PepsiCo Inc.

After Nearly 20 Years, Pepsi Blue to Return to Shelves This May

The drink will be back on store shelves nationwide by May 3, the company said

Pepsi Blue
Pepsi

Pepsi is leaning into the nostalgia trend and revisiting one of its hits from the early aughts: Pepsi Blue.

The soda company is bringing back their berry-flavored cola starting on May 3.

The brand made the announcement in a tweet on Thursday set β€” appropriately β€” to the 1999 tune of "I'm Blue" by Eiffel 65.

"Feels like a good #TBT to announce this – throwing it back to 2002… #PepsiBlueIsBack," the brand tweeted.

In a release, the company said the drink will be available nationwide by May 3.

"For years, passionate Pepsi Blue fans have been clamoring for the return of their beloved berry cola, and now Pepsi Blue is hitting shelves," the release said. "Just in time for the warming weather, the unique & unmistakable vibrant blue hue of Pepsi Blue returns with a new bottle and packaging design that calls out for safe and responsible summertime activities, from marathon barbecues to afternoons by the pool or binge-watching comfortably in the AC."

Pepsi Blue hasn't been sold since 2004, the company confirmed.

This is not the first time Pepsi has revisited one of its earlier hits.

Crystal Pepsi, a caffeine-free, clear version of the classic cola was sold for a brief time in the early 1990s and then discontinued, only to be brought back in a few limited runs.

Pepsi also has been known to tinker with new, unusual flavors. In 2017, Pepsi launched a limited-edition cinnamon flavor called β€œFire.”

In November 2020, Pepsi experimented with an apple pie flavor, just in time for Thanksgiving. It was described by the company as having β€œwarm notes of cinnamon, the taste of a buttery crust, and the crispness of a fresh apple.” Customers had to submit photos of their baking fails as part of a contest to get their hands on the drink.

In December 2020, Pepsi announced its new flavor, β€œCocoa” Cola. While the name was clearly a nod to its chief competitor, Coca-Cola, the Pepsi flavor was all about literal cocoa. It featured chocolate notes and a hint of marshmallow, though it's unclear how widely released it was.

Then in March of this year, the company announced a collaboration with Peeps that featured the marshmallow flavor in their cola and festive cans to match.

β€œAfter what has been a very difficult year, many consumers are looking for new things to smile about," Todd Kaplan, vice president of marketing at Pepsi, in a statement at the time. β€œWe know our consumers love our limited product drops, and we believe that Pepsi x Peeps will deliver an iconic and delicious pairing that has the potential to become a fan favorite.”

The Pepsi x Peeps drinks weren't available nationally either. Customers could only get their hands on the mini-cans by winning a sweepstake.

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