Biz: Four Loko makers Phusion Products decaffeinate potent drink
- All the bad press finally got to them. In a statement tonight, the drink makers, Phusion Projects, announced they’d be losing caffeine, guarana and taurine from the controversial “blackout-in-a-can” beverage. The company’s three co-founders explain it like so: “We are taking this step after trying – unsuccessfully – to navigate a difficult and politically-charged regulatory environment at both the state and federal levels.” They say they have readily worked with regulators to ensure that their product was legal. The steadfastly claim, however, “that the combination of alcohol and caffeine is safe. If it were unsafe, popular drinks like rum and colas or Irish coffees that have been consumed safely and responsibly for years would face the same scrutiny that our products have recently faced.” Either way, Four Loko is now One Loko – alcohol. source