CCEP’s latest flavour innovation bears fruit in the market
COCA-COLA Europacific Partners (CCEP) has added a zesty touch to its Coca-Cola range with the launch of two new lemon-flavoured colas.
Rolling out nationwide in March, Coca-Cola Original Taste Lemon and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Lemon combines the iconic cola flavour and the refreshing citrus fruit with consumers given the option of enjoying it with or without sugar.
Packs feature a yellow gradient to help improve standout on shelf for the new launch, which CCEP reckons will catch the eyes of plenty of consumers as they scan store aisles.
The two variants will be available in 330ml cans as well as 500ml rPET bottles for consumers to enjoy on-the-go as well as a larger two litre format for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Lemon and a 1.75 litre format for Coca-Cola Original Taste Lemon.
Price-marked variants will also be made available for the 330ml cans and 500ml rPET bottles across both the Zero Sugar Lemon and Original Lemon flavours.
CCEP said by combining the much-loved flavour of Coca-Cola and Lemon, the new launches will be set to meet growing consumer demand for innovation in the colas category, with flavoured colas growing ahead of the segment as a whole, according to the soft drinks giant.
This new launch is set to join the remainder of the flavoured cola portfolio from Coca-Cola which already includes Coca-Cola Original Taste Cherry, Zero-Sugar Cherry and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Vanilla.
The rollout is also set to be supported by a large-scale integrated marketing campaign, including sampling, out-of-home advertising, experiential, social media content and in-store activations as well.
Convenience retailers can request POS kits on CCEP’s trade website My.CCEP.com.
Rob Yeomans, vice-president of commercial development at CCEP, said: “Coca-Cola and lemon are a natural combination. Consumers that order Coca-Cola in a pub will be used to seeing it served with “ice and a slice”, which for many is the ideal refreshment on a hot summer day.
“Our new Lemon flavour will help us to bring that iconic pairing into retail, with a full-on zing flavour to deliver a taste that we know consumers will love – with and without sugar.
“Flavoured colas are growing ahead of the total cola segment as consumers look for new twists on their favourite drink, which we’ve seen through the popularity of our cherry variants and other limited-editions.
“The sub-segment presents a real opportunity for retailers, and we’ll be investing in our range of flavours throughout 2024 to help them make the most of it.”
