Coke is #1

[Guest guest]

USA Today reports Coke is #1

Vanilla Coke in the wings?

ATLANTA (AP) — Coca-Cola is developing a vanilla-flavored version of its

best-selling flagship cola, a report says, extending the company's palette of

flavorings from Cherry Coke and Diet Coke with lemon.

The nation's largest soft drink company has prepared samples of packaging for

the new drink, which will be sold initially only in North America, according

to Beverage Digest, which reported on the vanilla flavor's pending

introduction in its current issue.

Coke officials declined to comment on the report.

" It is not yet an absolute certainty, but I think it's very likely that

they'll launch a line extension of Coke Classic, " Beverage Digest editor

Sicher said Monday. " It's become very clear in the last year or two that new

products and innovation are an important component of marketing and drives

growth. "

The magazine first reported on the vanilla Coke research in November.

Coca-Cola Classic remained the nation's top-selling soft drink last year,

even though its sales dropped 2%, according to recent market research.

Analysts said Coke likely hopes to emulate the success of rival PepsiCo,

which has seen sales soar for Code Red, a red version of its highly caffeinated

Mountain Dew.

" Growth has mitigated to a large extent, and the Coca-Cola's and Pepsi's of

the world need to look at various innovative products, " said Skip Carpenter

with Weisel Partners. " They're really trying to leverage trademarks. "

Regardless of how it might taste, vanilla offers Coke Classic something its

managers have been hunting fervently the past few years — buzz.

" I think they are excited about the prospect of adding some news to their

flagship brand, " said Marc Cohen, a beverage analyst with Goldman Sachs. " When

you think about other beverage products ... the No. 1 flavor added to products

is cherry. No. 2 is vanilla. "

But don't expect to see a vanilla-flavored Pepsi anytime soon.

" It's not something we're looking at, " said spokesman Larry Jabbonsky of

Pepsi. " We think it's a bit vanilla. "

[Guest guest]

Interesting article about Coke. I remember, when I was a teenager in the late

50's you could go to the local drug store snack bar and get flavored coke. I

ignored the diabeties and would buy a vanila or lemon coke with my friends.

There was no diet anything then except Fizzies.

Coke is #1

USA Today reports Coke is #1

Vanilla Coke in the wings?

ATLANTA (AP) — Coca-Cola is developing a vanilla-flavored version of its

best-selling flagship cola, a report says, extending the company's palette of

flavorings from Cherry Coke and Diet Coke with lemon.

The nation's largest soft drink company has prepared samples of packaging for

the new drink, which will be sold initially only in North America, according

to Beverage Digest, which reported on the vanilla flavor's pending

introduction in its current issue.

Coke officials declined to comment on the report.

" It is not yet an absolute certainty, but I think it's very likely that

they'll launch a line extension of Coke Classic, " Beverage Digest editor

Sicher said Monday. " It's become very clear in the last year or two that new

products and innovation are an important component of marketing and drives

growth. "

The magazine first reported on the vanilla Coke research in November.

Coca-Cola Classic remained the nation's top-selling soft drink last year,

even though its sales dropped 2%, according to recent market research.

Analysts said Coke likely hopes to emulate the success of rival PepsiCo,

which has seen sales soar for Code Red, a red version of its highly caffeinated

Mountain Dew.

" Growth has mitigated to a large extent, and the Coca-Cola's and Pepsi's of

the world need to look at various innovative products, " said Skip Carpenter

with Weisel Partners. " They're really trying to leverage trademarks. "

Regardless of how it might taste, vanilla offers Coke Classic something its

managers have been hunting fervently the past few years — buzz.

" I think they are excited about the prospect of adding some news to their

flagship brand, " said Marc Cohen, a beverage analyst with Goldman Sachs. " When

you think about other beverage products ... the No. 1 flavor added to products

is cherry. No. 2 is vanilla. "

But don't expect to see a vanilla-flavored Pepsi anytime soon.

" It's not something we're looking at, " said spokesman Larry Jabbonsky of

Pepsi. " We think it's a bit vanilla. "

[Guest guest]

Interesting article about Coke. I remember, when I was a teenager in the late

50's you could go to the local drug store snack bar and get flavored coke. I

ignored the diabeties and would buy a vanila or lemon coke with my friends.

There was no diet anything then except Fizzies.

Coke is #1

USA Today reports Coke is #1

Vanilla Coke in the wings?

ATLANTA (AP) — Coca-Cola is developing a vanilla-flavored version of its

best-selling flagship cola, a report says, extending the company's palette of

flavorings from Cherry Coke and Diet Coke with lemon.

The nation's largest soft drink company has prepared samples of packaging for

the new drink, which will be sold initially only in North America, according

to Beverage Digest, which reported on the vanilla flavor's pending

introduction in its current issue.

Coke officials declined to comment on the report.

" It is not yet an absolute certainty, but I think it's very likely that

they'll launch a line extension of Coke Classic, " Beverage Digest editor

Sicher said Monday. " It's become very clear in the last year or two that new

products and innovation are an important component of marketing and drives

growth. "

The magazine first reported on the vanilla Coke research in November.

Coca-Cola Classic remained the nation's top-selling soft drink last year,

even though its sales dropped 2%, according to recent market research.

Analysts said Coke likely hopes to emulate the success of rival PepsiCo,

which has seen sales soar for Code Red, a red version of its highly caffeinated

Mountain Dew.

" Growth has mitigated to a large extent, and the Coca-Cola's and Pepsi's of

the world need to look at various innovative products, " said Skip Carpenter

with Weisel Partners. " They're really trying to leverage trademarks. "

Regardless of how it might taste, vanilla offers Coke Classic something its

managers have been hunting fervently the past few years — buzz.

" I think they are excited about the prospect of adding some news to their

flagship brand, " said Marc Cohen, a beverage analyst with Goldman Sachs. " When

you think about other beverage products ... the No. 1 flavor added to products

is cherry. No. 2 is vanilla. "

But don't expect to see a vanilla-flavored Pepsi anytime soon.

" It's not something we're looking at, " said spokesman Larry Jabbonsky of

Pepsi. " We think it's a bit vanilla. "