Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Coca-Cola is pulling its newest 'permanent' flavour from store shelves

Coca-Cola Spiced is being discontinued just six months after its debut. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Sonic Desert via CNN Newsource)
Coca-Cola Spiced is being discontinued just six months after its debut. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Sonic Desert via CNN Newsource)
Share
NEW YORK -

Coca-Cola is discontinuing the production of its new Spiced flavour just six months after the soda hit shelves, marking the end of a disappointing attempt to attract younger drinkers.

The company said in a statement that Coca-Cola is "always looking at what our customers like and adjusting" its flavours. "As part of this strategy, we're planning to phase out Coca-Cola Spiced to introduce an exciting new flavour in 2025," a spokesperson said.

The short lifespan of Spiced is surprising, because the company promoted it as a permanent flavour. Coca-Cola didn't provide a specific reason for axing Spiced, although lack of awareness of the new offering and confusion about the flavour (it wasn't actually spicy) probably contributed to lackluster sales.

Coca-Cola introduced Spiced in February with a splashy ad campaign. The beverage blended the traditional Coke flavour with raspberry notes.

Spiced was created to attract Gen-Z drinkers, who have a thirst for punchier flavours, and soda giants have ceded some of their flavour innovation to pluckier upstarts, like Olipop and Poppi.

For the past several years, Coca-Cola has been routinely updating its lineup with limited-time offerings, such as a new Oreo-flavour soda. It has also released some ambiguously flavoured limited-time Cokes, including "Dreamworld," "Starlight" and "Byte" flavoured Coca-Cola. It also partnered with DJ Marshmello on a flavour that did not taste like marshmallow.

Those beverages were part of its experimental Creations line, which was aimed at attracting young drinkers. Duane Sanford, editor of Beverage Digest, told CNN that Spiced "might have been lost in the shuffle" of those limited time offerings.

But Coca-Cola intended Spiced to become a permanent addition to its lineup because its research found that an "increase in consumer willingness to try a spiced beverage" and that 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 individual Coke flavours, and the drink wasn't mentioned in Coke's most recent earnings call. Coke's second-quarter net revenue rose 2.9 per cent, but volumes of the company's North American sales, where Spiced was sold, slumped 1 per cent.

Spiced isn't the only flavour to get cut: On social media, the company confirmed it was ending production of Cherry Vanilla, which launched in 2020, and Diet Coke with Splenda. It's part of a broader culling of its beverage portfolio that started four years ago and meant the end for 200 drinks, including Tab, AHA Sparkling Water and Odwalla

Drinkers are shifting their preferences away from sugary sodas and to sparkling waters and hydration beverages. In response, the company is growing its Topo Chico water line and expanding its BodyArmor brand.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal has ordered WestJet to refund a family in full for their diverted flight and compensate them for associated costs.

opinion

opinion Kamala Harris needs another breakthrough to win in November

The sprint to the White House comes to its climactic end less than 45 days from now, and Washington political analyst Eric Ham says despite Kamala Harris's rising popularity, she's still in need of another breakthrough if she's to win the presidency.

On Sept. 20, Justice R.E. Nation of the Alberta Court of King's Bench found Craig McMorran guilty of fraud, money laundering and stealing a cottage from its rightful owners.

Local Spotlight

Giant gourds took over a Manitoba community this weekend.

Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.

Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

Stay Connected