Coca-Cola Releases ‘Coffee Plus’ Flavor in 2 Overseas Markets

By Colin Fredericson
September 30, 2017 Last Updated: October 1, 2017
A model drinks a Coca-Cola in Paris, on Sept. 26, 2017. (Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images)

Coca-Cola is selling a coffee-flavored cola beverage in Japan and Australia.

The beverage was spotted earlier this month. Coca-Cola Coffee Plus has one set of packaging that resembles the size and shape of Red Bull and other energy drinks that come in slim cans, and another style that looks like a more compact version of a 20-ounce plastic Coca-Cola bottle. Another photo shows a can that resembles the classic Coca-Cola glass bottles, according to a video by Mashable.

The caffeine content of the new drink is somewhere down the middle, leaning less in the coffee direction and staying in cola territory. Its 14 mg of caffeine per serving compares well with regular Coca-Cola, at 9 mg, but is quite a bit less than a cappuccino, which has around 49 mg.

The drink sells in Australia with no sugar, but the version sold on the Japanese market doesn’t do away with the sugar. The drink is being marketed as a late afternoon drink.

A statement obtained by Mashable from Coca-Cola Australia spokeswoman Lisa Winn describes the drink.

“It’s a fresh take on the delicious taste of Coca-Cola Classic but with the unmistakable aroma of real coffee and some subtle caramel undertones.”

People working at Mashable gave their opinions of the drink.

“It’s weird, but I would drink it,” said one employee.

“It’s like fake coffee. It’s gross,” said another one.

Opinions from Japan suggest people are still getting accustomed to the drink.

“To be honest it is not a fragrance that seems to be very tasty,” according to a comment translated from Japanese language website Shin-Shouhin. “I do not think it’s delicious, but it’s not as bad as I thought.”

According to Japan blog site SoraNews24, the drink contains coffee extract powder mixed with cola, and has half the calories of regular Coke. SoraNews24 published a taste test done by staff, and they say the beverage smells exactly like canned coffee, even though it tastes more like soda. It is also extremely fizzy.

Coca-Cola Coffee Plus resembles an earlier effort of the same flavor combination by the company. The information in English is scarce, but there are videos that prove the existence of Coca-Cola Blak. The product seemingly didn’t make much of a splash in the United States, and there is no way of knowing if Coca-Cola will ever release its new coffee combination product here, either.