It looks like green is the new red, for Coca-Cola at least, as it gradually unravels its new line of Coke product: Green Coke.
The newest product line after seven or so years, Green Coke, or Coke Life, is currently on sale in many parts of South America such as Chile and Argentina. In Europe, this type of Coke is in Sweden and Great Britain.
In the United States, Coke Life is now in the shelves of Fresh Market stores in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. By November, many expect that the company will launch the product nationwide.
But what is it? And why is it green? Although Coca-Cola has shared very little information as to its marketing strategy, this brand-new drink now sold in bottles and cans, as well as from 8 ounces to 2 liters, is not going to be the next Coke Zero introduced in 2006, which contains zero calories. Rather, Coke Life is in the middle: it contains 35% less sugar and calories than standard classic Coke. It may also be the company's answer to Pepsi's Next.
It has real cane sugar, but its main component is stevia, a type of leaf whose extract is several times sweeter than processed or artificial sugar but has zero calories. Many health-conscious individuals or those with special dietary needs have shifted to stevia for this reason.
Using stevia may also explain why Coca-Cola made a bold move of changing its iconic color from red to green for this product line, although other marketing pundits believe that the brand wants to make itself and the product more appealing to millennials, who are more conscious about the food and drink they consume. Green these days is often associated with freshness, natural, and, of course, healthy.
Coke Green is also set to conquer South Pacific such as Australia, but potential drinkers may have to wait until April next year. Moreover, the formula may be similar to that used in the United States and Britain, as the one in South America is believed to be a bit bitter due to high stevia content.
