THE SODA AISLE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITING — HERE ARE 6 BRANDS TO TRY
Fruity, tart, and fizzy, these innovative sodas will cool you off this summer.
The mission of new soda brands is a good one: keep soda fun and make it something you can drink all day long. During the 2024 Super Bowl, soda company Poppi broadcasted an ad called “The Future of Soda is Now.” Amidst footage of rocket launches and break dancers, over 125 million viewers heard: “This will be the last moment you ever think of soda as being a dirty word.”
And they’re right, soda shouldn’t carry any shame, and thanks to innovative new brands coupled with an embrace of old classics, soda is in a new era. With vibrant colors, natural flavors, and independently-owned brands, the soda aisle has never looked more diverse, and frankly, more delicious.
Related: A New Wave of Drinks Are Taking on Big Soda — and Winning
To discover the best new-age soda has to offer, we tasted over 100 flavors from nearly 20 new brands. Read on for six sodas that seamlessly blend flavor and nostalgia into a single can.
Best flavor combinations: Wildwonder
Rosa Li founded Wildwonder to blend her love of local California produce with her grandma’s recipes for herbal brewed tonics. Each of Wildwonder’s eight flavors tastes like biting into a ripe whole fruit. Our favorite, Mango Gold, is sweetened with monk fruit and agave syrup and has mouthwatering acidity balanced from a hit of black pepper and turmeric. $44 for 12 cans at drinkwildwonder.com.
Most restorative: Culture Pop
This soda is packed with priobiotics that support digestion. Culture Pop offers creative, fruity flavor combination, such as wild berries and lime, pine grapefruit and ginger, and strawberry and rhubarb, that also incorporate herbs and spices like rosemary, cardamom, and cacao. $33 for 12 cans at drinkculturepop.com.
What is stevia?
An early calorie-free sweetener, stevia comes from the leafy Stevia rebaudiana plant. It’s far sweeter than sugar so a small quantity goes a long way. It can have a medicinal, anise-like aftertaste which can be muted in intensely flavored sodas like root beer.
Family favorite: Fresh Fizz Sodas
Produced in New York State, Fresh Fizz sweetens its sodas with honey and, for its Date Cola, date syrup. While each of the four sodas are stellar, the Sparkling Mint Lemonade is super refreshing, with round honeyed notes that will transport you to a roadside lemonade stand. $32 for 12 cans at freshfizzsodas.com.
What is monk fruit?
Derived from the luo han guo (monk fruit) plant native to Southern China, this extract can be up to 250 times as sweet as traditional sugar. It is also antioxidant rich, making it a go-to for wellness-branded sodas. Given its intensity, monk fruit extract can have a cloying aftertaste.
Made for chill: Something & Nothing
U.K.-based soda brand Something & Northing is the cool girl of the soda world. Their barely sweet Cucumber, Yuzu, and Hibiscus & Rose sodas having calming herbal notes and are made for carefree sipping over ice. For a bit of booze, try their line of sake- and wine-based spritzes with the same great flavors. $38 for 12 cans at us.somethingandnothing.co.
Related: The 10 Best Drinking Glasses, According to Our Tests
Best fruit flavors: United Sodas of America
United Sodas of America produces drinks you'll never tire of in flavors like White Grape and Cherry Pop. The original formula contained erythritol but the brand has phased it out, opting for stevia and cane sugar to create a balanced sweetness that's perfect for the beach and bodega alike. Plus, their chic monochrome packaging is a soda aisle standout. $35 for 12 cans at unitedsodas.com.
What is erythritol?
Erythritol is a low-calorie sugar substitute derived from fermented corn used in products like Splenda. Since it is water-soluble and has a relatively neutral flavor, erythritol is a popular ingredient in sodas, but try to avoid it: Recent studies by the National Institutes of Health suggest it can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and other issues.
Most next gen: Poppi
Founded in 2020, Poppi has taken the soda sector by storm thanks to their Gen-Z-friendly branding, engaged social media presence, and variety of flavors. Their cherry limeade flavor rivals anything you could get at an old fashioned soda shop, with a zippy hit of acidity from apple cider vinegar. $30 for 12 cans at drinkpoppi.com.
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2024-07-04T12:05:50Z dg43tfdfdgfd