Coca-Cola has launched a new limited-time beverage—Sprite + Tea—blending the classic lemon-lime soda with tea, a concept that originated from a viral Instagram trend where users steep tea bags directly into Sprite. The drink, available through October, comes in both regular and zero-sugar versions.
This flavor mashup was initially sparked by a creative intern-led research project that evolved through multiple rounds of consumer testing, aiming to achieve the ideal flavor, texture, and visual appeal.
“When the tea-in-Sprite trend took off on Instagram, racking up millions of views, we knew we had tapped into something special,” said A.P. Chaney, senior creative director of sparkling beverages at Coca-Cola. “It was validation that paying attention to what consumers are doing—and joining their daily rituals—can lead to something exciting.”
Sprite, which recently became the third best-selling soft drink by volume in the U.S., continues to innovate with new limited-edition flavors. The new Sprite + Tea follows the path of earlier launches like Sprite Lymonade (2019), Strawberry Sprite Lymonade (2023), and Sprite Chill (2024).
As Coca-Cola competes with PepsiCo’s Starry and wellness-forward brands like Poppi and Olipop, the company is increasingly turning to platforms like Instagram to spot trends and build culturally relevant products that resonate with younger consumers.