The co-founder and chairman of AriZona Beverages has spoken about a possible price increase for a decades-old offering.
Since 1992, fans have been snapping up the brand’s 23-ounce iced tea cans at retailers across the country.
It came straight from Brooklyn, New York, after AriZona was founded by Don Vultaggio and John Ferolito, according to the company’s website.
AriZona Iced Tea was a direct competitor to Snapple and quickly gained popularity among the masses due to its taste and quantity at only 99 cents per can.
The price has remained unchanged for years, during the Great Recession and at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and Vultaggio says there are no plans to change that in the near future.
“I don’t know if it will never happen, but not in the foreseeable future,” the co-founder said in an interview with Today this week when asked about a price increase.
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“We will fight as hard as we can for consumers because consumers are my friends.”
With inflation, food prices and the general cost of living remaining higher than desired across the country, some expected AriZona Beverages to adjust to economic conditions.
Vultaggio denied this claim and expressed understanding for customers who are struggling to make ends meet.
Line in the sand
“We are successful. We are debt-free. We own everything,” he explained.
“Why do people who are struggling to pay their rent have to pay more for our drinks?”
The question still remains how the price of 99 cents has survived several economic ups and downs over decades.
Vultaggio said AriZona Beverages, which now has more than 100 beverages in its portfolio, has improved production speeds, used thinner material for its cans and better shipping methods.
AriZona Beverages’ website states that production and distribution take place at “multiple locations” in the United States and Canada.
Be that as it may, aside from exceptions in some stores that stock these drinks, fans don’t have to worry about price increases for their favorite AriZona beverages for now.
CHANGING TIDES
The same cannot be said for some of customers’ favorite restaurants and retailers.
Why do people who are struggling to pay their rent have to pay more for our drinks?
Don Vultaggio
Olive Garden recently announced that, unlike Arizona, it will be tracking inflation and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) this year and raising menu prices by a few dollars.
A Pennsylvania lawmaker recently sharply criticized retailers like Walmart and Target for allegedly raising their prices by $7,000, calling it “greedflation.”
Some Americans have also denounced online stores and threatened to boycott them permanently because of their high prices.
At membership-based retailers like Costco, they have even gone so far as to cancel their memberships.
An iconic burger shop also faced heavy criticism after confirming price increases earlier this year.
One Subway customer also said he “almost left the store” when he discovered the updated menu prices.
