Earlier this year, the giant of all soft drink makers Coca-Cola introduced Coke BlaK in France. With cool black bottles and just 45 calories for an 8 oz serving, BlacK is a coke-coffee mix with a tempting low-dose of caffeine.
Marc Mathieu, vice president, Global Core Brands of the Coca-Cola Company explains:
“Coca-Cola BlaK is not just a flavor extension. It is a blend of unique Coke refreshment with the true essence of coffee and has a rich smooth texture and has a coffee-like froth when poured. We believe we have created a new category of soft drink � an adult product in a carbonated beverage � and a whole new drinking experience. This brand is ideal for any part of the day when people are looking for renewed energy or simply to take a break”
In Japan, the company already sells �Georgia�, a canned coffee product which is doing quite well. However, when Pepsi launched its cola-pepsi beverage, it was a certified flop.
Why? Because in increasingly health-conscious America, fizzy, sugary empty-caloried sodas are losing popularity. In fact, in 2005 US sales for soft drinks dipped drastically for the first time in 20 years.
Tea and �energy� drinks, on the other hand is gaining popularity, and companies like Snapple are doing better than ever.
And so, this week, Coca-Cola is trying out some new coffee and tea-based beverages in Canada, with the aim to hopefully hit the US market later on.
[tags]coca cola,coke,canada,snapple,tea,energy drinks[/tags]
Originally posted on September 26, 2006 @ 3:25 pm