-ingredient evening formulas featuring botanicals like valerian, passionflower, lemon balm, and lavender, sometimes layered with adaptogens. Those formulas, he added, come with higher expectations: clinical-quality botanicals, traceability, and packaging that supports a ritual—not just a single serving.
The blends brands are building now
Caraway says its expanded facility is designed to support a range of sleep and stress formulations, including:
- Classic relaxation blends built on familiar botanicals like chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm—the traditional foundation of many bedtime teas.
- Deeper sleep formulas incorporating ingredients such as valerian root, passionflower, hops, and skullcap for consumers with more pronounced sleep concerns.
- Stress-and-cortisol-support blends featuring adaptogens like ashwagandha, holy basil (tulsi), and reishi—bridging daytime stress management with nighttime recovery.
- Caffeine-replacement evening rituals aimed at the growing audience swapping evening alcohol or screen time for a structured wind-down practice.
All blends are produced under SQF Level 2 and USDA Organic protocols, with packaging options spanning pyramid sachets, traditional and iced tea bags, pyramid envelopes, and loose-leaf formats for retail and foodservice.
The “rigor problem” in functional sleep teas
Alongside capacity growth, Caraway is also making a standards argument—especially for the sleep category, where consumer expectations are high and the line between marketing and outcomes can get blurry.
“A bedtime tea makes a promise,” said Gina Caraway, CEO and Co-Founder. “Consumers expect it to help them sleep. That promise is earned through sourcing, formulation, and batch testing. You can put ‘sleep’ on a box. You can’t put it in the cup unless the work is real.”
Caraway says it supports partners from concept to finished goods with in-house blending, small-batch flexibility, and full regulatory documentation—positioning itself as a manufacturing partner for both established brands and emerging wellness companies that want to compete in a crowded, fast-moving category.
What’s next
With the expanded Poughkeepsie facility now online, Caraway Tea Company is accepting inquiries for Q3 productionfor sleep and stress-support blends—an indicator that brands are already planning ahead for late-summer and fall wellness demand.
For brands watching the market, the takeaway is simple: the evening ritual is no longer a trend to test—it’s a product lane to build around. And as consumers get more discerning about what “works,” manufacturers that can deliver traceability, testing, and format flexibility may become the quiet force behind the next wave of functional tea growth.
Source and Related Links
- Press release pickup (Morningstar / PR Newswire syndication): Caraway Tea Company Expands Capacity for Sleep & Stress Wellness Teas
- Company overview page: Caraway Tea Company
- Main site (services / private label positioning): Caraway Tea Company – Private Label Tea Manufacturer
- Company press page (helpful for context + additional announcements): Caraway Tea Company Press
- Additional syndication pickup (Yahoo Finance): Caraway Tea Company Expands Capacity for Sleep & Stress Wellness Teas
- Brand social proof / updates (Facebook page): Caraway Tea Company on Facebook
Visit the Food and Drink section on STM Daily News for the latest food news, beverage trends, restaurant stories, seasonal recipes, culinary events, and community-driven lifestyle coverage.
