Coca-Cola Pulls the Plug on Two Unexpected Beverage Variants

Coca-Cola Pulls the Plug on Two Unexpected Beverage Variants

Coca-Cola Co. is discontinuing its Spiced and Spiced Zero Sugar drinks after negative feedback from consumers.

At a Glance

  • Coca-Cola Co. is discontinuing Coca-Cola Spiced and Coca-Cola Spiced Zero Sugar after just over seven months on the market.
  • Coca-Cola Spiced was the first new permanent addition to its North American portfolio in three years.
  • Consumers reported that the taste was more like raspberry, not the expected spiced flavor.
  • A new flavor is planned to replace Coca-Cola Spiced next year.
  • The rapid development timeline of seven weeks may have contributed to its lackluster reception.

Coca-Cola Spiced Short-Lived on Market

Coca-Cola Co. has officially announced the discontinuation of its Coca-Cola Spiced and Coca-Cola Spiced Zero Sugar drinks. Launched on February 19, 2024, in the U.S. and Canada, these beverages marked the first new permanent North American offerings from Coca-Cola in three years.

Many consumers were disappointed with the new drinks, stating that the taste was more reminiscent of raspberry rather than the anticipated more intense spiced version of regular Coca-Cola. This discrepancy between expectation and reality may have been exacerbated by the fact that the exact flavor profile was never clearly published.

Challenges in Consumer Reception

The quick development timeframe of just seven weeks, compared to the typically more extensive one-year process, may have led to the beverages’ shortcomings. As Coca-Cola faces increasing competition in the soda market and attempts to appeal to younger consumers looking for bold and healthy flavors, it’s a challenging environment to introduce new products.

“We’re always looking at what our customers like and adjusting our range of products,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “As part of this strategy, we’re planning to phase out Coca-Cola Spiced to introduce an exciting new flavor in 2025.”

The company has launched various strategies to engage younger consumers, including Coca-Cola Creations with limited-edition flavors and vibrant packaging. Yet, the launch of Coca-Cola Spiced demonstrates the difficulty of predicting consumer preferences accurately. Coca-Cola’s attempt to blend traditional Coke with raspberry notes may have been aimed at Gen-Z drinkers, but it evidently missed the mark.

Future Market Strategies

Despite this setback, Coca-Cola remains committed to innovative flavors. The company does not disclose sales figures for individual flavors, but recent reports indicate a 1% decline in Coca-Cola’s North American sales volume, where Spiced was sold. As part of their strategy to streamline and optimize their product offerings, Coca-Cola has been reducing its beverage portfolio, cutting 200 drinks over the past four years.

Sue Lynne Cha, the company’s vice president of marketing for North America, previously stated, “Consumers are looking for more bold flavors and more complex flavor profiles.”

Looking ahead, Coca-Cola continues to explore opportunities in the alcoholic beverages market with successful ventures such as Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and a partnership with Jack Daniels. Next year, they plan to introduce a premixed rum-and-Coke cocktail in Europe and Mexico through a partnership with Bacardi Limited.

Sources

1. Coca-Cola Spiced Canceled After Just 7 Months

2. Coca-Cola discontinues Spiced flavor after just 6 months

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