Honest Tea becomes first Coca-Cola brand on Keurig system

Coca-Cola Co.'s organic tea line Honest Tea will be the company's first brand available for Keurig Green Mountain Inc.'s hot brewing system in North America, the two companies announced Wednesday.

The announcement comes more than seven months after Coca-Cola purchased a 10 percent stake in Keurig Green Mountain, which it then raised to 16 percent in May.

Two flavors of Honest Tea — Just Green and Just Black iced teas — will be available in K-cups Thursday on Keurig's website. The new beverages will join Keurig's current Brew over Ice Collection, a line specially crafted to brew hot beverages over ice with the Keurig hot brewing system.

In February, the two companies signed a 10-year agreement to develop Coca-Cola's brands for use in Keurig's system for cold drinks, now in development. It's expected to make its debut in the company's fiscal 2015.

The machine is expected to let people make sodas, sports drinks and other beverages with the touch of a button. Like its coffee machines, the cold machine would use pods to make the drinks.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola has a variety of drinks such as Sprite, Fanta and its namesake.

Keurig Green Mountain, based in Waterbury, Vermont, changed its name from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. in March.