The Balance Calories Initiative is a partnership between America’s leading beverage companies and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation working to reduce beverage calories in the American diet. To achieve this ambitious goal, The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and PepsiCo are undertaking broad, measurable actions in product innovation, marketing communications, distribution and education to drive consumer behavior changes and help improve America’s health.

A key aspect of the Initiative is the Balance Calories Community Initiative in which additional attention is being placed on certain communities where interest in and access to a larger variety of lower-calorie and smaller-portion beverages has lagged the national average. Work is well underway in communities within East Los Angeles, Little Rock and New York City. In these communities, our member companies are exploring ways to drive interest in these options with various display and promotion techniques in addition to a national calorie awareness program that places reminders to “Balance What You Eat, Drink and Do” at the point-of-sale.

And just yesterday, along with The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, we announced that communities within the Mississippi Delta and Montgomery, Ala., area will be the next to take part in the Balance Calories Community Initiative. This marks the first time that the Community Initiatives will take place in rural areas and will allow us to gain new insights into the marketing and distribution of smaller-portion and low- and no-calorie beverage options that will best meet the needs of these communities.

To read the full release, click here.