SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/23/09 -- Zola®, maker of the first bottled Açaí juice and one of the fastest growing brands of Açaí juice on the market, today announced at Expo East the introduction of Zola LIGHT Açaí, the world's first low-calorie Açaí juice. Naturally sweetened with Stevia, Zola LIGHT Açaí uses the highest quality Açaí pulp available to deliver just as many antioxidants, omegas and energy as its Original Açaí Juice, but with 50 percent less sugar and nearly 50 percent fewer calories.

Americans today are increasingly concerned about their health and diet, and are always looking for ways to cut back on their caloric intake; in fact, the consumption of low-sugar, sugar-free, or beverages sweetened with sugar substitutes is on the rise. According to leading consumer and retail information company The NPD Group, nearly seven out of ten adults say they want to cut down or avoid sugar completely, and about four out of ten adults say they check food labels regularly for sugar. With only 70 calories and 11 grams of sugar per serving, Zola LIGHT Açaí provides a healthy and delicious alternative for those trying to limit their calorie and sugar intake.

As the world's first light Açaí juice, Zola LIGHT Açaí provides the following benefits:

--  Antioxidants: Açaí has powerful antioxidant properties.  In fact,
    according to independent ORAC testing by Brunswik Labs, Açaí has 500% more
    antioxidants than blueberries.  With over 3,000 ORAC per bottle, each
    bottle of Zola LIGHT Açaí provides a full daily recommended dose of
    antioxidants.
--  Low Calorie: Made with Stevia, a natural sweetener extracted from
    herbs and shrubs of the sunflower family and containing up to 300 times the
    sweetness of sugar, Zola LIGHT Açaí provides a natural, lower calorie
    alternative to products made with sugar.
--  Low Sugar: Sugar consumption, which triggers the release of insulin
    and promotes the storage of fat, has skyrocketed in the U.S. in recent
    years.  It has become increasingly important for consumers to try and
    maintain a healthy blood-sugar balance. Zola LIGHT Açaí is a helpful way to
    control sugar intake as it contains half the sugar of other Açaí juices.
    

"We are thrilled to introduce Zola LIGHT Açaí to our existing line of juices, smoothies and Açaí Daily Wellness Shot as it provides a lower calorie option while still maintaining the optimum nutritional benefits our customers expect from our products," said Chris Cuvelier, President and Founder of Zola. "We continue to be committed to our goal of bringing the health benefits of Açaí and other Brazilian Superfruits to the U.S. consumer and believe that this new product will encourage a new variety of customers for Zola."

Zola LIGHT Açaí is made with the most premium Açaí available on the U.S. market today. This high quality pulp is fused with Stevia, a natural sweetener, to reduce the caloric impact while maintaining the same level of antioxidants, omegas and energy as Zola's Açaí Original Juice.

The Açaí berry is a very fragile fruit and can lose its nutritional value very quickly; in fact, within 72 hours after being picked, Açaí can lose up to 90% of its antioxidants. In order to guarantee freshness and maximum nutrient potency in all of its products, Zola uses only Açaí Especial, the highest grade of Açaí available, and controls the process from tree to bottle. Zola's special supply partnerships ensure that all of Zola's strict 12 Hour Harvest to Process Guarantee is followed to maximize nutrient retention.

While conceiving of developing a company to bring high-quality Açaí to the U.S., Cuvelier and his partners became impassioned by the opportunity to improve the lives of local Brazilians. Project Zola, a community program designed to empower people in the local communities where the fruit is sourced, is a cornerstone of the company's belief system. "Good For You and Good For the Planet" has become the company's mantra and the foundation for its products and corporate culture. The new tagline, "Drink Zola. Live Better(TM)," describes the blending of the Brazilian Superfruit nutrients and health benefits for the consumer.

The new Zola LIGHT Açaí juice joins Zola's successful line of Açaí Superfruit Juices, Functional Smoothies and Daily Wellness Shot. Zola produced the first bottled Açaí juices on the market in 2002, and has spawned competition trying to copy Zola's unique formula. Zola appeals to consumers' interest in health because the Açaí berry has more antioxidants than any other edible fruit on the planet, including 60% more antioxidants than pomegranates and 500% more than blueberries. Zola LIGHT Açaí juice retails for $2.99 for 12 ounces, and is available online through www.DrinkZola.com and will be available at select grocery and natural foods stores nationwide starting in December 2009.

For more information, visit booth #2326 at Expo East from September 23-26, 2009.

About Zola:

Founded in 2002 with the goal of creating products that are "Good for You and Good for the Planet," Zola (www.DrinkZola.com) offers a line of Açaí Superfruit Juices and functional Brazilian Superfruit Smoothies sourced from the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. Committed to social responsibility, Project Zola was created to empower & improve quality of life through creating shelter and a sustainable revenue stream for the indigenous people of the Amazon. Zola always sustainably harvests its Açaí berries, which puts the trees at their highest and best use and ultimately helps protect the trees of the Amazon. For an amazing visual tour of the Zola story, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae9zeqsg140

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