Dive Brief:
- Coca-Cola Life, a mid-calorie soda that Coke has been testing in overseas markets, is now available in the southeastern United States.
- Coke Life, which bears a green version of Coke's traditional label, is sweetened with a mix of sugar and stevia, rather than high-fructose corn syrup. The company hopes the product will attract consumers who are concerned by the health risks associated with traditional sodas.
- The Fresh Market, a grocer with some 160 locations in 24 states, is the exclusive seller of Coke Life until October, when a broader roll-out is expected. As of yesterday, the soda is available at The Fresh Market stores in North and South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia.
Dive Insight:
Coke is betting heavily on Life. Some 4,000 sampling events are planned, as well as a nationwide advertising campaign. Coke is also debuting Coca-Cola Life within the next week or so in Mexico, the company's second-largest market by sales volume.
The key for Coca-Cola Life may be in gaining new soda drinkers, rather than converting folks from existing low-calorie or full-calorie versions. Coke has already learned the hard way with other products that there's a risk in expecting customers to change preferences just because you've changed the formula.