'Sneaky Pete' Surprises With Oat-Based Healthy Drink

There are many sneaky things about Sneaky Pete's Oatstanding beverages.

For starters, CEO and founder of the Butler-based company Pete Stilianessis said that the taste of the drink is unlike other healthy drinks. One 12-ounce bottle has only 40 calories, 5 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber. Also, the drink is unique in its oat-based composition.

But that is not where the company got its name. As a child, Stilianessis, a Passaic County resident, watched his grandfather, Howard "Skippy" Dinger, mix oats into his iced tea. Stilianessis said he would always watch with curiosity. Sometimes, his grandfather would catch him and say, "Stop being sneaky, sneaky Pete."

This year, Stilianessis and his partner, Jerry Bello, a former resident and owner of the Lincoln Road building that houses the headquarters of the company, decided to bring Stilianessis' grandfather's secret recipes to the rest of the world. The company quests to give America a tasty drink that people should not feel guilty for drinking.

"This can be the beverage of tomorrow's children," Stilianessis said.

The company launched the drink at an expo in Anaheim, Calif., in March with five core flavors: Peach Perfection, Apples Away, Raspberry Beret, Grape Escape and Mango Mystique. Now, the drink is sold in major grocery chains, including Shop Rite and Foodtown in New Jersey, in nearly every state in in the country. Sneaky Pete's Oatstanding beverages are also sold in Canada and China.

The drink sells for $1.99 per bottle and is sold individually or in 12-pack cases. In total, over 1.8 million bottles have been sold, Stilianessis said.

Stilianessis has one theory for the company's success: that the Butler building where the company is run is lucky. Bello could not argue otherwise.

Bello said he has started and sold two other successful businesses out of the building before Sneaky Pete's. Those businesses are Mama Says, a biscotti cookie company that was sold to Nonni's, and Sensible Portions vegetable and fruit straws.

But more than luck, both Bello and Stilianessis believe Sneaky Pete's has been and will continue to be successful because they have faith in their product.

"The product is very innovative, there's nothing like it," Bello said. "It's a bowl of oatmeal in a bottle."

Stilianessis said he thinks parents will be particularly fond of the drink because it is not harmful to their kids.

"I'm giving them something they can trust," he said.

While Stilianessis said he has not had a chance to catch his breath the past six months, he hopes to have the product endorsed by celebrities who promote healthy living, such as Dr. Oz or Oprah.

"My main goal is to change the faceplate of America, of what they're drinking, what they're putting in their bodies," he said.

Stilianessis, a veteran, said he views his company as a way to continue to serve his country by helping others achieve better health. He said he is particularly concerned about the continuing obesity epidemic in America.

"America needs something that's really good for them," he said.

As for the future, Stilianessis said Sneaky Pete's has 20 new flavors ready to be released and the company's flavorist is hard at work developing more.