Coca-Cola is discontinuing its Spiced soda due to poor sales, focusing instead on its successful Creations platform and higher-growth beverages.
As Coca-Cola looks to maintain and grow consumer interest in soda, new flavor offerings have played a key role in that strategy. Spiced was also an attempt by the beverage manufacturer to respond to growing consumer interest, especially among younger individuals, for spicier foods and beverages. Despite its name, Coca-Cola said the beverage is not spicy but bold in flavor.
Coca-Cola didn’t give a reason for removing the product from shelves. Still, it’s possible that a lack of awareness of the new offering and confusion about the flavor (it’s not spicy) contributed to poor sales.
In ending production of Spiced, Coca-Cola likely decided its resources and shelf space would be better suited to another unannounced beverage.
A major part of Coca-Cola’s recent innovation efforts centers around its Creations platform, which debuted in 2022 to highlight the company’s signature beverage while drawing in younger consumers. Creations don’t promote or reveal a flavor profile, such as cola, cherry, or vanilla, but rather a mood or experience. The extensions have proven successful in drawing consumers into the original Coca-Cola brand.
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So far, the company has introduced 11 limited-time items, including Coca-Cola Starlight, Coca-Cola Byte, Coca-Cola Dreamworld and Coca-Cola Wozzaah.
Coca-Cola has discontinued several brands in recent years, either because of sluggish sales or to focus on higher-growth offerings. In 2021, the company said it would no longer produce Coca-Cola Energy, while last year it announced it would sharply cut the distribution of its Aha sparkling water as sales declined. Other brands to be discontinued or sold include Honest tea, Zico coconut water and Tab soda.
