Coca-Cola Launches New Mocha Coffee Flavor! Is Coffee and Coke a Good Combination?

In August 2020, Coca-Cola launched three Coke varieties containing coffee liquid in the United States: Caramel Coffee Coke, Vanilla Coffee Coke, and Dark Coffee Coke. Shortly after hitting shelves, the coffee-infused colas became a huge hit with American consumers. Riding the momentum, Coca-Cola added coffee liquid to America's favorite sugar-free (Zero) Coke as well, rolling out Zero Sugar Vanilla Coffee Coke and Zero Sugar Dark Coffee Coke. By late January 2021, all five varieties of "Coffee Coke" were officially on the market.

Truthfully, "Coffee Coke" was not a first. Before the US launch, many regions had already tried colas with coffee extract or coffee-flavored colas. Consumers showed little interest each time, and every attempt ended in discontinuation.

But Coca-Cola's Chief Technology Officer was undeterred by the string of failures. He believed there was a market for "Coffee Coke" - previous launches had simply been poorly timed. So he turned his attention to American consumers who love novel flavors.

And just as he expected, "Coffee Coke" took off in the US. Consumers were willing to try new beverage flavors, the reformulated rounder flavor profiles landed well, and the branding strategy was excellent. One year later, Coca-Cola announced that on February 7, 2022, a new flavor of "Coffee Coke" would launch in select US regions: Mocha Coffee flavor!

The New Mocha Coffee Collection

Last year's "Coffee Coke" used Brazilian coffee; the new release features mocha coffee! (Here, "mocha coffee" means coffee liquid with dark chocolate flavor notes - not a milk coffee with chocolate syrup stirred in.) The new mocha "Coffee Coke" line is even bigger, totaling eight different options: Vanilla Coffee Coke, Zero Sugar Vanilla Coffee Coke, Cherry Vanilla Coffee Coke, Zero Sugar Cherry Vanilla Coffee Coke, Cherry Coffee Coke, Zero Sugar Cherry Coffee Coke, Decaf Mocha Coffee Coke, and Zero Sugar Decaf Mocha Coffee Coke.

Distinctive Packaging Design

To set the mocha coffee colas apart from the original Brazilian coffee versions (the first can in the image above), the packaging was completely redesigned with vibrant colors and different can shapes. Latte-colored cans indicate vanilla flavor, magenta stands for cherry, and two-tone cans signal dual flavors. A black logo marks zero sugar and zero calories, while gold can tops indicate caffeine-free options.

Before writing this article, I asked a colleague: "Between coffee-flavored Coke and Coke-flavored coffee, which would you pick?" The answer: "I'd drink them separately!"

So - with this new "Coffee Coke" release, are you tempted to try it again?

Image source: Internet

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the mocha angle - coffee crossed with dark chocolate - has you craving the real thing, go straight to the source with FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon. As a classic single-origin from Brazil's renowned Cerrado region, this medium-roasted red bourbon presents dense notes of cream, peanut, toasted bread, caramel, and hazelnut, with a round, low-acid body and just a whisper of bitterness - the same balanced profile that makes Brazilian beans the backbone of so many cola and coffee hybrids.

For a naturally sweeter take on Brazilian character, FrontStreet Coffee's Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon - a rare yellow bourbon mutation grown on the fertile red volcanic soil of Mogiana - reveals a clean sugarcane sweetness alongside fruit and chocolate notes, whether you brew it as pour-over, moka pot, or with a home espresso machine.