Coca-Cola debuts first new permanent flavor in years

(NEXSTAR) – Coca-Cola Spiced officially debuts on store shelves Monday, becoming the first new Coca-Cola flavor to be added to the brand’s permanent roster in years.

The soft drink, which is said to contain “a unique alchemy of our iconic cola, raspberry and spiced flavors,” will be available in regular and Zero Sugar varieties, according to Coca-Cola.

In a statement shared with the Associated Press, Shakir Moin, the chief of marketing for Coca-Cola North America, said the drink was created in part to help attract “the next generation of consumers.”

“If you go to the aisles, you’ll see the amount of spiciness has gone up because consumers’ taste palettes have evolved,” Moin told the outlet. “We realized that could be an opportunity for us.”

Aside from revealing that Coca-Cola Spiced mixes Coke’s traditional flavors with notes of raspberry, the Coca-Cola Company has remained mostly mum on other specific “spiced flavors” involved with the new beverage. In his statement to the AP, Moin only hinted that the drink contains “dial[ed] up” flavors from Coke’s existing formula.

The AP noted, however, that the drink “doesn’t have a lot of heat,” for anyone expecting a spicy kick. A couple of early reviews on social media have also described the spice as subtle, with a few likening it to a holiday-themed soda. (During previous holiday seasons, The Coca-Cola Company has released flavors including Coca-Cola Cinnamon, or Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry.)

Coca-Cola Spiced is the first new permanent flavor to be added to the North American Coca-Cola portfolio in years, the AP reported. The roster currently includes only a handful of other flavors — Classic, Cherry, Vanilla, and Cherry Vanilla — the last of which debuted in 2020.

Coke still produces limited-edition flavors in addition to its permanent offerings, including those produced for its Coca-Cola Creations line. One of the most recent, called Happy Tears, which combined Coke’s formula with “a salty splash of minerals for taste and a sweet pinch of peach,” according to a news release. The beverage was available for a limited time starting Saturday, Feb. 17, through the TikTok Shop.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.