Balancing the state budget in Illinois can be a precarious challenge, and the state's governor has come up with a refreshing idea for generating revenue. Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration is considering selling, to a yet-unchosen beverage company, the rights to Illinois' name, something no other state has ever done. The selling of an "official beverage" designation has become a popular way to raise money in some school districts and cities in the U.S.
Bravo! Foods International, a Florida-based company that manufactures, promotes and distributes vitamin-fortified flavored milks, has signed a licensing agreement with Masterfoods USA, the confectionery and snack food division of Mars, Incorporated, to produce, market and sell Milky Way®, Starburst® and 3 Musketeers® single-serve, fortified milk products under the Company's Slammers® brand.