MILAN – Coca-Cola hopes to bring new fans into the energy drink category next year with the U.S. launch of Coca-Cola Energy, an approachable and appealing option offering the kick people want with the Coke taste they love.
Coca-Cola Energy, Coca-Cola Energy Cherry – a flavor available exclusively in the U.S. – and their zero-calorie counterparts will be available nationwide in 12-oz. sleek cans starting in January 2020. All four varieties include 114 mg of caffeine per 12-oz. serving (roughly the equivalent of a 12-oz. cup of drip coffee), guarana extracts and B-vitamins.
Coca-Cola North America unveiled the first-ever energy drink under the Coke brand alongside several other beverage innovations last week at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) expo in Atlanta. Convenience retail is the primary channel for the immediate consumption (IC)-driven energy drink category, making the tradeshow a logical launching pad for the new beverage.
The rollout supports Coke’s ongoing efforts to deliver more beverage options that meet changing preferences, lifestyles and tastes. It’s also an example of the company’s commitment to move quickly, take intelligent risks to bring more drinks to the shelf, and “lift and shift” innovations around the world.
Coca-Cola Energy debuted earlier this year in Spain and Hungary, and is currently available in 25 countries including Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Holland, Norway, Sweden, France, Belgium, Romania, Hungary and Australia.
Coca-Cola Energy continues the Coke brand’s recent track record of innovation in the U.S. and is one of several new extensions in the pipeline. Coca-Cola Cinnamon will hit the market this fall as a limited-edition holiday flavor, and Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla and Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla Zero will launch next year. All follow the successful rollout of Coca-Cola Orange Vanilla and Coca-Cola Orange Vanilla Zero, the first new Coca-Cola flavor extensions in over a decade.
