On Black Friday PEPSI® dropped a limited online release of Pepsi® Prebiotic Cola – the boldest evolution in cola in more than two decades – before it hits store shelves early next year.
Available in Original Cola and Cherry Vanilla, Pepsi Prebiotic Cola delivers the iconic Pepsi taste people have loved for decades, with functional ingredients they’re looking for today. With no artificial sweeteners, just 30 calories, only 5 grams of sugar, and 3 g of prebiotic fiber, Pepsi Prebiotic Cola is designed for cola-lovers, cola newbies, and the cola curious – delivering delicious refreshment in every sip.
“At Pepsi, we are experts in great tasting cola – and have been for decades. The launch of Pepsi Prebiotic Cola marks a significant moment in our brand’s history and the cola category,” said Gustavo Reyna, VP of Marketing, Pepsi. “This breakthrough innovation upholds the iconic taste of Pepsi that people love, now with no artificial sweeteners, lower sugar and functional ingredients. It’s an inimitable taste – designed to meet the demands of cola lovers, cola newcomers, and everyone in between.”
Pepsi Prebiotic Cola is available in the US on Amazon®, Walmart.com® and TikTok® Shop, as well as in select markets on Kroger.com®, DashMart® and Gopuff® – while supplies last.
Sprite continues its string of successful limited-time-only (LTO) innovations this summer with the launch of Sprite + Tea.
The category-crossing offering blends the crisp, lemon-lime refreshment of Sprite with the classically refreshing flavour of tea. Regular and zero-sugar varieties of Sprite + Tea hit shelves across the United States and Canada and will remain in market through October.
Sprite + Tea is a uniquely strategic, insights-driven innovation inspired by the viral trend of consumers steeping tea bags in Sprite.
“We’re always listening to our consumers, but this particular phenomenon motivated us to explore how we could offer our own refreshing take on tea,” said Kate Schaufelberger, Brand Director, Sprite North America. “Sprite fans love variety, not just in flavour but in the ways we bring refreshment to life through unique multisensorial experiences that stay true to the essence of the brand.”
Coca-Cola North America’s R&D team completed several rounds of consumer testing to fine-tune the formula for the amber-coloured sparkling beverage, striking a smooth and refreshing balance of the complementary flavours.
“The Sprite + Tea concept started out as an intern research project, which is really fun and interesting,” adds A.P. Chaney, Senior Creative Director, Sparkling Flavours North America. “When it blew up on TikTok with millions of views, it was a gut check that we were on the right track. Because you never go wrong when you listen to consumers and tap into what they’re doing by becoming part of their everyday.”
Chaney compared the Sprite + Tea origin story to another hybrid offering, Sprite Lymonade, which was driven by fans mixing their beloved brand with lemonade.
Packaging for the LTO fuses the Sprite logo and signature green with gold and amber accents, dynamic splash graphics and a youthful font atypical of ready-to-drink tea brands.
Sprite + Tea hits the market on the heels of last summer’s hit LTO, Sprite Chill, which became the No. 1 selling sparkling soft drink innovation at Coca Cola in 2024, earning a sustaining spot in the Sprite portfolio lineup.
Flavour innovations are a growth driver for Sprite, which is now the No. 3 sparkling soft drink brand in North America. LTOs present a fun creative challenge for the Sprite team due to limited time in market and the need to communicate multiple messages.
Wynk™, a award-winning cannabis seltzer brand, announced the launch of Mandarin Pomelo, a limited-time summer release crafted to pair perfectly with real-life get-togethers — from backyard BBQs to poolside hangs.
“We’ve seen growing demand for fresh, seasonal flavours that offer something different from our core lineup,” said Angus Rittenburg, CEO of Wynk. “It’s an exciting time of momentum for the brand, and Mandarin Pomelo, with its citrus-forward profile, sets the tone for what we expect to be a standout summer.”
Mandarin Pomelo brings a vibrant splash of citrus to Wynk’s lineup, blending juicy mandarin with the tart, aromatic notes of pomelo for a crisp, sunny flavour that tastes like summer in a can. Wynk seltzers feature a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD for a light, balanced buzz perfect for afternoons that turn into evenings. It’s a refreshing option for the warmer days ahead, ideal for summer social hangs.
