As it turns out, a couple of Coca-Cola flavors didn’t have as much staying power as some fans hoped.
After much speculation online, the company has confirmed that it will be discontinuing Coca-Cola Spiced, the flavor that made its debut earlier this year. This comes as a disappointment to many fans who were looking forward to enjoying the unique blend of raspberry and warm spiced flavors. However, Coca-Cola has assured us that this is all part of their strategy to constantly evolve and adjust their product range to meet the changing tastes and preferences of consumers.
The news of Spiced’s discontinuation comes just seven months after its initial release in February. In a March press release, the flavor was even touted as a permanent addition to the Coca-Cola lineup in North America. But now, it seems that it will be retired to make way for an exciting new flavor in 2025.
But Spiced is not the only flavor that has recently been discontinued. Last year, Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla also met the same fate. The company confirmed this in March, stating that the flavor was only available while supplies lasted. This news came as a surprise to many loyal fans who had been enjoying the unique blend of cherry and vanilla in their Coca-Cola.
Some social media users have even expressed their disappointment in not being aware of the discontinuation sooner. One user on X wrote, “I think @CocaCola discontinued Cherry Vanilla Coke in the bottle. I haven’t seen it in months.” The company responded, “We decided to discontinue Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla due to consumers’ taste preferences and lifestyles constantly changing. As a Total Beverage Company, we are always searching for ways to evolve our product portfolio to bring consumers the beverages they want.”
But the disappointment doesn’t end there. Some users are still asking about Diet Coke with Splenda, a flavor that was discontinued years ago. Despite being marked as out of stock on sites like Walmart, some are still hoping it will make a comeback. One user on X asked, “@CocaCola do you all have Diet Coke with Splenda still? I’m allergic to aspartame.” The company replied, “Unfortunately, Diet Coke with Splenda has been discontinued. We’re sorry for any disappointment.”
Naturally, the news of these discontinuations has not been well received by fans online. Many have expressed their disappointment, with one user even calling it a “national tragedy.” Another said, “Congrats on making me switch to Pepsi. This was a huge fail on your part @CocaCola.” One user even went as far as to say it was a “Massive L.”
But not everyone is mourning the loss of these flavors. Some are even happy to see them go. One user on Reddit wrote, “Bye, Felicia!” when they heard about Spiced being discontinued. Another chimed in to say, “Yeah, people didn’t really like it.” Many others have suggested reviving other discontinued flavors in its place.
Despite the disappointment, Coca-Cola has been busy releasing a slew of unique and limited-time flavors in the past few years. In 2022, they introduced Dreamworld, a soda meant to evoke “technicolor tastes and surrealism of the subconscious,” and Byte, a gaming-inspired flavor. In 2023, they released Coca-Cola Move with Rosalía, a “transformation flavored” drink. And just last month, they partnered with Oreo to release two new items: The Oreo Coca-Cola Sandwich Cookie, which contains Coca-Cola syrup, and the limited-edition Coca-Cola Oreo Zero Sugar drink, which features “flavorful hints” inspired by the chocolate and creme of an Oreo cookie.
While it’s always sad to see a beloved flavor go, it’s exciting to see what new flavors Coca-Cola will introduce in the future. As a Total Beverage Company, they are constantly evolving and adapting to meet the ever-changing tastes and preferences of consumers. So, let’s raise a glass to the memories we had with Spiced, Cherry Vanilla, and Diet Coke with Splenda, and look forward to the exciting new flavors that Coca-Cola has in store for us in the years to come.
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