UPDATE 2-Burger King switches to Nestle bottled water
(Adds Pepsi quote)
NEW YORK, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Fast-food chain Burger King Holdings Inc (BKC.N) said on Friday that its U.S. locations will switch their bottled water offering to Nestle's (NESN.VX) Pure Life from PepsiCo Inc's (PEP.N) Aquafina.
The hamburger chain was attracted to Pure Life's new "Eco-Shape" bottle, according to Keva Silversmith, a Burger King spokesman. Aside from being "environmentally friendly," its curved shape is more easily carried by Burger King's "on-the-go customers," Silversmith added.
A Nestle spokeswoman was not immediately available.
According to Nestle's Web site, the curved Eco-Shape bottle uses 30 percent less plastic than other bottles of the same size.
Aquafina water has been available at Burger King restaurants since January 2003, Burger King said.
But the chain's merchandising strategy and existing commitments prevented Pepsi from promoting the water brand to the extent it might have liked, such as with pictures on menu boards, Pepsi spokesman Dave DeCecco said.
The switch was first reported in trade publication Beverage Digest, which said bottled water at fast-food chains was not "a big volume proposition," though it does boost consumer brand awareness, according to multiple executives.
Burger King runs over 7,100 restaurants across the United States.
(Reporting by Martinne Geller; editing by Dave Zimmerman and Gunna Dickson)
((Reuters Messaging: martinne.geller.reuters.com@reuters.net;
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