Big news, guys. For the first time in nearly 40 years, Pepsi has been dethroned as America’s second favorite soda. (Yes, I said second, no one can beat Old King Coca-Cola.) Dr Pepper, first concocted in 1885 making it the oldest of the top three, has officially seized silver with a very slight but still notable margin. Dr Pepper and Pepsi technically tie with the rate of 8.3% of the US soda market, while Coca-Cola leaves everyone in the dust (recycling bin?) claiming 19.2%. Many congratulations on your 139-years-in-the-making victory, Doctor.
Dr Pepper is officially the second favorite soda in the country!
According to new analytics data provided by Beverage Digest, Dr Pepper surpassed longstanding runner-up Pepsi to become the second most popular soda in the U.S. in 2023 behind top favorite Coke.
Dr Pepper secured the second-most favorite by a slight margin over Pepsi, which previously held the position since 1985, per CNN. Both drinks, however, tied with a soda market rate of 8.3%.
This wasn’t enough though to beat Coke — which holds steady at the top position with 19.2% of the soda market captured in the country last year. Other brands owned by Coca-Cola rounded out the top five, with Sprite in fourth position at 8.1% and Diet Coke in fifth at 7.8%.
Dr Pepper was founded in Waco, Texas, a year before Coca-Cola was created in 1885 and Pepsi in 1893. The brand’s increasing popularity is due to its many flavors, investments in strategic marketing and distribution efforts, Digest reported.
Editor of Digest Duane Stanford told CNN following the results, “Dr Pepper has been gaining, [Pepsi] has been declining, and they’re meeting in the middle.”
Dr Pepper’s new entry in the top two favorite sodas comes after the release of the brand’s range’s 24th flavor, Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut, in May.
The limited-time flavor, available in regular and zero sugar versions, has “layers of tropical coconut flavor and a delicious, creamy finish” and is the “only coconut-cream-flavored dark soda on the market,” per a press release.
In an exclusive first look and taste of the new summer-inspired drink, PEOPLE noted a distinct tropical scent upon opening the regular and zero sugar cans, providing a nice balance of the coconut flavor, which is reminiscent of a virgin pina colada, with the taste of the beloved soda.
Don’t mind me, I’m just cleaning up after barfing over the mere mention of Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut. Just because some flavors can be put together, doesn’t mean they should be! I’m pretty sure I would rather suffer through a sip of 7-Eleven’s hot dog seltzer (which was an April Fool’s gag, after all) than a creamy coconut soda. Blech. That’s it, I can’t talk about it anymore or I’m gonna hurl again.
I am not a Dr Pepper imbiber myself (Coca-Cola, on the rocks), but I have encountered a smattering of Dr Pepper enthusiasts, and they are the most fervent beverage fans I have ever seen. In our office we have a soda bin in the fridge marked “For Clients Only.” Us worker bees mutually and silently understood this to mean “For Staff Only.” Leaning heavily on the Coke products (regular, diet, zero) along with some Canada Dry ginger ales, a couple months ago I noticed the addition of Diet Dr Pepper. This came at the request of two of my coworkers who very diligently ensure that they split the wares evenly and restock in a timely fashion. Naturally I consulted these colleagues for comments on this breaking news. Coworker 1 said “Those 23 just do it!” referring to the drink’s signature 23 flavor blend. Coworker 2 claimed it was the best of all the diet sodas, then really raised the stakes by saying, “There aren’t many things in life that I really love…” but Diet Dr Pepper was one of them. To my utter disappointment, and despite my best efforts at teeing each of them up, neither responded with, “Because it makes the world taste better.”
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