Coke to produce sparkling water
Published 1:20 pm Friday, November 8, 2019
ATLANTA — The Coca-Cola Company announced Thursday that it will launch a new flavored seltzer brand it is calling Aha in March 2020. Taking aim at weakening brand LaCroix and Pepsi’s successful Bubly line, Aha will come in eight flavors, two of which — Citrus Green Tea and Black Cherry + Coffee — will contain 30 mg of caffeine, riding another trend and aiming at contenders like Hi-Ball sparkling energy drink from Anheuser-Busch.
Aha, the brand’s biggest new release in a decade, will replace Coke’s Dasani sparkling water, which according to Shane Grant, president of Stills Business Unit for Coca-Cola North America, has underperformed.
Nielsen all-channel sales data in August put sparkling flavored water retail sales in the past 12 months at $2.45 billion. The segment is still tiny compared to carbonated soft drinks — $26.74 billion in sales in the same time period — but it represents a huge growth area.