Diet Pepsi is quietly changing its sweetener ahead of a major rebranding of the soft drink set for next month.
The change comes as PepsiCo Inc. looks to reinvigorate its namesake brands after losing market share to Coca-Cola Co. in recent years.
Cans of Diet Pepsi around the country now list a mix of two artificial sweeteners, a pairing that is commonly found in newer diet sodas. Previously, Diet Pepsi used only aspartame, which is sensitive to heat and breaks down more easily.
This summer, PepsiCo had declined to say whether it would go ahead with such a change after reports surfaced that it was testing the new sweeteners. Although the switch is intended only to help prevent the taste from degrading over time, companies are often sensitive to public perceptions that they might be tinkering with major brands. When reached for comment Sunday, PepsiCo spokeswoman Andrea Canabal said that Diet Pepsi with the new sweetener mix started hitting shelves in early December. She said the new mix will be more widely available in the coming weeks.
"It's not like a light switch. It'll start appearing as shelf space clears," she said. In January, the company is planning a major ad campaign, Canabal said, that will include a new logo with a heart and the theme "Love Every Sip."
The sweetener change will not be explicitly communicated in the ads.
In addition to aspartame, cans of Diet Pepsi found in New York, Omaha and the San Francisco Bay Area now list acesulfame potassium as an ingredient. The ingredient is often used in combination with other artificial sweeteners and can be found in a wide range of foods, including baked goods, chewing gum and gelatin desserts.
John Sicher, editor and publisher of industry tracker Beverage Digest, said the synergistic effect of mixing the two sweeteners is intended to help keep the drink's sweetening power at a constant level, making it taste fresh longer.
"A change in sweetener does not change the flavor," Sicher noted.
PepsiCo said in a statement Sunday that it was adding a "very small amount" of acesulfame potassium "to ensure consistency with every sip." The sweeteners used in Diet Pepsi vary depending on the region of the world.
The move to improve Diet Pepsi comes amid a broader push by PepsiCo to boost sales of its flagship soda. Under pressure from investors, Chief Executive Indra Nooyi this year announced that the company would step up investment in its flagship brands.
This year, PepsiCo has made several splashy moves, including a wide-ranging partnership with singer Beyonce and a multiyear deal with the National Football League to sponsor the Super Bowl halftime show. TV ads for Pepsi have also featured singer Nicki Minaj, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the boy band One Direction and international soccer stars, including Lionel Messi.
Whether the efforts will pay off with increased sales remains to be seen. In the latest quarter, PepsiCo said its soda volume in North America fell 2%, reflecting the broader decline in soft drink consumption that has plagued the industry since 1998. But the company noted that its share of the market had improved.
For now, Diet Pepsi remains the No. 7 carbonated soft drink with 4.9% of the market, according to Beverage Digest. That's down from 5.3% in 2000. Meanwhile, Diet Coke's share has increased in that time to 9.6% from 8.7%. Diet Coke, which still only uses aspartame, overtook regular Pepsi to become the No. 2 soda brand in 2010.
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