Coca-Cola Co. has decided to discontinue its recently launched flavor, Coca-Cola Spiced, after just over seven months on the market.
The Atlanta-based beverage giant announced the decision on Wednesday, revealing that both Coca-Cola Spiced and Coca-Cola Spiced Zero Sugar will be phased out.
Spiced had been originally touted as the first new permanent addition to its North American portfolio in three years. The exact flavor profile was never published, but consumers expected an amped up version of the spices already present in Coca-Cola.
A new flavor is in the running to replace them next year.
“We’re always looking at what our consumers like and adjusting our range of products,” the company stated in its announcement.
Coca-Cola Spiced hit store shelves in the U.S. and Canada on February 19, 2024.
National interest appeared to wane quickly, leading to speculation about the flavor’s viability.
Marketed as a more intense cola, many consumers reported that it lacked the expected “spice” and instead offered a taste reminiscent of raspberry, indicated by its pink-purple packaging.
“Consumers are looking for more bold flavors and more complex flavor profiles,” Sue Lynne Cha, the company’s vice president of marketing for North America previously told CNN around the time of the release.
“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.”
Moreover, the rapid development timeline could have played a role in its lackluster reception.
Coca-Cola’s North American marketing chief, Shakir Moin, revealed in February that Coca-Cola Spiced was developed in just seven weeks, significantly shorter than the typical one-year timeframe for new beverage creation.
“Consumers are moving faster. The market is moving forward faster. We’ve got to be faster than the speed of the market,” he noted.
The beverage’s limp performance highlights broader challenges the company faces in appealing to younger consumers.
Industry trends indicate a growing demand for unique and adventurous flavors, as well as healthier options.
In response, Coca-Cola has implemented various strategies to engage this demographic.
In 2022, Coca-Cola launched Coca-Cola Creations, a series of eight limited-edition flavors aimed at attracting younger drinkers with vibrant packaging and unusual combinations, including hints of coconut, strawberry, and watermelon.
Last month, Coca-Cola also introduced a limited-edition Oreo-flavored Coke.
Successful progression into the alcoholic beverage market has proven to be fruitful.
In 2021, Coca-Cola released its first U.S. alcoholic drink, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer.
A year later, it partnered with Jack Daniels as the official mixer of their premixed bourbon range, cashing in on a product that had previously been combined with unbranded coke for decades.
There looks to be a serious continuation of similar collaborations—earlier this the company announced a partnership with Bacardi Limited to introduce a premixed rum-and-Coke cocktail in Europe and Mexico next year.
“We are excited to bring together two iconic brands so that consumers may enjoy one of the world’s most popular cocktails – first invented generations ago with Bacardi rum and Coca-Cola – in a high-quality, convenient format,” said Mahesh Madhavan, CEO of Bacardi Limited.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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