**When Your Cola Tastes Like the Freezer Aisle**

Pepsi is going full dessert cart.

The brand is extending its zero-sugar cola line with Cherry & Vanilla, Raspberry Ripple and Salted Caramel, all inspired by ice cream. Tesco gets first dibs on 18 May, with a wider grocery rollout in July. The move builds on real momentum. Pepsi’s Strawberries ‘N’ Cream and Cream Soda flavors drove £2.2m in additional category benefit last year, ranking as the fifth most effective NPD in 2025 according to Worldpanel.

Pepsi is not alone in chasing bold, nostalgic flavor. Hi-Chew dropped a Lychee & Raspberry Stick exclusively at Walgreens from May 1 through July 31, kicking off a broader packaging redesign. Hot Tamales rolled out Tropical Heat with Fiery Lime, Mango Chili and Pineapple Picante across Walmart, Dollar Tree, Albertsons, Kroger and regional grocers.

The playbook is clear. Take familiar brands. Dial up flavor. Make it feel limited, seasonal, collectible.

Why it matters. Zero-sugar cola is no longer about subtraction. It is about addition. More flavor. More novelty. More reasons to trade within the brand instead of leaving the cola aisle. When ice cream profiles add £2.2m to the category, flavor becomes less of a gimmick and more of a growth lever.

Quick take. The freezer aisle is now an R&D lab for soda. If dessert cues keep driving incremental spend, expect more carbonated soft drinks to taste like your childhood summer.