Pepsi launched a new mid-calorie soda Monday in an effort to win back customers looking to avoid artificial sweeteners and the chemicals found in diet sodas.
Pepsi True, which comes in at 60 calories for a 7.5-ounce can (a regular 7.5-ounce Pepsi has 100 calories) is made with a combination of sugar and stevia extract — and no high-fructose corn syrup. It’s currently available only on Amazon.com, but the company plans to roll it out to other online retailers, then certain grocery stores next year.
Like Coca-Cola Life, a mid-calorie soda that launched in some Fresh Market locations in the Southern United States in August, the packaging for Pepsi True is green, emphasizing the “all natural” aspects of the soda.
The Daily News Taste Kitchen tried the soda and found that unlike diet sodas that have a saccharine chemical taste, the Pepsi True was a lot smoother. It did, however, have slight notes of the stevia amped-up sweetness.
“It’s got about 30% fewer calories than regular Pepsi,” said one taster. “And it’s about that same amount as tasty.”
The beverage drew questions about who was the target demographic for the drink.
“It’s a canned contradiction, because if you’re trying to be healthy, you’re really supposed to avoid soda,” said another taster. “Why grant yourself such a small indulgence when flavored seltzer is just as good?”
Pepsi is not the first soft drink company to make a beverage available only through Amazon. Last month, Coca-Cola reintroduced Surge, a bright green citrus soda popular in the 1990s, through the online retailer.
gpace@nydailynews.com