Pepsi is releasing a new “green” soda. Pepsi True, a midcalorie soda in a bright green can, is partially sweetened with stevia, a plant-derived sugar substitute.
If you’re eager to give the new soft drink a try, don’t rush off to the store. Pepsi True will be sold exclusively through Amazon, at least for now.
“By introducing True through Amazon, Pepsi says it can better assess demand and gain insight into where people are buying it ahead of a wider launch,” Reuters said.
Selling True solely through Amazon is a cost-effective decision, according to CNET. Pepsi doesn’t have to pony up for a big advertising campaign or distribute the beverages to stores across the country. If the soda is well-accepted, Pepsi will likely expand its release to brick-and-mortar stores.
Soda, especially diet soda, is losing popularity in the U.S., leaving soft drink makers like Pepsi desperate to find a new way (or drink) to hydrate their customers. Says CNN Money:
The low-calorie product launch follows on the heels of an industry-wide effort, announced last month by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and the American Beverage Association, to reduce beverage calories by 20 percent by 2025.
Soda hasn’t been getting much love from health-conscious consumers. A recent study said that banning soda from food stamps would prevent 141,000 kids from getting fat and another 240,000 from developing diabetes.
A 7.5-ounce, 60-calorie Pepsi True has 30 percent less sugar and 40 percent fewer calories than a regular Pepsi, Business Insider said.
Coke also recently launched sugar- and stevia-sweetened Coca-Cola Life in a grocery store chain in just four states, but said it plans to expand the availability of the soda by next month, Reuters reports.
People’s opinions of stevia are mixed. The sugar alternative has a bitter aftertaste that many don’t like. It took Pepsi three years to develop the “ideal blend” of sugar and stevia for its new beverage, Business Insider said.
Will you try Pepsi’s new soda? What do you think of stevia? Share your thoughts below or on our Facebook page.
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