PepsiCo, Unilever unveil zero sugar sweet tea 

US – Pepsi Lipton Partnership, a joint venture between PespiCo and Unilever, has unveiled its latest addition under Pure leaf brand, Pure Leaf tea, marking the brands entry into the zero-sugar sweet tea category. 

The tea, which is reaching store shelves this month, is sweetened with a blend that includes sucralose and acesulfame potassium. 

Pure Leaf is the latest beverage brand to introduce a no-sugar offering as more consumers look to curtail sugar or calorie consumption to improve their health. 

The Pepsi Lipton partnership already sells Lipton with zero sugar in Europe. It’s the first no-sugar launch in the U.S. for the 32-year-old Pepsi Lipton Partnership. 

Raheja-Perera said the new Pure Leaf tea offering will help the brand satisfy additional consumer occasions and needs. She noted that the “top barrier” preventing people from buying a tea brand is the absence of a zero-sugar alternative. 

The decision by Pure Leaf to move into zero-sugar sweet tea is hardly surprising. Consumers have been curtailing their sugar intake for several years as they pay closer attention to their health and what goes into their bodies. 

“This was a key one that we’ve been looking at for some time. We are looking to attract new people into our brand that otherwise may have an interest in zero sugar or wanting something with zero calories,” Raheja-Perera said. “Now, we have that proposition which we’ve never had.” 

According to a study by Kerry, about seven in 10 respondents indicate an urge to reduce sugary drink consumption opting for healthier options. 

Pure Leaf is the second best-selling brand in the canned and bottled tea category, according to Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. For the 52 weeks ended Feb. 25, Pure Leaf narrowly trailed Arizona with US$989 million in sales.   

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