L.I. man challenges tea drink giants, follows family tradition into food industry

Article By Elizabeth Lazarowitz
Daily News Business Writer

Doni Freundlich takes on Snapple,
AriZona and Lipton with new drink.

Photo by Lee Weissman

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By Danielle Sonnenberg
TheStreet.com Staff Reporter

The Passion Itself
While some are attracted primarily by the thrill of starting a business, there are others driven to start businesses by their unique, individual tastes. Doni Freundlich, for instance, founded ABF Beverage, producer of Herbal Mist Tea, a new line of all-natural iced teas infused with healthful herbs, in August 2006. Freundlich had worked in his family's food business for years, and had always been passionate about tea. However, he was not pleased with what was on the beverage market at that time. "I am an avid iced-tea drinker and have been drinking Snapple and Arizona for many years. [But] I was never satisfied with those products; their use of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener was never to my liking, for health reasons," Freundlich explains.
Being passionate about the product can be crucial to certain types of small businesses.
"You need the passion to be your own boss, to make your own decisions and handle the pressure of the day-to-day duties," says Winkler.
Still, sometimes passion for a particular product or service can force this type of entrepreneur to
spend too much time in the quest for perfection. "My passion for tea got in the way as far as
timeliness is concerned. I refused to settle for something that didn't meet the taste profile that I
was looking for. Where formulation should have taken three to four months it took us nearly
seven months to perfect," says Freundlich. No matter what an entrepreneur's motive for starting a business, it will require the best use of one's native skills -- and a lot of hard work.

TheStreet.com

Adrienne Rayski, Assistant Editor

It must unofficially be healthy drink week over at the EverydayHealth.com pod, because
a flood of them have come in for review. It’s clear that people are demanding more
healthy drink options that also taste great, and my first sip of herbal mist teas seemed to
match these desires quite well. Herbal Mist teas can claim to be different than other iced
teas on the market because they contain yerba maté (pronounced "yerba mahtay") —
dried, ground plant leaves derived from South America. Yerba maté contains stimulating
elements that are slightly less dramatic than coffee, and easier on the stomach.
Sweetened with cane sugar, these great-tasting teas contain 70 calories per serving. An 8
oz. bottle yields two servings, so if you’re calorie-counting, you may want to stick to
coffee. I myself am not a coffee drinker because it makes me too jittery. Herbal mist tea
was just right for me in that department, offering a little spike in energy, minus the
shakes.

Published: 9/4/2007 by EverydayHealth

CEDARHURST, NEW YORK - There’s a revolution taking place, and it’s changing the face of
cold-beverage shelves across the nation. People are searching for a drink that’s more sophisticated than traditional sodas. Many are looking for something refreshing to drink that provides health benefits. In years past, finding a healthy and delicious bottled drink was no easy feat. Today, however, new options are appearing that are definitely something to get excited about.

“The beverage industry hasn’t done a great job, up to now, of providing the more health-conscious consumer with a great bottled drink,” explains Doni Freundlich, president of ABF Beverage, located in Cedarhurst, New York. “People are becoming more aware of their health, and we’ve created a drink that matches their lifestyle. Herbal Mist is unique in that it has a mainstream premium taste.”

ABF Beverage is the creator of Herbal Mist (http://drinkherbal.com), a popular new line of all-natural premium sweetened iced teas that are infused with healthful herbs. Herbal Mist, which features six flavors, is sweetened with natural cane sugar, as opposed to the unhealthy high-fructose corn syrup so many drinks rely upon today. High-fructose corn syrup, according to the Mayo Clinic,
has been linked to such adverse health effects as diabetes and high cholesterol. Additionally,
some experts believe that it has a lot to do with the current obesity epidemic.

Herbal Mist beverages are also infused with Yerba mate, a popular South American herb. According to the Yerba Mate Association of the Americas, it provides many health benefits,
such as antioxidants, that aid in mental clarity, enhanced immune system functions,
weight control and proper digestion.

“People want a great tasting healthy drink,” adds Freundlich. “From all the feedback we have been getting, it’s clear that we’ve succeeded in providing that.”

Aesthetic Trends & Technologies
August 21, 2007