Overview
- Columbus Drinks formally stopped distributing Punica in Germany on Friday and supermarkets will receive no new bottles beyond existing stock.
- The distributor said persistently low consumer demand and retailers’ purchase decisions led to the withdrawal, according to comments by Columbus chief Jörg Harder.
- The 2024 relaunch by Columbus Drinks and Tropicana aimed for multi‑million bottle sales but managed roughly 350,000 bottles in 2025, far below targets.
- Industry pressures cited in reporting include higher raw material and packaging costs, tougher competition in the beverage market, and reported financial strain at Tropicana Brands Group in 2025.
- Punica is a legacy brand founded in 1977 that was taken off the market in 2022, briefly relaunched in spring 2024, and now faces an uncertain future with Tropicana yet to announce whether it will sell, license, or discontinue the brand.