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She's the ex-Snapple Lady after a falling out

BY CARRIE MASON-DRAFFEN | carrie.mason-draffen@newsday.com

6:02 PM EDT, May 19, 2008

She was the face that helped launch the Snapple brand nationwide. But now Wendy Kaufman is officially the ex-Snapple Lady.

After years of hawking the beverage on TV, through voice-overs and goodwill appearances, Kaufman and Cadbury Schweppes have parted ways because of a new contract offer she said she could refuse.

"I just couldn't accept the contract because it was so one-sided and worth nothing," the North Woodmere native said.

The contract would have paid her for appearances without a promise that any would materialize, she said.

"It was an appearance contract based on whenever they felt like calling, she said. "I know they weren't calling me."

The company offered a different take on the she-said, they-said breakup.

"The truth is, we offered her a fair contract for work performed instead of a guaranteed fee," said Greg Artkop, a spokesman for the Plano, Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group, which was formed after Cadbury spun off its beverage business earlier this month. "It was her decision not to stay with Snapple and we respect that. We wish her nothing but the best in whatever she does in the future."

Kaufman, 49, has been a spokeswoman for Snapple off and on since 1993. She had her longest run -- 1993 to 1995 -- when Snapple was based in Valley Stream and she worked in its marketing department. As the on-air face of the brand, Kaufman was known for her New York-accented greeting (Hi and hello from Snapple) and her wacky responses to fan letters.

Her fortunes as pitchwoman changed over the years as the company changed hands.

At the end of 1995, new owner Quaker Oats replaced her. After Quaker sold the brand to Triarc Cos. in 1997, that company brought her back, she said. The work mostly involved voice-overs and goodwill appearances, she said. Cadbury Schweppes bought Snapple in 2000.

This past March, over a lunch of baked chicken in a midtown restaurant, Kaufman said a Cadbury vice president of marketing presented her with the new contract, which she turned down.

"I just think that people need to treat people who are passionate about their company a little nicer," she said.

Still, the Manhattan resident isn't giving up on pitching for companies. She said she will do voice-overs for cellphone maker Motorola.