28 Jul 2025 PepsiCo to roll out prebiotic cola in US
PepsiCo says the launch of Pepsi Prebiotic Cola “marks the first significant innovation in the traditional cola category in 20 years”.…
PepsiCo has launched a prebiotic cola in the US under its flagship Pepsi brand a few months after acquiring fast-track prebiotic soda brand, Poppi, for just under $2bn.
The prebiotic soda delivers the “classic crisp, refreshing taste of Pepsi” with the “added functional ingredient of three grams of prebiotic fibre”, PepsiCo said in a statement.
The drink includes 5g of cane sugar, has 30 calories and contains no artificial sweeteners.
Available in 12 oz (354ml) single cans and eight packs of 12 oz cans, the new drinks will be available online this autumn with a broader US retail roll-out earmarked for early next year.
Ram Krishnan, the CEO of PepsiCo’s US beverages business, said: “From the iconic blue can, to the consumer-preferred Pepsi Zero Sugar, our portfolio has always adapted to the needs and flavour preferences of the consumer.
“Pepsi Prebiotic Cola represents the next leap forward in giving consumers choice, optionality and functional ingredients in their cola experience, without sacrificing the iconic Pepsi taste we’re known for delivering.”
Radically less sugar, no sweeteners
Ivan Izus Torossian, consulting director at GlobalData, Just Drinks’ parent company, described the launch of the Pepsi-branded prebiotic soda as “big news but not because of the prebiotics”.
He added: “It’s the 90% sugar reduction down to just five grams, with no artificial sweeteners, compared to the 41g of sugar in a 12oz can of regular Pepsi.
“PepsiCo released similar products several years ago (Pepsi True and Next) that blended 15-30g of cane sugar with stevia and no artificial sweeteners.
“But the new prebiotic cola is even more aggressive, with just 5g of sugar. This sugar move is bold. The prebiotic part, however, will disappear as fast as it appeared,” he believes.
In March, PepsiCo announced a deal to buy Texas-based prebiotic soda brand Poppi. The deal was completed in May.
Poppi’s low-calorie, low-sugar sodas come in 15 flavours and are sold in retailers across the US including Kroger, Walmart, Costco, Target and Whole Foods Market. In 2024, the company generated annual sales of “north of $500m”, a Poppi spokesperson said at the time.
In February, PepsiCo rival Coca-Cola introduced its first prebiotic soda line, launching the Simply Pop brand in the US.
Some commentary from FoodDive.com
The push into better-for-you sodas comes as the White House has urged food and beverage giants to improve the health content of their products as part of its “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has singled out soda as a major contributor to the poor health of many Americans and has encouraged states to restrict low-income consumers from purchasing soda with food assistance benefits.
As consumers drink less traditional cola flavour, PepsiCo and other soda giants have to find a way to make their core beverages relevant for shoppers. During the past two years, the average number of times a consumer drinks the traditional cola flavour has dropped from 9.4 times a month to 7.7, Krishnan says. Diet colas are declining even faster.
Source: GobalData, FoodDive.com