Coffee-flavored cola? Dark-hued Mountain Dew? Every year, dozens of sodas disappear
from store shelves for good — and these are just a few that we wish would make a comeback.
From time to time, the creators of Dr Pepper mix things up by adding a
few extra notes to the classic blend of 23 flavors. First introduced in 2006,
Dr Pepper Berries & Cream was released as a part of the permanent Dr Pepper line-up. It
featured blueberry and raspberry notes as the "berries'' and vanilla flavor as the "cream."
Despite the company's intentions, the bright purple cans didn't last very long on the
supermarket shelves. Dr Pepper Berries & Cream was discontinued in the U.S. after less than a year.
Though it wasn't popular during its first run, Dr Pepper Berries & Cream was re-released over a
decade later in 2022. However, those hoping to get a taste were disappointed when they tried to find
this re-released soda in grocery stores or their local gas stations. During the second release,
the flavor was only available to winners of a sweepstakes. Only members of the Dr
Pepper's Pepper Perks rewards program could enter, leaving some fans feeling left out.
"Hi, this is Britney Spears wishing you a happy Pepsi Blue Christmas."
At the height of the celebrity soda endorsement trend,
the brightly-hued and berry-flavored Pepsi Blue was released to great fanfare in August 2002.
In its first year, Pepsi Blue sold around 17 million cases. But its popularity dropped
significantly in the drink's second year of existence. The novelty may have worn off,
or consumers may have become more conscious of the fact that Pepsi Blue contained the
controversial Blue 1 food coloring. This dye, which gave Pepsi Blue its vibrant namesake color,
has been banned in countries like France and Norway because of a suspected link
to brain cancer– though that alarm would later be walked back. Whatever the cause,
Pepsi Blue disappeared from retailers' shelves with little fanfare in 2004.
Pepsi Blue did return for a limited time in May of 2021,
before disappearing once again later that year.
With most new foods and beverages undergoing product testing for months or even years
before release, it's surprising when a seemingly well-vetted soda still flounders. But Coca-Cola
BlāK, a coffee-flavored version of the largely beloved original, was almost universally hated.
Anderson Cooper even spat out the soda while trying it on "Live With Regis and Kelly."
"It kind of reminds me of....."
Coca-Cola BlāK hit shelves in 2006, featuring regular Coke infused with coffee flavor,
then sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup and zero-calorie artificial sweetener. The
syrupy drink carried a bitter aftertaste from the aspartame and coffee flavor.
The flavor was discontinued in 2008, and while it has never been re-released, Coke has taken another
crack at coffee-infused sodas in recent years. In 2019, a Coke spokesperson said that Coca-Cola
BlāK was a "trend before its time," and that the brand was ready to give the idea another try.
This next soda is one that many consumers might not even realize has been discontinued for more
than two decades. Mr. Pibb first hit the soda scene in the early 1970s, in response to the
growing popularity of Dr Pepper. Coke originally tried to name its drink "Peppo," but the company
changed course following a lawsuit filed by Dr Pepper, landing on the name "Mr. Pibb" instead.
In 2001, the drink was replaced by Pibb Xtra, taking the original cherry flavor and
adding cinnamon to the mix for a supposedly bolder taste. When the new flavor emerged,
the old was unceremoniously booted. So while Pibb sort of lives on as the
heavily modified Pibb Xtra, the truth is that Mr. Pibb has pretty much disappeared.
Over the years, Coca-Cola has released several unique flavors of its signature soda. Only a few,
like Cherry Coke, have stood the test of time. Coca-Cola with Lime wasn't so lucky.
Despite the popularity of a similar diet version that had previously made waves, Coke Lime didn't
catch on when it was introduced in 2005, and it wasn't long before the citrus-infused cola
was discontinued. Diet Coke with Lime held on for more than a decade, but also disappeared in 2018.
If you're one of the few that loved Coca-Cola Lime,
you're in luck. While you won't find the drink in bottles or cans, you can make your own Coke
Lime at any Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, which allow you to add flavors like lime,
cherry, and vanilla to any of their existing soda flavors. This flavor is
also still available in some international locations, including Japan and New Zealand.
If you love a sip of bubbly Sprite on a warm summer day,
then you may be interested in some flavored variations on the original. The Sprite Remix
line first emerged in 2003 with Sprite Remix Tropical, a fruity, tropical take
on Sprite. The drink proved to be popular, selling 55 million cases in the first year.
"Don't touch the needle, you might scrat-"
The Tropical flavor was replaced the following year by Sprite Remix Berryclear,
and again in 2005, with Sprite Remix Aruba Jam — a mix of coconut, orange,
strawberry, and pineapple flavors. Aruba Jam was met with mixed reviews,
and marked the end of the Sprite Remix line of flavors.
Vault is one discontinued beverage that left a definite hole in the market. Launched in
June 2005, Vault was marketed as a cross between an energy drink and a smooth, refreshing soda.
After its initial release, a slew of new Vault flavors came along,
including Red Blitz and grape. But by 2011, Coke decided to focus its
energy on its Mountain Dew competitor, Mello Yello, and let Vault fall by the wayside.
