PepsiCo's Popular 90s Cola Crystal Pepsi Is Returning

PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) is bringing back its iconic clear cola of the 90s - Crystal Pepsi - to the shelves across the U.S. and Canada this summer.

On “overwhelming fan demand,” the colourless soda will be available for a limited time in 20-ounce bottles at major retailers from Jul 11 in Canada and Aug 8 in U.S.

Crystal Pepsi was launched in 1992 but sales quickly fizzled out and it was taken off shelves in 1994.

Pepsi also said that it would market the clear cola with the online game “The Crystal Pepsi Trail,’’ which is a take on a popular 90s computer game.

It seems like Pepsi is bringing back products from its past product range on a regular basis to woo consumers who are shying away from its calorie loaded soft drinks.

Beverage giants like Pepsi, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) and Dr Pepper Snapple, Group, Inc. (NYSE:DPS) have been seeing declining sales of their calorie laden soft drinks due to growing health and wellness consciousness among consumers and the related obesity concerns. Consumers are seeking beverage alternatives to sodas - seemingly healthier drinks like juices and flavored waters. In fact, the diet drinks are also under pressure due to increasing consumer concern regarding the use of artificial sweeteners.

Earlier this week, there was news of Pepsi bringing back its aspartame sweetened Diet Pepsi to U.S. shelves, less than a year after launching an aspartame-free version of the soft drink. Last August, the company had launched Diet Pepsi sweetened with sucralose to allay consumer safety concerns. However, declining sales of Diet Pepsi and increasing demand from fans of the aspartame version - via social media - pushed the company to re-introduce the Diet Pepsi with aspartame in September. Pepsi said both the aspartame and sucralose version of Diet Pepsi will be available in U.S. stores.

Pepsi carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). A stock worth considering in the beverage industry is Primo Water Corporation (NASDAQ:PRMW) , which sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).