- Pepsi is introducing a new permanent flavor. Wild Cherry and Cream will roll out nationwide this month, coming roughly a year after Coca-Cola cancelled its own version of the flavor blend.
Temporary new flavors are nothing new for soda giants, but permanent additions to the lineup are a fairly rare occurrence. Pepsi, however, is ready to take the leap with its newest flavor.
The sodamaker will begin rolling out Wild Cherry and Cream flavored Pepsi nationwide on Jan. 20. The drink will be served permanently in cans, but will temporarily be offered in 20-ounce bottles.
Both full and zero-sugar options of the new flavor will be available.
“Our Wild Cherry variants have been flavor favorites in the cola world, especially among millennial and Gen Z cola fans – we’ve seen 8% growth year over year on the regular cola – so we know we are delivering something special with our new cherry and cream offering,” Jenny Danzi, head of marketing at Pepsi, said in a statement.
Pepsi Wild Cherry made its debut in 1988 and has been a strong seller for the brand.
If Wild Cherry and Cream sounds like a familiar soda flavor profile, it should. Coca-Cola offered it in its lineup, but discontinued it last year. People who have tried the new flavor say it has a burst of sweet fruity cherry flavors, followed by a touch of vanilla, with a creamy mouthfeel.
Pepsi’s last new flavor was more of a rebrand. In February 2023, the company quietly killed off its Sierra Mist product and replaced it with Starry, which was less sweet and had a crisper, citrus taste compared to its predecessor. (Starry is still far behind Sprite’s market leadership of the lemon-lime soda category.)
The company has launched all sorts of short-term soda flavors, though. Over the holidays, it debuted Pepsi Zero Sugar Gingerbread on the TikTok Shop and via a giveaway. Other offerings have included Pepsi Fire, which added a cinnamon flavor, and a cola-coffee hybrid drink.