Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback

Pepsi Bets on Soda With All-Natural Ingredients

PepsiCo is adding three new soft drinks to its portfolio as part of the company’s “Refresh Everything” strategy.

The lineup includes a premium all-natural cola, called Pepsi Natural, to be released this month in 10 select markets, along with limited-time throwback versions in April of Pepsi and Mountain Dew. All three products will be made with all-natural sugar, and aim to take customers in a different taste direction.

Pepsi has been prepping this “natural” launch since 2006 as an answer to consumers' concerns about high fructose corn syrup.

Pepsi Natural is packaged in a sleek 12-oz. glass bottle and will be available in retailers’ premium or natural food aisles as single-serve or four-pack offerings. The cola is amber hued due to natural caramel, kola nut and apple extracts, and is made with “lightly sparkling water.”

Distribution includes Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Ore., Las Vegas and New York.

The two memory-lane beverages, Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, will have 1960s and ’70s inspired retro packaging and a flavor distinct from the current beverages. The retro soft drinks will be available for eight weeks starting April 20.

“Pepsi Natural and the ‘Throwback’ duo give consumers the opportunity to refresh how they experience soft drinks,” said Frank Cooper, vp of portfolio brands, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages, in a statement. “We’re continuing to offer a variety of products across different beverage categories, with a splash of nostalgia and entirely new experiences.”

PepsiCo spent $214 million on U.S. media for its soft drinks in 2007 and $177 million last year (not including online initiatives), per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.