Pepsi to sell coffee-cola drink that has twice as much caffeine

Jordyn Holman

Dec 13, 2019

AFR

New York | PepsiCo plans to offer a new way to get a jolt of caffeine.

In April, the snack and beverage giant will start selling Pepsi Cafe in the US. The drink blends the taste of coffee and cola, and nearly doubles the amount of caffeine in a regular Pepsi. It will come in two flavours, original and vanilla.

Pepsi Cafe. PepsiCo has faced sales pressure as consumers cut down on sugary soda.

Pepsi Cafe is the latest product the company plans to introduce as it responds to changing beverage preferences. The company, which sells a wide range of products including Gatorade and Diet Pepsi, has faced sales pressure as consumers cut down on sugary soda and competitors enter the market with new options.

Rival Coca-Cola is pushing deeper into the canned coffee market after its high-profile acquisition of the British cafe chain Costa for $US5.1 billion ($7.4 billion). It offers Coca-Cola Plus Coffee in dozens of markets outside the US.

Todd Kaplan, vice president of marketing at Pepsi, said in a statement on Thursday that the company has known the potential of blending cola and coffee for years. He said he believes consumers are looking for drink products that provide energy and an opportunity for indulgence. en