When 7UP decided to go "natural," my cynicism radar went into high alert. If one can feel sorry for any soft drink these days, it's 7UP.
The bubbly formula you may remember helping you with the flu during childhood has gone through a few changes. Of course, if you are of a certain age, you remember 7UP with sugar before the high-fructose corn syrup horror. On top of that, 7UP changed its formula a few years back.
Now, 7UP changed it again to be natural. The ingredient list is filtered carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, natural citric acid, natural flavors, and natural potassium citrate. The sodium got reduced from 75mg to 40mg per 12 oz. can with the substitution of potassium citrate for sodium citrate.
I debate whether HFCS is natural, but it is an intriguing step. The issue of soft drinks and benzenes has been high in the news chain lately, so the timing is also good. It does make you wonder why benzenes need to be in soft drinks.
Whether it will be successful marketing-wise is debatable. Mountain Dew had similar image problems many years ago, and is now one of the hottest soft drinks. If 7UP really wants to be different, it will go back to the original formula with natural ingredients and cane sugar. The Baby Boomers alone could give 7UP real market share growth.
Here comes the part where I say "should I taste this?" If 7UP in Canada or Mexico does the same thing, I will try that. But my days of drinking HFCS in a pop can are over. But if you have tried it, please let me know.
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