Coca-Cola goes low-carb
best-selling drink to target the millions of Americans following a
low-carb diet.
The company's new low-carbohydrate cola, called C2, has half the carbohydrates, calories and sugar of regular cola but tastes the same, it says.
"We're responding again to what our consumers are telling us they want," said Don Knauss, president and chief operating officer of Coca-Cola North America.
Reducing carbohydrate intake and consuming foods high in protein are the fastest growing methods for weight loss, according to data from the Natural Marketing Institute's consumer trends databases, climbing by 37 per cent and 42 per cent respectively during 2003.
It also reveals that of the two thirds of Americans trying to lose weight, 36 per cent of them have tried reducing their carbohydrate intake.
And despite the lack of approved nutrient content claim for 'low-carb' products, almost all of the biggest food and drink manufacturers have launched products tapping into the diet craze.
Coca-Cola, which will support the launch with television, radio, outdoor, cinema and Internet advertising, is using the tagline 'Half the carbs. Half the cals. All the great taste' on its new product.
More than 12 million samples are being handed out this week in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami, with the new brand reaching store shelves across the US in early June. It will also be available in Japan.
In the past two years, three out of four of Coca-Cola's new cola products have been 'diet' drinks - Diet Vanilla Coke, Diet Coke with Lemon and most recently, Diet Coke with Lime.
