Updated: 10/04/2025 20:14:45
AriZona Tea
AriZona (AriZona Beverages) is a major U.S. beverage company best known for its iced teas in distinctive, graphic cans and the long‑running 99‑cent tallboy price point. The brand sells a broad portfolio—iced teas, juice cocktails, Arnold Palmer blends, cold‑brew coffees/teas, energy drinks, mixes, snacks and branded merchandise—through national retail channels and its official DrinkAriZona storefront, which supports direct sales, subscriptions (Club ’Zona), limited drops and collaborations. AriZona’s low‑price identity, scale (≈2 billion cans/year) and vertically integrated operations underpin commercial decisions that are sensitive to input costs such as aluminum (≈100 million lb/year), exposing the company to policy risks like proposed tariffs on imported aluminum.
Aluminum use, recycling profile and tariff exposure
AriZona uses roughly 100 million pounds of aluminum annually; most supply is sourced from recycled U.S. material (~80%) with a meaningful imported portion (~20%, historically linked to Canada). Proposed policies (e.g., a 50% tariff on imported aluminum) would raise input costs and force tradeoffs between raising retail prices, absorbing margin losses, or changing sourcing and operations. [1]
Availability, retail presence and inventory features
AriZona products are widely distributed through conventional retail and the DrinkAriZona online store. The site exposes inventory status (in stock, sold out), supports back‑in‑stock notifications and enables subscription/recurring ordering for consumers seeking reliable delivery of core SKUs. [2]
Brand overview and identity
AriZona positions itself as a value‑oriented, design‑forward iced‑tea brand built around a signature price/format (the 99‑cent tallboy) and recognizable can artwork. The brand’s identity mixes everyday affordability with lifestyle merchandising and periodic collaborations that extend engagement beyond beverages. [3]
Commercial choices under cost pressure
Faced with higher aluminum costs, AriZona’s realistic options are to (a) increase retail prices (which would alter the 99‑cent promise), (b) accept margin compression, or (c) reconfigure sourcing/manufacturing. Each choice has brand, competitive and operational consequences given the company’s scale and low‑price positioning. [4]
Flagship products and major product families
Core product categories include classic iced teas (Green Tea, Lemon, Peach), juice cocktails (Mucho Mango, Watermelon), Arnold Palmer blends, cold‑brew tea and coffee, energy drinks and seasonal/special lines (e.g., Santa Fé). The portfolio also includes mixes, hydration stix, snacks and limited‑edition flavors or collabs. [5]
Marketing, collaborations and merchandise
Beyond beverages, AriZona emphasizes branded merch, limited drops (apparel, skate decks, grip tape), and collaborations to expand cultural relevance—particularly among younger consumers—while reinforcing the brand’s visual identity and lifestyle appeal. [6]
Official storefront, e‑commerce and Club ’Zona
The DrinkAriZona site functions as a direct‑to‑consumer storefront offering single SKUs, multipacks, subscriptions, Club ’Zona membership perks, pre‑order/back‑in‑stock notifications, limited merch drops and curated variety packs for shipping across the U.S. [7]
Packaging types and formats
AriZona sells multiple container formats—20 oz tall boys (the iconic ‘tallboy’), 22 oz big cans, slim cans, standard bottles, juice boxes and multi‑pack assortments (6/8/12/24 packs). Packaging choices support price differentiation, retail display and consumer sampling via variety packs. [8]
Scale, manufacturing and vertical integration
AriZona produces at scale—about 2 billion cans annually—with substantial in‑house manufacturing capabilities, on‑site rail access and low leverage. This vertical integration helps control costs and supports the company’s low‑price model but concentrates exposure to input‑price changes. [9]
The 99‑cent tallboy pricing strategy
Introduced in 1997, the 99‑cent tallboy is central to AriZona’s value positioning and brand recognition. Maintaining that price has been a deliberate commercial strategy that trades off margin for volume and market penetration. [10]
References:
Additional Sources:
11. AriZona product catalog — Drinks collection (official) [https://drinkarizona.com/collections/drinks]
12. DrinkAriZona (official site) [https://drinkarizona.com]
13. The New York Times — AriZona Iced Tea: 99‑Cent Tallboy and Tariff Risk [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/business/arizon-iced-tea-99-cents-tarriffs.html]