-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
Starry, a lemon-lime soda, is currently being rolled out by PepsiCo, Inc. The beverage, which will be available in regular and sugar-free forms, is targeted at Gen Z customers and will compete with Sprite from The Coca-Cola Co.
“At PepsiCo, we are hyper focused on consumer-centric innovation, and we know there’s a strong demand for lemon lime flavored soda with the category continuing to accelerate,” said Greg Lyons, chief marketing officer at PepsiCo Beverages North America. “With one product dominating the category, consumers deserve another option … one that hits different. Starry is bright, optimistic and rooted in culture and fun.”
At the National Association of Convenience Stores Show in October, PepsiCo gave attendees a sneak peek of the flagship addition to its line of North American beverages. The caffeine-free soft drink is already offered in shops and restaurants across the country.
“With Starry, we were able to create a game-changing recipe with the perfect balance of lemon lime flavor and sweetness compared to the competition,” said Danielle Barbaro, vice president of R&D at PepsiCo Beverages North America.
Starry will replace Sierra Mist, which has had trouble with sluggish sales. According to Beverage Digest data, Sprite’s market share in carbonated soft drinks was close to 7% in 2022, while Sierra Mist’s was less than 0.1%.
In recent years, PepsiCo has made a number of actions to increase sales of Sierra Mist, including briefly remaking the beverage with stevia and changing its name to Mist Twist in 2015. Three years later, the name was changed back to the original. The business previously launched Slice in 1984, which was later dropped in North America in 2000, and Storm in 1998, which was only made available in test regions. Both products were targeted at Sprite.
The most recent effort to compete in the lemon-lime soda market uses marketing collateral targeted towards younger customers. Starry is “purpose-driven” and “built for Generation Z,” according to PepsiCo. According to the soda’s packaging, the company is “steps on sustainability.”
