Capri Sun Releases a Glow-in-the-Dark Moon Punch

On March 14, residents of Earth will be treated to a celestial phenomenon: the Total Lunar Eclipse, in which our planet sits directly between the sun and the moon and causes the latter to be obscured by Earth’s shadow. Just as with last year’s solar eclipse, brands are at the ready with stellar promotions themed to the event, and Capri Sun is trying something entirely new with the release of Moon Punch, its first-ever drink pouch with glow-in-the-dark designs. 

Moon Punch is now available for a limited time at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kroger, and other major retailers nationwide, while supplies last. The juice is “cosmically cherry-flavored,” according to Capri Sun’s press release, and the pouches feature eight different designs, each corresponding to a different moon phase. (Even though the “new moon” phase means the moon is unilluminated on the side facing Earth, rest assured the New Moon Capri Sun pouch still contains glowing elements.)

Beyond its ability to teach kids about moon phases, one clever aspect of this promotion is its intention to get those kids outside with their drink pouches. Back in the ’90s, Capri Sun pouch designs featured all sorts of extreme outdoor scenarios — surfing, rollerblading, you name it — yet they’re now more likely to be consumed in living rooms and elementary school cafeterias.

Capri Sun’s press release cites the National Recreation and Park Association’s assertion that “children today spend less time outdoors than any previous generation.” Thus, for its Moon Pouch rollout, the brand is introducing an incentive to get outside: From March 13 to 14, anyone who opens Snapchat and captures a picture of the moon can “follow the lunar link for a chance to receive a free carton of Moon Punch and a flashlight to help light up the night sky.”

“We strive to create moments of fun and discovery, helping to unleash peak kid energy with every poke of the straw,” said Jessica Barker, senior brand manager of brand communications at Capri Sun.

Glowing snacks might be an emerging new trend. Earlier this month, Mondelez International revealed Sour Patch Kids Glow Ups, which fluoresce under blacklight thanks to the addition of flavorless turmeric extract. While millennials have long recognized that making light-up food is as easy as munching on Wint-O-Green mints in the dark to create sparks, enjoying a pouch of Capri Sun Moon Punch seems much kinder to the teeth.