ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola Co.'s latest addition to its collection of carbonated soft drinks comes with a decidedly healthy slant. First introduced during the 2015 NACS Show in Las Vegas, Coca-Cola Co. is rolling out its new Minute Maid Sparkling juice drinks this month.
Minute Maid Sparkling is a line of low-calorie fizzy juice drinks made with real fruit juice and natural flavors.
Beginning this month, Minute Maid Sparkling will be available at retailers nationwide in four flavors: Fizzy Lemonade, Mixed Berry, Tropical Citrus and Fruit Punch. The sleek 16.9-fluid-ounce bottles have 30 to 40 calories per package with a suggested retail price of $1.29. Each serving of Minute Maid Sparkling contains 6% juice.
“Our fans of the more than 100 varieties of Minute Maid juice drinks are in for a treat with Minute Maid Sparkling,” said Mel Landis, president of Coca-Cola’s Minute Maid Business Unit. “We’re constantly looking for new ways to innovate while staying true to our commitment to creating great-tasting beverages that can be shared with the whole family. We expect a little sparkle will go a long way.”
In November, Coca-Cola confirmed that Minute Maid Sparkling would take the place of fruitwater, a holdover sparkling water from Glacéau, the company that created smartwater and vitaminwater.
Carbonated soft drinks have suffered a 10-year decline in volume sales in the United States, sparking beverage makers' drive to develop alternatives with a healthy halo. At the same time, carbonated waters—sparkling, seltzer and mineral—have seen double-digit growth, including a 17.2% volume increase in convenience stores in 2015.
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