NEWS WATCH: NEW 7UP REMOVES CARBS, ADDS VITAMINS...WHOLE FOODS ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL WINE SALES 2004-08-30 (2)

NEW 7UP REMOVES CARBS, ADDS VITAMINS

od source" of calcium and vitamin C, 7UP here hopes its new 7UP Plus will appeal to health-conscious women. Can a splash of fruit juice, pink color and Splenda help the ailing brand? The Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages launch is soda makers' latest effort to buoy flat U.S. sales. Coca-Cola's and Pepsi's new lower-carb versions have disappointed, but 7UP is taking a different tact by targeting women and touting health benefits. 7UP Plus enters a crowded market, and has a brand name that's losing popularity, said Tom Pirko, president of Bevmark, a Santa Barbara, Calif.-based consulting firm. "This gets lost in the shuffle," he said. "There's so much stuff out there that's doing the same sort of thing."

WHOLE FOODS ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL WINE SALES

NEW YORK -- Whole Foods Market is scheduled to appear at a Sept. 17 hearing to address charges that its new Columbus Circle store broke state liquor laws. The New York State Liquor Authority alleged in a five-count complaint that Whole Foods' wine shop is located within the footprint of the Manhattan store, effectively functioning as one of the store departments. State law requires that wine and spirits be sold from an independent store with a street-level entrance, and prohibits liquor stores from selling groceries. The state also alleged that the Austin, Texas-based retailer misrepresented its plans for the wine shop in its application for a liquor license. Whole Foods, which pleaded innocent, could lose its license if found guilty.