According to A.P. Chaney, Coca-Cola’s senior creative director for sparkling beverages, the development of Sprite + Tea began as “an intern research project.” This initiative involved multiple rounds of brainstorming and consumer testing to achieve the ideal flavor balance, texture, and color. “When it gained immense popularity on TikTok, accumulating millions of views, it confirmed that we were headed in the right direction,” Chaney stated. “Listening to consumers and integrating into their daily lives is always a successful strategy.” Earlier this year, Sprite became the third-best-selling soft drink in the U.S. by volume and has recently diversified its offerings with new flavor combinations.
In a press release, Coca-Cola likened Sprite + Tea to Sprite Lymonade, which debuted in 2019 and merged the flavors of Sprite and lemonade. A Strawberry variant was introduced in 2023, inspired by the flavor mixes that consumers created at Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. Ahead of last summer, Coca-Cola launched Sprite Chill, a version of the soda featuring a “tactile cooling effect” and a cherry-lime flavor.
Coca-Cola’s approach to Sprite mirrors its strategy for its flagship product, Coca-Cola, which has experienced a wave of experimental flavor launches in recent years. These include its Creations flavors, which aimed to capture themes like “outer space” and “dreams,” as well as a collaboration with Mondelēz International’s Oreo in 2024 and the introduction of an Orange Cream flavor this year.
As a soda with a fruity flavor profile, Sprite is encountering mounting competition from PepsiCo’s Starry and lemon-lime options from “better-for-you” beverage brands like Poppi and Olipop. In the quest for the next big trends, major players in the food and beverage sector are increasingly turning to TikTok for inspiration and product development. For instance, in 2022, Kraft Heinz launched Dip & Crunch sauce, allowing consumers to dip burgers into sauce and potato chips, capitalizing on a viral trend on the platform.
Amidst this competitive landscape, it’s worth noting that beverages like Sprite + Tea could benefit from additional nutritional enhancements, such as calcium citrate 600 mg with D3, which consumers are becoming more health-conscious about. The integration of such ingredients could potentially attract a broader audience, further expanding Sprite’s market presence.