Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo announced what it is calling its most ambitious feat yet, by reimagining the cola experience with a massive innovation: Nitro Pepsi. Nitro Pepsi is a nitrogen-infused cola that’s actually softer than a soft drink ― it’s creamy, smooth with a cascade of tiny bubbles topped off by a frothy foam head, the company says.
Made possible by a widget placed at the bottom of every can that more commonly has been found in beers and coffees, the technology creates the frothy, foamy, smooth texture unique to Nitro Pepsi, it adds. Nitro Pepsi also does not look and taste like a traditional cola or soda, and in fact, it’s best consumed differently as well, it notes.
Although Nitro Pepsi is enjoyed from the can, there are a few steps that can be taken for optimal consumption.
• Best served cold, ideally without ice.
• Best “hard poured” or fully inverted into a tall glass.
• Best enjoyed sipped directly from the glass (rather than through a straw), allowing the foam head to leave a frothy, foamy mustache.
Nitro Pepsi will be available in two flavors ― Draft Cola and Vanilla Draft Cola ― in newly designed cans in both single serve and four-pack varieties.
“While soda has been a beverage of choice for so many consumers over the past century, some people still cite heavy carbonation as a barrier to enjoying an ice-cold cola. With this in mind, we wanted to come up with a new way for people to enjoy delicious Pepsi cola, but with a new experience around the bubbles,” said Todd Kaplan, vice president of marketing for Pepsi, in a statement. “Nitro Pepsi is a first-of-its-kind innovation that creates a smooth, creamy, delicious taste experience for fans everywhere. Much like how nitrogen has transformed the beer and coffee categories, we believe Nitro Pepsi is a huge leap forward for the cola category and will redefine cola for years to come.”
Pepsi announced its intent to use this nitro technology in 2019 and has been working tirelessly to build out this innovation ever since, according to the company. Nitro Pepsi will be available nationwide on March 28. Accompanying the rollout will be a fully integrated marketing campaign including a new national TV commercial that reinforces the smooth and creamy experience of Nitro Pepsi. In addition, consumers will be able to try Nitro Pepsi ‘on tap’ for the first time beginning March 25 in the Sky Lounge at The High Roller Observation Wheel at THE LINQ Promenade on the Las Vegas Strip.
