Coca-Cola is discontinuing production of its new Spiced flavor barely six months after it hit the stores, capping a dismal attempt to attract younger drinkers.
Coca-Cola stated in a statement that it is “always looking at what our customers like and adjusting” its flavors. “As part of this strategy, we’re planning to phase out Coca-Cola Spiced to introduce an exciting new flavour in 2025,” according to a spokesman.
Coca-Cola Is Pulling Its Newest ‘Permanent’ Flavor From Store Shelves
Spiced’s brief existence is unexpected given that the firm touted it as a permanent flavor. Coca-Cola did not specify a particular explanation for discontinuing Spiced, although a lack of knowledge of the new offering and uncertainty about the flavour (it wasn’t spicy) most likely contributed to low sales.
Coca-Cola launched Spiced in February with a splashy advertising campaign. The beverage combined typical Coke flavor with raspberry undertones.
Spiced was designed to appeal to Gen-Z drinkers who like punchier flavours, while soda giants have outsourced some flavor innovation to upstarts such as Olipop and Poppi.
Coca-Cola has been changing its menu with limited-time items, such as a new Oreo beverage, regularly for several years. It has also created other ambiguously flavoured limited-time Cokes, such as “Dreamworld,” “Starlight,” and “Byte” Coca-Cola. It also collaborated with DJ Marshmello on a flavour that did not taste of marshmallow.
These beverages were part of the company’s experimental Creations brand, which was designed to appeal to younger drinkers. Beverage Digest editor Duane Sanford told CNN that Spiced “might have been lost in the shuffle” of those limited-time releases.
However, Coca-Cola intended Spiced to become a permanent addition to its lineup because its research found a “increase in consumer willingness to try a spiced beverage” and raspberry was selected more than 5 million times on its Freestyle drink machines in 2022, which the company “often uses for inspiration” for new flavours, according to Sue Lynne Cha, the company’s vice president of marketing for North America.
“Consumers are looking for more bold flavours and more complex flavour profiles,” Cha previously told CNN. “That’s a trend we started to see in food but also in beverage, and we thought that was a unique space for us to play in.”
Coca-Cola does not break out sales of specific Coke flavours, and the drink was not addressed on Coke’s most recent earnings call. Coke’s second-quarter net revenue increased 2.9%, but volumes in North American sales, where Spiced was marketed, fell 1%.
Coca-Cola Is Pulling Its Newest ‘Permanent’ Flavor From Store Shelves
Spiced isn’t the only flavour that got cut: On social media, the corporation announced the discontinuation of Cherry Vanilla, which debuted in 2020, and Diet Coke with Splenda. It’s part of a larger culling of its beverage portfolio that began four years ago and meant the demise of 200 products, including Tab, AHA Sparkling Water, and Odwalla.
Sugary sodas are losing popularity as people prefer sparkling waters and hydration drinks. In response, the corporation is extending its Topo Chico water line and the BodyArmor brand.
SOURCE | CNN
