Innocent Smoothies - Not So Innocent After All

As you know I love Innocent and what they stand for…

This is why I am most upset that Innocent Drink are launching a trial of its smoothies at 80 McDonalds restaurants in the north of England. For six months McDonalds will sell its strawberry, blackberry and raspberry veriosn, aiming to stock as a permanent range if it is a hit.

Whilst Innocent faces pressure from own brand smoothies, is still has a 60% share of the market and sells in excess of one million smoothies every week. I would have hoped this was enough to keep them from selling their soul to McDonalds.

I do know its a diffucult one and its great that kids will be able to eat ‘healthier’ in McDonald’s. But surely the point is they can go into a shop and buy Innocent, not a fast food outlet.  This news comes on the news that Innocent are staging a series of village fetes this summer to promote its pure fruit smoothies, in place of its annual Fruitstock music festival. The flagship fete will take place on August 4-5 in Regent’s Park, London, where traditional village fete activities will be on offer, including welly throwing and coconut shies. And pin the nose on Ronald McDonald - ok I made that up!

Previously, Fruitstock was previously Innocent’s main summer event, the free music festival had been running for four years, raising £32,000 for charity last year when it attracted 200,000 people. Ironically considering the latest tie up (watch out for news of the Bodyshop Burger King tie up) the village fetes will tour throughout the country, giving Innocent a nationwide presence and reinforcing its environmentally-friendly image.

I would be really interested to know what you all think?