As the beverage industry matures, both soft drink powerhouses (Coca-Cola & Pepsi) will need to enter new markets.
For decades, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo fought over whose cola tasted better. This resulted in the renowned “Pepsi Challenge” marketing campaign, which began in 1975 and has been utilised on occasion since.
The concept was straightforward. People were allowed to try both Pepsi and Coke in a blind taste test, and according to the advertisements, Pepsi was the clear winner. In actuality, both brands have fans who prefer one over the other, and the “which is better?” debate is primarily for marketing purposes.
The rivalry between Coca Cola and Pepsi has extended to a variety of different soda categories. Both companies have changed their “zero sugar” formulations (saying “diet” is now frowned upon), and PepsiCo recently wiped off its lemon-lime Sierra Mist brand in favour of Starry, a fresh effort to unseat Coke’s Sprite.
In the recent years, the struggle has expanded beyond soda to include juice, water, energy drinks, iced teas, and other beverages. This is partly due to the fact that soda sales in the United States peaked in 1999.
That’s one explanation. In reality, it’s probable that customers just have more options and are choosing other beverages.
The Coca-Cola Brand Expands Into Mixers
Recently, both corporations have dabbled in alcoholic beverages. Coke and Pepsi have both chosen to collaborate with partners in this adjacent area.
PepsiCo released a new range of non-alcoholic beverages in June 2021, with the goal of capitalising on the expanding artisan cocktail sector by producing a line of mixers.
Unmuddled By Pepsi Includes:
- Lemon Mint is characterised as “cold, zesty, refreshing, and light,” with a herbal flavour that pairs well with tequila, gin, or whisky
- Fiery Pineapple has a strong kick that matches its namesake fruit and is recommended for blending with vodka, rum, tequila, or mezcal
- Spiced Mandarin is intended to blend ‘seamlessly’ with any liquor, however, tequila, gin, or whisky are suggested
PepsiCo produced Neon Zebra, another non-alcoholic mixer line, a few months before Unmuddled.
“They are designed to appeal to younger consumers spending more time at home who want to avoid complicated cocktail recipes or large-format mixers,” RetailDive reported.
Coca-Cola now has followed its long-standing rival into the artisan cocktail mixer market.
Coca-Cola’s Simply Launches a Mixer Line
Coke’s Simply brand is one of the company’s juice-related ventures. Its basic product range includes “all-natural” juices, lemonades, and almond milk. With a new offering dubbed Simply Mixology, the brand has expanded into cocktail mixers.
“The line of fruit-forward, all-natural flavoured juice beverages made with the same close-to-nature ingredients fans expect from the fast-growing portfolio of Simply Beverages are crafted to be enjoyed with or without alcohol. Three Simply Mixology varieties — Strawberry Guava Mojito, Lime Margarita, and Peach Sour –will be available starting Jan. 23 in 52-oz. bottles in the refrigerated juice sections of grocery stores across the United States,” Coca-Cola shared in a press release.
According to Coca-Cola, the new line appeals to various trends, including an increase in cocktail usage as well as a growing trend of individuals enjoying non-alcoholic mocktails.
“We know that Simply has been a favourite mixer for 20 years—you can make a mean screwdriver with Simply Orange Juice, a great Cape Codder with Simply Cranberry, and a killer margarita with Simply Limeade,” adds Alex Ames, Creative Director, Nutrition, Coca-Cola North America. “With Simply Mixology, we wanted to find a way to simplify and elevate the at-home drinking experience with great-tasting, natural solutions that are not only amazing mixers but also stand on their own as ready-to-drink mocktails,” Coca-Cola added.
