Pepsi is ditching Sierra Mist for a new Sprite rival that’s truly reaching for the stars. Starry, a new lemon-lime soda from the brand, is starting to release in grocery and convenience stores.
The idea behind the change comes after Sierra Mist, a 24-year-old brand, failed to gain traction against market leader Sprite, which is owned by Pepsi’s main rival Coca-Cola. According to Pepsi’s internal research team, the “demand for lemon-lime flavored soda has never been greater.”
That information along with Sprite’s commanding eight percent share of the soda market prompted Pepsi to develop a new lemon-lime soda that gives “people a choice in an area that’s been dominated by one brand for years.”
Starry is a caffeine-free soda that’s available as regular and sugar-free options. Compared to Sierra Mist, the new brand has “higher citrus flavors that are true to fruit and more aromatic.” It’s also being marketed differently, being aimed toward younger drinkers. With a slogan like “Starry Hits Different,” it’s obvious the brand is looking at Gen-Z to be a big customer.
Despite the harrowing task ahead for Pepsi to take on its rival, it could be an opportunity for Starry, according to Billy Roberts, senior food and drink analyst for Mintel.
“Starry enters a market segment dominated by the Coca-Cola brand and, at the same time, is a new brand in an already-crowded carbonated soft drink category,” Roberts said. “However, this could be to its advantage, bringing something new into a category where younger consumers have shown a penchant for breaking away from the tried-and-true to experiment with new flavors and formulations.”
Source: https://www.starrylemonlime.com/