Following its rival's move in release new flavors to expand its portfolio, US-based food and beverage company PepsiCo has announced that it will be launching a new coffee-infused cola in the United States.
The company announced that it will be releasing two new flavors, namely a vanilla-flavored coffee-infused cola and a regular coffee-infused cola. The new Pepsi flavors will officially be released in the United States in April next year for a limited time.
The inclusion of the new flavors into the company's portfolio will apparently be dependent on the feedback from customers. The two new drinks will reportedly contain nearly twice the amount of caffeine when compared to its regular carbonated sodas.
PepsiCo vice president of marketing, Todd Kaplan, mentioned in a a statement that the cola continues to be one of the company's more profitable categories. For this reason, the company has chosen to invigorate its core products with the addition of a new drink that keeps up with the evolving consumer taste and preference.
While the company's sales for its colas have remained flat, it has seen an uptick in sales for its "functional beverages." These types of drinks typically offer some type of nutritional benefit or a boost of energy. Pepsi has also seen an increase in popularity in ready-to-drink iced coffee, which is likely why it had decided to combine both products.
Consumers have also recently taken a liking to the mixed beverage category, choosing to buy products that combine two or three different types of drinks. Mark Anthony Brands' White Claw Hard Seltzer is a prime example of this as the seltzer and alcohol drink has become increasingly popular. This year, White Claw sales are expected to exceed $1.5 billion.
Pepsi's planned coffee cola drink isn't the first of its kind introduced by the company. In the early 90s, the company attempted to release a product called Pepsi Kona, which was essentially a coffee-infused cola drink. The company also previously released a a product called Pepsi Max Cino, which was only available for a limited time.
The two products, unfortunately, were not successful, leading to their eventual removal from the company's portfolio. However, Pepsi is apparently much more confident in its latest version. Kaplan mentioned that the company felt like it was the right time to release a new a version of its previous products as consumers have apparently now caught up with the trend.
According to Kaplan, consumers who tasted the company's new coffee cola version were pleasantly surprised with most giving positive feedback on how the flavors were blended.
