Think back to a time around 5 years ago, and try to think of the “it” drink that everybody was racing to get their hands on. If you thought of coconut water, you’d be absolutely correct. During the craze, soft drink giant Coca-Cola decided to get in on the action by releasing Zico back in 2009. It shortly became the second best selling coconut water on the market.
Zico Coconut Water Is Being Discontinued
About a decade after Zico’s release, the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the global economy, and some cost-cutting measures Coca-Cola includes cutting several products, including Zico.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Coca-Cola is paring down its whole drink lineup, with a spokesperson saying that the company is “hyper focused on delivering on our consumers’ wants and needs.”
Some other drinks that are on the potential chopping block include Northern Neck Ginger Ale, Delaware Punch, and even drinks like Diet Coke Feisty Cherry and Coke Life, which is a low calorie alternative to the classic Coca-Cola soda.
However, it’s been made clear that Zico will be done by the end of the year. Part of the issue for the drink is the fact that interest in coconut has significantly declined.
Zico was never able to overtake competitor Vita Coco, but the whole coconut water sector saw a drop in sales by over a fifth beginning in 2015. Coca-Cola has been putting fewer resources into Zico as of late, and a spokesperson shared that “this decision was not made lightly.”
There’s Been An Overall Decline In Coconut Water Sales
But Zico is not the only huge Coca-Cola drink that has been on the chopping block. In 2001, the drinks company acquired smoothie company Odwalla, but recently announced that it plans to discontinue the buyout.
In July, many customers struggled to find their Coca-Cola brand favorites due to an aluminum can shortage that was due to the pandemic. This led the company to prioritize packaging best-sellers instead, so some products temporarily were not to be found.
