Coca-Cola
Coca Cola Launches Star Wars Soda Series
Coca Cola partners with Star Wars to release a limited-edition series of Coca Cola and Coca Cola Zero Sugar cans and bottles featuring 30 collectible designs in a campaign called “Coca‑Cola x Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy”. They will be available in regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, Japan and Asia-Pacific. Each item includes a QR code that leads to an Augmented Reality experience where users can create hologram-style messages inspired by the Star Wars universe.
Coca Cola Expands Local Sourcing In Cambodia
Coca-Cola announced plans to source raw materials locally for its Cambodia operations, aiming to support the country’s economy and strengthen its production network. Coca-Cola Cambodia CEO Paulo Gaspar Rodrigues emphasized aligning quality local supply with global standards and expanding investment in Cambodia. The company has operated in Cambodia since 1993 and opened a major plant in Phnom Penh in 2016 to meet regional demand.
Danone
Danone Acquires Gut Health Firm Akkermansia
Danone acquired Belgium-based The Akkermansia Company to strengthen its position in gut health and next-generation biotics. TAC's main product is a pasteurized form of Akkermansia muciniphila MucT, shown to support gut integrity and help manage conditions like obesity and diabetes. The acquisition aligns with Danone’s Renew strategy, launched in 2022 and extended through 2028, which prioritizes science-driven innovation and health-focused categories. TAC, founded in 2016, holds broad patents and received EFSA approval in 2021 for its pasteurized strain. Its products require no refrigeration and have already entered markets across Europe, North America and Asia.
Monster
Monster Ultra Ruby Red Launches In UK
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners introduced Monster Ultra Ruby Red, a new pamplemousse-flavored energy drink, exclusively through Booker ahead of a UK-wide release in August. The pink-colored variety, first launched in the US in 2024, features a balanced citrus taste described as neither too sweet nor too tart. Retailers will receive point-of-sale kits to boost in-store visibility during the broader rollout.
Nestle
Nestlé USA Joins List Of Companies Dropping Synthetic Colors
Nestlé USA, along with Conagra Brands, will phase out synthetic FD&C food dyes from their US products in response to evolving consumer preferences and FDA guidance. Nestlé aims to eliminate such colors, including Red No. 3 and Red No. 40, by mid-2026, with over 90% of its portfolio already free of them. Products still using synthetic colors include Nesquik’s banana strawberry low-fat ready-to-drink milk and strawberry syrup. This shift follows similar moves by Kraft Heinz and General Mills and aligns with the FDA's April 2025 announcement to phase out petroleum-based dyes nationally by the end of 2026.
Other Companies
Bloom Nutrition Enters Functional Soda Market With Walmart Launch Of Bloom Pop
Bloom Nutrition, the brand behind Bloom Sparkling Energy, introduces Bloom Pop, a new functional soda available nationwide in Walmart stores. With 3-4g of sugar, 20 calories and no artificial ingredients, Bloom Pop offers five nostalgic flavors and gut health benefits via 1g of PreticX™, a clinically backed prebiotic.
Jimmy’s Launches Iced Chocolate Milk
Jimmy’s, best known for its iced coffee, launched its first non-coffee product: Iced Chocolate Milk. Initially teased as an April Fools’ joke, strong consumer demand led to the real release, now available via Ocado in a 500ml glass bottle, marking Jimmy’s entry into the flavored milk market. The premium glass format aligns with growing trends in the dairy sector and aims to enhance the at-home drinking experience. The launch targets loyal Jimmy’s fans as well as new shoppers seeking a high-quality, RTD chocolate milk option.
Naked Nutrition Launches Clean-Label Sparkling Energy Drink Line
Naked Nutrition enters the canned beverage space with the debut of Naked Sparkling Energy, available in Orange, Strawberry Lemonade and Lemonade flavors. Each 12oz can delivers 200mg of caffeine from organic, unroasted coffee beans, 15 calories, no sugar and only six ingredients, including natural sweeteners monk fruit and fermented sugar cane. Naked Sparkling Energy is gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, free from artificial additives and available in 12-packs on Amazon for $35.99.
Functional Sodas Gain Traction With Gen Z, Millennials
Millennials and Gen Z are driving rapid growth in the low-sugar, functional soda category, favoring beverages with ingredients like prebiotic fiber, botanicals and added vitamins. Brands such as Poppi, Olipop and Coca-Cola’s Simply Prebiotic are central to this shift, which has outpaced traditional diet soda sales. Legacy companies are entering the space through innovation and acquisitions, with PepsiCo acquiring Poppi and Coca-Cola expanding its functional portfolio. However, legal risks are rising, as Poppi’s recent $8.9 million settlement over prebiotic claims shows. Success in this space now hinges on clinical substantiation, transparent labeling, compliance with advertising regulations and strategic growth through innovation or partnerships.
Calpis Taps To Appear Across Japan
Calpis, the popular yogurt-like soft drink known overseas as Calpico, will soon be available from dedicated beverage taps across Japan. Asahi Soft Drinks plans to install 1,000 Calpis faucets nationwide by 2030, beginning with one at Hotel Vison in Mie Prefecture starting July 1. The initiative aims to create fun, nostalgic experiences for families and fans, particularly during the summer. Calpis has been a staple drink for generations in Japan, praised for its sweet, but not overly sugary, refreshing taste. While earlier Calpis taps appeared temporarily for the drink’s 100th anniversary in 2019, this new rollout suggests a long-term presence.
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