Dive Brief:
- Coca-Cola is adding prebiotic fiber to some of its namesake brands as the beverage giant looks to tap into the better-for-you soda craze.
- The company will add 6 grams of prebiotic fiber to Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite Zero Sugar and Fresca. The sodas will be available beginning at the end of October through a pilot launch in parts of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, according to a company statement.
- Coca-Cola appears to be eyeing a larger entrance into the better-for-you soda trend dominated by Olipop and Poppi, which PepsiCo acquired last year. Pepsi also launched a prebiotic version of its namesake soda last summer.
Dive Insight:
Coca-Cola’s prebiotic rollout is part of a slate of new innovations for 2027, which includes more functional beverages to keep up with changing consumer demand.
Consumers are increasingly seeking out more from their beverages, including options that not only have lower sugar, but can also provide functional properties to aid with sleep, digestion, beauty and more. Coca-Cola first entered the prebiotic soda under its juice brand Simply, launching Simply Pop early last year.
“For us, innovation starts with the consumer,” Shakir Monin, Coca-Cola’s president of marketing for North America, said in a statement. “It’s about understanding what people are looking for, where their interests are going and then using the strength of our brands to create something relevant and compelling. That’s how we continue to learn, evolve and bring new choices to consumers.”
In addition to the prebiotic sodas, Coca-Cola is also debuting new flavors next year for Powerade with watermelon and lemon lime, both in zero-sugar formats. It will also launch Vitamin Water zero sugar formula in March 2027. The grape-flavored drink will include the daily value of vitamins C, E, B3, B5, B6 and B12, according to the company.
Beyond prebiotics, Coca-Cola is also delving deeper into protein.The beverage company will release Core Power Banana in January, in both 26- and 42-gram protein offerings. The launch is the brand’s first new flavor in almost a decade, according to Coca-Cola.
Even with a slate of functional-focused drinks, Coca-Cola is still playing up indulgence with new flavors to its soda lineup. It will launch Coca-Cola Cherry Lime and Strawberry Float, the latter of which will combine strawberry and vanilla flavors.
It’s additionally innovating its newly relaunched Mr. Pibb brand, with a black current flavor with 54 milligrams of caffeine. The soda was the fastest growing brand in 2026, according to a Morning Consult poll.