Mandarin Pomelo is alcohol-free, zero-calorie, and zero-sugar — crafted for sipping and socialising without the hangover. Each 12 oz can contains 5 mg THC and 5 mg CBD, offering a smooth, sessionable buzz with a quick onset and mellow finish.
The release of Mandarin Pomelo also reflects Wynk’s continued growth, creating new retail footprint opportunities alongside product innovation. With strong in-store placement and expanding consumer demand, the brand is positioned to increase visibility and drive trial throughout the summer season.
Mandarin Pomelo is available in the US now, but only for a limited time. Order online at drinkwynk.com or find it near you at drinkwynk.com/pages/find-in-store.
J2O is bringing a taste of summer with the latest addition to its mocktails range – Tropical Punch, a taste of pineapple with a hint of coconut. The new flavour is available from 4 May in a 250 ml can format across the grocery channel.
This launch builds on the success of the existing mocktails range, which was originally introduced in 2023 and this mocktail new product development has been incremental to the J2O brand1. The range includes Strawberry & Orange Blossom Mojito, Blackberry & Blueberry Martini and White Peach & Mango Daiquiri. J2O has been a popular choice among consumers seeking soft drink alternatives2 – with 48 % of people now looking to moderate their alcohol intake, compared to 36 % in 20183. J2O offers a delicious non-alcoholic alternative.
Tropical Piña Colada ranks among the top ten most popular cocktails4, meaning that J2O Tropical Punch will help venues offer customers a great tasting experience – the canned format ensures bartenders are able to produce consistent serves every time, without compromising on taste or quality.
Ben Parker, VP Sales Off-Trade, Carlsberg Britvic, said: “The launch of our new J2O Tropical Punch mocktail provides retailers with an opportunity to offer another refreshing flavour, just in time for summer when people pick up more soft drinks while on-the-go. We also know that in-home socialising is high, and consumers go out much less to manage budgets5. J2O Tropical Punch will provide shoppers with another option to elevate their experience at home – whether that’s a summer barbecue or a big night in.”
J2O Tropical Punch ready-to-drink mocktail is available exclusively from 4 May in Sainsbury’s and other retailers later in the year, for a limited time only. A 250 ml can has a recommended price of £1.29.
1NielsenIQ RMS| Total Coverage J2O | 52w w/e 28/09/24 | Sales Value
2Kantar | Worldpanel Division | In-home & Carried out Usage Panel | LDA Sample | 52 w/e 29-Dec-24 vs. 5YA
3Kantar | Worldpanel Division | Alcovision | Data to 30-Sep-24
4SUMMER 2024 FLAVOR TRENDS: TROPICAL AND ‘SWICY’, Advantage solutions, 15,04,2024
5Kantar Worldpanel Usage panel, total food and drink 52w/e 26 Nov 2023
The UK’s number one adult soft drinks brand1, J2O, is helping retailers attract more shoppers this summer with its latest limited-edition launch – J2O Dragonberry. A perfect mix of blackberry and dragon fruit flavour, Dragonberry joins the J2O lineup from now until September 2025 across the grocery channel.
The bold new flavour and striking packaging helps retailers take advantage of the popularity of limited editions, with 90 % of Gen Z and Millennials stating that they purchase products with seasonal flavours2. Additionally, the launch comes as dragon fruit continues to be a trending ingredient3. J2O is strongly positioned to support retailers in tapping into this flavour trend within their soft drinks offering, having grown by £ 2m (+ 4.1 %) RSV across 20244.
Ben Parker, VP Sales – Off Trade at Carlsberg Britvic, comments: “We understand that summer is a crucial sales period for retailers, so we are on a mission to help them inject some fun into their adult soft drinks offering. J2O Dragonberry does just that, with its trending flavour profile and bold packaging perfectly catered to the season. Through this, the new launch is the perfect option for all social occasions – particularly with J2O already being well known by over 87 % of shoppers5. As a result, J2O Dragonberry is set to support retailers in appealing to a wide range of shoppers this summer to maximise their adult soft drink sales.”
J2O Dragonberry is available in Morrisons, Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and Home Bargains from now until September 2025. The new product is available in multipacks of 4 (MRSP: £ 6.25) and 10 (RRP: £ 13.55).
