The Surprising Reason Behind AriZona Iced Tea’s Name

There may not be a more iconic iced tea than AriZona. Selling for only 99 cents with a distinctive can design, almost everyone I know has at least sampled the beverage.

To Arizonans, it's a sense of pride, having our state name slapped across one of the most popular drinks in America, but what inspired the company to take our likeness for their advertising?

AriZona's Inception

The story behind the tea starts in New York City in the early '90s, a long way away from the desert state we call home. Don Vultaggio, who co-founded the company, was inspired by Snapple, another popular iced tea and juice brand.

Realizing the effectiveness of Snapple's marketing campaign, Vultaggio aimed to make something just as iconic. Already having experience in the Malt Liquor industry, he decided to put his drink in 23-ounce cans to make them stand out from the competition. That wasn't all they'd do.

Get our free mobile app

Read More:

Arizona is Pushing Back Against DEI Cuts

Where Did AriZona Get its Name?

If the tea was developed in New York, where did it's southwestern name come from? Well, Vultaggio wanted something that sounded far away from New York. Initially, he toyed with naming the drink Santa Fe, as his home in Brooklyn was known as the "Santa Fe House". This was due to the Adobe architecture, and yellow, turquoise, and pink coloring.

He stated that the name didn't look quite right on the can, so they settled on Arizona, a state Vultaggio had never even visited. He says he associated the state with clean, healthy living, which helped make his decision final.

[CNN][@drinkarizona via Instagram]