Introduction to Discontinued Soda Flavors
It’s time to take your last sip of some niche soda flavors. PepsiCo has confirmed to TODAY.com that multiple flavors of Pepsi and Mountain Dew are leaving store shelves. The discontinuations were quietly added to the product locator on the brand’s website and include 14 flavors between the two popular soda brands.
Evolution of PepsiCo’s Beverage Portfolio
PepsiCo’s beverage portfolio is always evolving to reflect shifting consumer tastes and seasonal trends — bringing fresh, exciting flavors to market that surprise and delight our fans, a PepsiCo spokesperson tells TODAY.com.
Discontinued Pepsi Flavors
On the Pepsi product locator, customers can see that the company’s most recent releases are Pepsi Wild Cherry and Cream and Pepsi Zero Sugar Wild Cherry and Cream, first dropped earlier this year, but scrolling further reveals four Pepsi flavors on their way out. Several of the flavors on the list were always designed by the soda giant to be limited time offerings. Others, like the brand’s Nitro Pepsi varieties —nitrogen-infused sodas touting a smooth, creamy texture — were introduced in 2022, thus have been around for longer than your standard LTO:
- Pepsi Lime
- Pepsi Peach
- Nitro Pepsi
- Nitro Pepsi Vanilla
Discontinued Mountain Dew Flavors
Additionally, Mountain Dew — which is owned by PepsiCo — recently introduced a pair of new seasonal flavors: Mountain Dew Dragon Fruit and Mountain Dew Summer Freeze, the latter which channels the flavor of a red, white, and blue popsicle. Still, the Mountain Dew is kicking some flavors to the curb, and they are:
- Mountain Dew Major Melon
- Mountain Dew Zero Sugar Major Melon
- Mountain Dew Spark
- Mountain Dew Spark Zero Sugar
- Mountain Dew Purple Thunder Zero Sugar
- Mountain Dew Caffeine Free
- Mountain Dew White Out
- Mountain Dew Kickstart Mango Lime
- Mountain Dew Kickstart Original Dew
- Mountain Dew Kickstart Blueberry Pomegranate
Limited-Time Offerings
Additionally, Mountain Dew Baja Blast Cabo Citrus and Mountain Dew Baja Blast Cabo Citrus Zero Sugar are marked as limited-time offerings, so if you want to try them, now would be the time. That is, unless you’re willing to brave the secondary market — cases of some of these flavors, like Pepsi Nitro Vanilla, are going for as much as $109 on sites like eBay.
Fan Reactions
People on social media are already upset that some of these flavors are headed to the great soda fountain in the sky: one Pepsi Nitro fan on Reddit remarked, “Miss this so much I use to buy the whole stock” about Nitro Vanilla, and another fan on the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit expressed their displeasure that they can’t seem to get their hands on one exiting Mountain Dew flavor.
Conclusion
The discontinuation of these soda flavors is a natural part of the evolution of PepsiCo’s beverage portfolio. As consumer tastes and preferences change, the company must adapt to remain competitive. While some fans may be disappointed to see their favorite flavors go, others may be excited to try new and innovative flavors.
FAQs
Q: Why is PepsiCo discontinuing certain soda flavors?
A: PepsiCo is discontinuing certain soda flavors as part of the evolution of their beverage portfolio, which is always changing to reflect shifting consumer tastes and seasonal trends.
Q: How many soda flavors are being discontinued?
A: A total of 14 flavors between Pepsi and Mountain Dew are being discontinued.
Q: Can I still buy discontinued soda flavors online?
A: Yes, some discontinued soda flavors may be available for purchase on secondary market sites like eBay, but be prepared for potentially high prices.
Q: Will PepsiCo introduce new soda flavors to replace the discontinued ones?
A: Yes, PepsiCo is always introducing new and exciting flavors to market, so fans can expect to see new options in the future.
Q: How can I find out which soda flavors are being discontinued?
A: You can check the product locator on the PepsiCo website to see which flavors are being discontinued.