1NielsenIQ Retail Measurement, Total Coverage GB including discounters, Total Soft Drinks value share, Carlsberg Britvic Defined, 52w w/e 25.01.25
2https://mrktblog.com/2024/04/15/summer-2024-flavor-trends-tropical-and-swicy/
3https://mrktblog.com/2024/04/15/summer-2024-flavor-trends-tropical-and-swicy/
4NielsenIQ Retail Measurement, GB Total coverage including discounters, total adult soft drinks, Carlsberg Britvic defined, Value sales 28/12/24 vs YA
5Kantar Brand Power study, Soft drinks Update, May 2024
Demonstrating the brand’s willingness to experiment and be at the forefront of the functional beverage sector, Moju said the latest launch speaks to emerging natural electrolyte trends by harnessing the power of pickles. A movement which, the company said, is set to “dominate” the global health and wellbeing sector over the coming year. This salty beverage is already making waves in the nutritional category in the US, gaining significant traction among athletes thanks to its functional benefits, according to the company.
The limited edition, cold-pressed shot is packed full of electrolytes, known for aiding muscle recovery, during and post-workout. Brewed using fresh pickles from UK’s ‘The Pickle House’ company, the shot has a unique, fruity yet salty favour. With 263 mg of natural electrolytes per shot, it feeds your body exactly what it’s craving during your workout.
Fitness fanatics have noticed the power of pickle juice really taking effect, especially when it comes to training longevity and recovery, making the juice the latest training drink of choice.
This is backed up by studies that have proven pickle juice works better than water for reducing muscle cramps. Moju has been a leader in the gut health sphere, making pickle juice an obvious choice for its latest limited edition. Moju has harnessed the pickle fever to create a product that is achieving cult status, supporting Moju’s position as one of the market leaders in the functional drinks sector.
For a limited time only, the Moju Monster Shot is available to purchase from 31st October online at https://mojudrinks.com/ – £19.75 for 12 x 60ml
In 2021, orange prices were high in São Paulo State (SP) and in the Triângulo Mineiro. In general, the industry in SP kept the demand high for fruits, and the low production limited the supply throughout the year. Although the remuneration (in BRL per box) had been higher, the profitability for many citrus growers was restricted, given that the limited productivity increased the cost of production per unit even more.
Fundecitrus (Citrus Defense Fund) indicated, in its estimate released in December/21, that the production in the citrus belt may reduce 1.7 % compared to 2020/21, totaling 264.14 million 40.8-boxes. Even with the positive biennial cycle in the 2021/22 season and the higher fruit load, oranges have presented a smaller size, which explains the lower production.
From May to August 2021, rainfall accounted for only 30 % of the regular volume for the period, according to data from Somar Meteorologia/Climatempo. Fundecitrus says that this scenario affected even irrigated orange groves (which correspond to 30 % of the citrus belt), due to the limited water supply in tanks. In some areas, frosts in July worsened the situation. Besides the small-sized oranges, the premature fruit drop was one of the worst in history.
Due to the low supply of fruits, orange juice processors boosted prices compared to the 2020/21 season. In the partial of the crop (from July to December/21), the average price in the spot market was 27.50 BRL/40.8-kilo box, harvested and delivered at the industry, for a nominal increase of 22.5 % in relation to the same period last year.
EXPORTS – As expected, orange juice (volume equivalent to concentrate juice) shipments finished the 2020/21 season with a 7 % decrease in relation to the previous (2019/20). From July/20 to June/21, shipments to all destinations totaled 1.03 million tons, according to data from Secex. The revenue, in turn, amounted 1.54 billion USD, 15 % down compared to the season before.
IN NATURA MARKET – Orange prices hit nominal records in most part of 2021. Increases are attributed to the limited supply in the 2021/22 crop, because of the low volume of rainfall and high temperatures in the second semester of 2020 and the low humidity in 2021. From the second semester of 2021 onwards, the low quality of fruits (due to a long period of dry weather and frosts in July) reinforced the upward trend. In the partial of the crop (from July to December/21), the average price for pear oranges (in natura) is at BRL 39.52/40.8-kilo box, on tree, 20 % up from the average in the same period in 2020, in nominal terms.
TAHITI – The price trend was atypical in 2021. Values were low in the first semester and in some periods of the second part of the year, and peak prices were less intense. From January to December, the average price for tahiti lime was at BRL 25.19/27-kilo box, harvested, 31.3 % lower compared to that in 2020.
