Is PepsiCo Playing Catch Up With Coca-Cola With Pepsi Black?

In this blistering summer heat, everyone fancies a nice cool soft drink in order to keep their temperature down (even though they pointlessly dehydrate you). However, we (don’t tell me it’s just me) are also always looking for low-calorie drinks in order to keep our summer bodies – summer bodies (don’t let body shaming get you down). In a shocking move, almost 3 years after Coca-Cola introduced India to Coca-Cola Zero, PepsiCo are all set to release their own version of the zero-sugar drink – Pepsi Black.

PepsiCo said they were making this decision in order to respond to changing consumer preferences and in line with its global portfolio transformation objective (no worries, you’re just 3 years late jk.).

PepsiCo senior VP (beverages) Vipul Prakash said that this was about consciously increasing PepsiCo’s play within the low-calorie segment. They are significantly accelerating this journey in the portfolio with purpose space and offering consumers multiple choices of beverages (like beverages Coca-Cola released ages ago).

Prakash said the potential roll out plan of newer products would be one every quarter. Pepsi Black will come packaged only in cans as of now.

This is in line with PepsiCo global chief executive Indra Nooyi new agenda in which she had announced sweeping changes to reduce sugar and fortify its beverages and snacks portfolio across markets, amidst mounting consumer preferences for ‘healthier’ foods.

If I’m being perfectly honest though, I think we all fall into one of two categories: Coca-Cola drinkers and Pepsi drinkers (I myself proudly fall in the former). Hence, I’m sure that loyal Pepsi enthusiasts (we’re watching you) will come in to take a sip of whatever new products, this time Pepsi Black, that PepsiCo has to offer. Pepsi, if you can make it through that Kendall Jenner fiasco, then I’m sure that you can make it through anything.