Bill Bruce

Coke test-markets new dairy drink in New York

Bill Bruce is group editorial director of FoodBev Media

Coca-Cola is reportedly test-marketing a new carbonated milk drink in New York called ‘Vio’. It’s available in four flavours: very berry, peach mango, tropical colada and citrus burst, and is positioned as a refreshment drink rather than a milk nutritional product.

Early marketing materials seen by FoodBev.com describe Vio as, ‘The world’s first vibrancy drink – so delicious and effervescent, you just have to try it to believe it’.

It’s being distributed by independent AMI Brands through natural food retailers, delis and small speciality retailers.

The 8oz aluminium bottle’s label says that Vio uses ‘natural flavours’, contains skimmed milk and cream and is sweetened with cane sugar. It contains 15% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.

The project appears to be being handled by Coca-Cola North America’s ‘Venture and Emerging Brands’ unit, but according to US industry journal Beverage Digest, it’s thought to be part of a wide Coke initiative called ‘Project Life’, which may produce milk-based products for North America, Europe and some developing markets.

Vio is already a Coke brand name in Germany as a still water from the Appolinaris stable, so if this test-marketing is successful, it will be interesting to see what Coca-Cola does with the brand internationally.