Ah summer! The children are busy – between day camp, frolicking in the family pool, playing with friends in the backyard, trips to the local park, the little ones learning to ride a bike and much more! They come back to the house out of breath and thirsty, so it’s wise for parents to keep some thirst-quenching drinks on hand in the fridge. And in the summer of 1987 Lassonde had just the thing!

Nearly 25 years after launching its first fruit drinks, Lassonde made quite a splash with its Fruité line. What made it so special? First of all what was in it: at least 25 per cent pure juice – the highest proportion on the market in its category – with added thiamine and vitamin C. And there were six flavours to start: fruit punch, tropical, grape, lemonade, orange and Flamingo – a new exotic flavour. Then there was what wasn’t in it: thanks to aseptic bottling technology, it didn’t contain preservatives such as sodium benzoate used in most plastic bottles.

Not only were the contents innovative, but so was the container: a plastic bottle made from food grade PVC. This cutting-edge technology allowed Lassonde plants to produce ultra-light containers combining the clarity of glass, better shock resistance, and excellent ambient temperature stability. The cap, with its tamper- evident ring, was secure and airtight.

All mom or dad had to do was pour the fruit drinks into glasses in time for the kids coming home from all their various activities!

Next column: On the run…