Pepsi Zero Sugar will soon taste different.
The sugar-free soda will have a new recipe that uses a “new sweetener system” that gives it a “more refreshing and bolder flavor profile” compared to the previous one, Pepsi announced on Friday.
Pepsi did not reveal what specifically changed in the formula, although the company did tell CNN that it reduced the amount of caffeine, which now mirrors the amount of regular Pepsi. However, the company said its customer survey of the new flavor said it tastes more refreshing with a “true cola flavor.”
The company “leveraged the best new beverage technology to update our Pepsi Zero Sugar product to offer fans the best-tasting beverage in the zero-sugar category,” said Todd Kaplan, director of marketing for Pepsi, in a statement.
The new recipe has started to hit store shelves, and the package design remains the same. Pepsi added a “new improved flavor” label to help shoppers identify the new formula.
Reddit users who discovered the new formula a few weeks ago said it tastes “much sweeter” and no longer has an “odd aftertaste” compared to its predecessor.
Pepsi is putting some marketing effort behind the launch, with new commercials running during the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl. It’s the first time in three years that Pepsi has aired a commercial during the Super Bowl, and the company dropped its sponsorship of the highly-watched halftime show last year.
The improved Pepsi Zero Sugar formula comes about a year after debuting an updated Coca-Cola Zero Sugar recipe. Coke didn’t reveal what specifically changed, but noted that the new version tastes “more refreshing and delicious” and its packaging has also received a revamp.
From a sales point of view, Pepsi Zero Sugar has struggled against main rival Coke Zero Sugar. According to Beverage Digest data provided to CNN, Pepsi’s version has captured less than 1% of total soft drink sales — while Coke has consistently increased its market share over the past five years to nearly 4%.
“Pepsi can no longer be satisfied with having a Zero Sugar Coke,” Duane Stanford, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, told CNN. “The Pepsi Zero Sugar reformulation is a line in the sand that says it’s time to compete seriously for share in today’s most important cola segment.”
He added that “reformulation is necessary to compete effectively” because customers like sweeter colas.
It is the second change in Pepsi’s portfolio this week. Pepsi dropped Sierra Mist and replaced it with a new lemon-lime soda called Starry in an effort to better compete with Coca-Cola-owned Sprite.
Source: CNN Brasil
A journalist with over 7 years of experience in the news industry, currently working at World Stock Market as an author for the Entertainment section and also contributing to the Economics or finance section on a part-time basis. Has a passion for Entertainment and fashion topics, and has put in a lot of research and effort to provide accurate information to readers.
