Overview
- Columbus Drinks confirmed Friday that it has stopped distributing Punica in Germany and that no new bottles will be delivered to supermarkets, leaving only existing retail rest‑stocks on shelves.
- The relaunch fell far short of targets with roughly 1 million liters sold in 2024 and about 350,000 bottles in 2025 versus an initial goal of 5–10 million bottles in year one and midterm aims up to 30–50 million liters.
- Industry reporting says the distributor‑brand partnership between Columbus and Tropicana was terminated at the turn of the year and production has been paused.
- Sources told trade press that bottler Refresco was instructed to destroy remaining raw materials and packaging because of shelf‑life concerns, and Tropicana has not committed to further investment after a 2025 cash lifeline of roughly $400 million.
- Punica’s exit illustrates wider pressures on the juice market: rising raw material and packaging costs, falling category demand and changing consumer tastes eroded the brand’s 1990s nostalgia advantage and could push retailers to reallocate shelf space.