If you're missing this soda, you may be in luck. Rumor has it that Vault contained many of the
same ingredients as Surge, another short-lived Coca-Cola energy soda that was discontinued in
2003. That soda experienced a nostalgic resurgence in recent years, so if you're dedicated and lucky,
you may be able to experience something similar to Vault through a can of Surge.
Like its main competitor, Pepsi has released a variety of flavored versions of its classics.
Some, like Pepsi Wild Cherry, have become staples of the Pepsi lineup,
but Pepsi Vanilla sadly wasn't here to stay.
Pepsi Vanilla was originally released in 2003 — likely as a direct response to Vanilla Coke,
which had already hit shelves the previous year. The flavor managed
to stick around for a few years before it was discontinued in 2008.
Just over a decade later, the flavor re-emerged — but information about the release was scarce,
and it seems to have once again disappeared from stores. As PepsiCo hasn't officially announced
that it's been discontinued, fans of this hard-to-find soda may still hold on to some hope.
Mountain Dew's overwhelming success and cult-like following have spurred dozens
of spin-offs since its 1940s debut. Some, like Mountain Dew Code Red and Baja Blast,
have garnered cult followings and become permanent flavors. Other seasonal flavors
sometimes see an annual re-release, like the Halloween-themed Voo-Dew line. Yet more have
faded into Mountain Dew legend and lore, as was the case with Mountain Dew Pitch Black.
First released in 2004, Mountain Dew Pitch Black was a special release for Halloween. Despite
its name, the soda was dark purple, with grape flavor and a stunning 75 grams of sugar per can.
Mountain Dew Pitch Black was discontinued later that year — though it occasionally reemerged,
including for a limited-time release in 2019.
"It's not exactly Pepsi Twist, it's Diet Pepsi Twist. And I'm not exactly Halle Berry,"
"You're not?"
"I'm Barry Bostwick."
The early aughts were a popular time for citrus-flavored sodas. Pepsi joined the
game early, releasing the lemon-flavored Pepsi Twist in 2000. This wasn't Pepsi's
first crack at a lemon-flavored soda: in the 1970s, it had released a lemon-flavored
diet cola called Pepsi Light. The early version's lemon flavor was used to cover
up the bitter aftertaste of saccharin, an artificial sweetener. When the flavorless
aspartame became available, Pepsi dropped the lemon flavor and released Diet Pepsi.
Pepsi Twist saw some initial popularity. It was even released in several dozen other
countries — though in some, the lemon flavor was swapped for lime. While you might not be
able to buy this variety of Pepsi in a can anymore, this is one discontinued
flavor that you can create at home with a few lemon slices and a cold can of Pepsi.
Decades before Diet Coke became the healthier alternative for soda lovers around the world,
Tab reigned supreme. Introduced by the Coca-Cola Company in 1963, Tab was the
brand's very first diet soda. If you ever had the chance to try Tab, consider yourself lucky,
because the soda suffered low initial sales that might have ended other flavors,
and it was infamously unpopular amongst corporate leaders. Beginning in the 1960s, Tab
had to be reformulated several times as several artificial sweeteners were banned in the U.S.
But Coca-Cola persevered, and Tab went on to become the most popular diet soda
in the United States. Even after Diet Coke was introduced in 1982,
the beverage giant continued producing Tab. But by 2019, Tab accounted for just 0.1% of
sales of diet cola. So when the Coca-Cola Company decided to downsize its portfolio,
Tab's 57 years of production came to an end. Fans of the drink were given until December
2020 to get their fix before the bright red cans disappeared from store shelves.
Before Red Bull or Monster entered the picture, Jolt Cola paved the way. Arguably the first
energy drink, Jolt Cola was created before the term became popular. The canned drink was first
introduced in 1985, and was advertised as having double the caffeine of regular soda. The marketing
specifically targeted a younger audience that included students and young adults.
Jolt Cola quickly gained a reputation that was either good or bad, depending
on who you asked. Unlike other entries on this list, Jolt Cola enjoyed a long run,
before ultimately being discontinued when the company went bankrupt in
2009. A version of the drink was briefly reintroduced in 2017 at Dollar General
stores and through Amazon, but Jolt was once again taken off the market in 2019.
Even if you didn't live through the era of the Jolt Cola craze,
you may have still heard the name or seen its signature red can. It was guzzled by Dennis Nedry,
the villain of the first "Jurassic Park" film. It has also been parodied in several
animated TV shows, including a recurring bit on "The Simpsons."
"Buzz Cola, the taste you'll kill for."
"Available in the lobby!"
The same year that Jolt Cola disrupted the soda industry, Coke attempted to do the same. In a
bid to stay competitive in the world of soft drinks, the company decided to produce New Coke.
Released on April 23rd, 1985, New Coke was described by then Coca-Cola Company chairman
and CEO Roberto Goizueta as a smoother, rounder, bolder and more harmonious take
on the classic Coca-Cola taste. But the company didn't release New Coke as a line of drinks that
would hit shelves alongside the original flavor — instead, it simply made the new
formula the standard Coke, marking the first change to its signature formula in 99 years.
New Coke was a massive dud, lasting just 79 days and going down as one of
the biggest blunders in marketing history. While the flavor may not have been a hit,
we'd still like to take a sip for history's sake.