Two new candy-based soft drinks debuted in the first week of March 2024: Ring Pop soda from Bill’s Olde Fashioned Soda and Stardust Sparkling Ice drinks from Talking Rain. These are just the latest additions to a growing list of collaborations over the past five or so years that have brought some big names in candy into the world of soda pop.
The pairings make sense, as sugary soft drinks are often referred to as “liquid candy.” While some consumers recoil from the idea of these very sweet and/or sour beverages, for the most part reviewers note that the flavor of the candy is replicated faithfully in the translation to drink form. Like many of the sweets-based collaborations that have proliferated over the last few years (involving candy, cereal, soda, and baked goods IP, for example), many of the candy-inspired sodas are positioned as having a retro vibe that brings young adults back to their childhood. Announcements of the pairings often generate significant social media engagement.
Some notable examples from around the world have involved both high-end craft and mass-market offerings:
- As noted, Bazooka Candy Brands paired with Wild Bill’s Olde Fashioned Soda Co., a maker of premium cane-sugar sodas, for limited-edition, retro-inspired Ring Pop craft sodas in two classic flavors, Blue Raspberry and Berry Blast, with two more varieties set to debut this summer. After launching March 1, the products are available nationwide through select retailers, Amazon and Wild Bill’s e-commerce site, and live events (fairs, festivals, and conventions). Lisa Marks Associates represented Bazooka Candy Brands in the deal.
- Mars, Inc. collaborated with Talking Rain Beverage Company for a line of Sparkling Ice Starburst zero-sugar sparkling waters. Influencers’ discussions of the coming product line generated more than half a million views on TikTok before the launch. The flavor coincides with Sparkling Ice’s new marketing campaign, “Anything But Subtle.” The new product range, which was announced last month and debuted on March 4, includes four varieties tied to the candy’s four original flavors: Cherry, Lemon, Orange, and Strawberry.
- Just Born has partnered with Pepsi twice, most recently in 2023 after debuting in 2021, for a limited, Peeps-co-branded, marshmallow-flavored version of the latter’s flagship drink. Pepsi x Peeps, which is frequently but unofficially dubbed “Peepsi,” came in Peeps-yellow cans as well as bottles with similarly colored labels. The first time around, the product was distributed for free to about 3,000 contest winners; after an enthusiastic reception for the inaugural promotion, last year’s drop was available at retail in mini-can multipacks and 20-ounce bottles in the months leading up to Easter. A Snapchat contest included exclusive Pepsi x Peeps merchandise among the prizes.
- Last year, Perfetti Van Melle added its Mento’s brand to its line of Chupa Chups soft drinks from South Korean marketer Namyang Dairy Products, starting with Apple Soda Kick, Lemon & Mint, and Fruity Mix flavors. Chupa Chups sparkling drinks launched in 2018 in Korea in Strawberry and Cream, Orange, and Grape flavors, through convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, before expanding into 30 other territories in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. (Chupa Chups also launched a Gabunomi Strawberry Cream soda in Japan with Pokka Sapporo in 2022, in a separate deal.) The Mento’s line, which consists of non-sparkling drinks with jelly bites, is distributed in Europe by Engel Foreign Food B.V. of the Netherlands. Namyang has said it views the candy-flavored beverages as a main mechanism for expanding its business into overseas markets.
- Impact Confections licensed Color Brands to produce a line of Warheads Sour Soda in 2022, featuring five flavors, namely Black Cherry, Blue Raspberry, Apple, Lemon, and Watermelon. The brand had previously collaborated with Jones Soda, in 2020, for a Black Cherry Warhead Jones Soda variety that launched exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores.
- Valeo Snack Foods selected Whatever Brands in 2022 as its licensee to launch soft drinks under the Barratt confectionery brand. The products, which were low-sugar and made with real fruit juice and natural flavors, launched in U.K. retailers such as Home Bargains, B&M Bargains, and Heron Foods. Flavors upon introduction included Fruit Salad, Wham, and Plumps, with other flavors planned for future drops.
- Mondelēz worked with Keurig Dr. Pepper’s Crush brand in 2020 on a limited-edition, blue-colored Sour Patch Kids variety in Berry flavor, available in two-liter and 20-ounce bottles. The same year, Sour Patch introduced a Crush edition of its flagship candy, featuring all the flavors in the Crush line of soft drinks.
- In 2019, Perfetti Van Melle joined Jones Soda to introduce Airheads Cheer Pineapple Blast Soda, one of a series of Jones limited-edition flavors that were exclusive to 7-Eleven at the time, including a licensed Watermelon Sour Patch Kids variety as well as generic flavors like Mango Lemonade and Orange & Cream.
In addition to these and other candy-to-soft drink deals, pairings between confectionery and soda pop brands have also, conversely, produced several examples of drink-flavored candies. A small sampling includes Jones Carbonated Candy from Big Sky Brands, Dr. Pepper and Soda Pop Shoppe-flavored Jelly Belly jelly beans, and Dr. Pepper-flavored Peeps, introduced as a limited edition this year. As noted, the partnership between Crush and Starburst went both ways, yielding Crush-flavored Starburst candies as well as Starburst-flavored Crush beverages.
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