How Coca-Cola is joining the gut-health soda wars

Coca-Cola Co. confirmed Tuesday it is joining the prebiotic soda space with a new brand called Simply Pop. The move marks Coca-Cola’s first strike back at a range of better-for-you brands such as Olipop and Poppi that have demonstrated a thirst for functional sodas, especially with younger consumers. Simply Pop introduces a trusted brand name, a juice-forward formulation, and Coke’s distribution might to the space. PepsiCo is also expected to release a gut-friendly soda when it rolls out a reformulation of its Soulboost brand. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today Simply Pop, in five flavors, will roll out to Target, Albertsons, and Publix stores and on Amazon Fresh later this month. It will expand throughout the U.S. in 2025. Olipop rang up sales of nearly $448 million in the 12 months ended Jan. 25, while Poppi sales reached $370 million for that period, according to Nielsen figures from Goldman Sachs reported by Beverage Digest. Both brands sell at a premium to traditional sodas at a suggested retail price of $2.49 per can—the same price Simply Pop is expected to sell for. The success of these brands—along with others like Culture Pop, Health Ade and Slice (the former Pepsi brand now marketed as a gut-friendly soda from Suja Life)—has prompted Walmart to designate a “modern soda” set in its stores, leaving classic brands like Pepsi and Coke on the outside. Each can of Simply Pop will include 6 grams of prebiotic fiber to support gut health—the same as Olipop and three times that of Poppi. Leveraging the Simply brand, the drinks will contain 25% to 30% real fruit juice. Its 60 calories are well below soda brands like Coke (155 calories) but more than either Olipop (45 calories) and Poppi (25). “We found that consumers, especially wellness-focused Gen Z-ers and millennials, were really interested in juice and prebiotic sodas,” Becca Kerr, CEO of Nutrition for Coca-Cola, stated in a press release. “We knew that in order to bring new drinkers into the category, we had to strike that perfect balance of innovation and trust.” Simply, which began as an orange juice brand in 2001, has since launched more than 20 varieties of juices, ades, smoothies and flavored malt beverages. “Gen Z grew up with this brand,” Terika Fasakin, North America brand senior director for Simply and kids, stated in a press release. “They don’t remember a world where Simply doesn’t exist, and it’s the juice they’ve seen in the fridge throughout their lives, so it has a particular tug on their heartstrings.” Olipop last week announced it raised $50 million on a valuation of $1.85 billion. Poppi ran a Super Bowl ad for the second year in a row, showcasing the brand as a solution for consumers who love soda but seek more flavor, less sugar or less caffeine. The TikTok-savvy brand, however, encountered some backlash with a supporting campaign that sent pink vending machines to influencers.

How Coca-Cola is joining the gut-health soda wars

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