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To say that a soda is all-natural sounds like an oxymoron. I mean, point me to the soda fruit. And while you might argue that flavours like orange, grape, and even kola are from the earth, I think we can all agree that carbonated beverages are the creation of man, not nature. But perhaps we’ve found the missing link. Enter Pepsi Raw.

Pepsi Raw is the cola giant’s forray into natural foods, boasting that the ingredients of their latest cola are totally and completely from the earth, and not the lab. Perhaps the most strikingly healthy left turn from the usual formula is the omission of high fructose corn syrup! “HFCS has been plaguing sodas for decades. It’s time American soda makers stop using this cheap, highly available, and terribly unhealthy sugar source.” That’s according to Divine Caroline.

The new drink claims to have 90 calories and have the following ingredients:

Apple extract
Plain caramel colouring
Coffee leaf
Tantaric acid from grapes
Gum arabic from acacia trees
Cane sugar
Sparkling water

Not bad. This isn’t the first natural soda, but it is the first new product Pepsi has introduced (in the UK) in ten years. Will this become the new staple of health-conscious urban middle class? Or will it flop like Crystal Pepsi back in the early 90s?

I have to note that I do like the packaging. I enjoy the simple and streamline bottle form and the subtle nod to vintage Pepsi (for those who think young). But the name itself doesn’t appeal to me. “Raw” sounds to me too primordial, too viscous and in some ways, unfinished. Why not call it Pepsi Natural? How about Pepsi Terra. I dig that, it’s obscure enough to be a brand name, but still has meaning. Perhaps Pepsi did some testing; in spite of my living there, I can’t predict the behaviour of the British consumer.

What do you think about natural sodas in general? Should we keep soft drinks in their classic form: acid and fake sugar?

(via Divine Caroline)

// a tale of Britain, brands & branding, design: packaging
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