Coca-Cola’s latest iteration is certainly adding some spice.
The beverage behemoth announced on Wednesday that it would be rolling out Coca-Cola Spiced, a new beverage that includes raspberry notes and other spices and will come in regular and sugar-free versions.
The drink is expected to roll out in the U.S. and Canada on February 19 as a rare permanent addition to the company’s existing flavors. It’s the first permanent addition in three years and will be sold in both cans and bottles in multiple sizes.
Related: Coca-Cola Recalls Diet Coke, Fanta Orange and Sprite Cases
“Consumers are looking for more bold flavors and more complex flavor profiles,” said Sue Lynne Cha, Coca-Cola’s vice president of marketing for North America, per 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.”
Most recently, the company experimented with AI technology to envision what Coca-Cola might look and taste like in the future when it rolled out the limited-edition, Y3000 Coke, last September.
Coca-Cola had a strong Q3 2023, with global net revenue increasing 8% quarterly, noting that its North American market saw growth in sparkling drinks, juice, and dairy beverage categories.
“If you go to the aisles, you’ll see the amount of spiciness has gone up because consumers’ taste palettes have evolved. We realized that could be an opportunity for us,” Coca-Cola’s Chief of Marketing, Shakir Moin, told The Associated Press.
Related: Coca-Cola Used AI for New Y3000 Coke Flavor ‘From the Future’
Coca-Cola was relatively flat, up less than 0.50%, in a one-year period as of Wednesday afternoon.
