Coke jumps on a nostalgic trend with new Coca-Cola Orange Cream flavor

A year after the launch of the short-lived Coca-Cola Spiced, Coke added another new flavor to its lineup. Coca-Cola Orange Cream went on sale on February 10 in the U.S. and Canada. It is sold in regular and zero-sugar varieties. Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. said that it developed the soda, which mixes cola with orange and vanilla flavors, in response to growing consumer demand for the comforting, nostalgic flavor. Orange cream—first introduced with the Creamsicle ice cream bar in 1937—has enjoyed a recent renaissance. Olipop, a prebiotic soda, introduced an orange cream flavor in 2021. Carvel reintroduced its Orange Dreamy Creamy ice cream last year for the first time since 1972. Wendy's also debuted an Orange Dreamsicle Frosty last spring. Coca-Cola has been experimenting with new flavors to help keep customers engaged with its signature product. In 2022, it launched Coca-Cola Creations, a series of limited-edition Coke flavors in colorful cans and bottles. Coke added hints of coconut, strawberry, and even Oreos to the drinks. The company introduced raspberry-flavored Coca-Cola Spiced last February 2024, saying the offering would be a permanent addition to its lineup. But the company abruptly pulled Coca-Cola Spiced off the market in September, saying it would be replaced with a new flavor this year. Coke said Coca-Cola Orange Cream won’t be a permanent flavor but would remain on sale at least through the first quarter of 2026. In an interview last year, Coca-Cola’s North American marketing chief, Shakir Moin, said it used to take the company at least a year to develop a new product. But it’s trying to move more quickly. “Consumers are moving faster. The market is moving forward faster. We’ve got to be faster than the speed of the market,” he said. This article was provided by The Associated Press.