Pepsi Max
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| Type | Diet Cola |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | PepsiCo, Inc. |
| Country of origin | Italy, UK |
| Introduced | April 5, 1993; (30 years ago) |
| Variants | Pepsi Max Cappucino, Pepsi Max Twist, Pepsi Max Punch |
| Related products | Pepsi ONE, Diet Pepsi |
| Website | pepsi |
Pepsi Max (also known as Pepsi Zero Sugar and Pepsi Black in some countries) is a low-calorie, sugar-free cola, marketed by PepsiCo as an alternative to Pepsi and Diet Pepsi, except for Norway, where it is the main Pepsi flavor. Pepsi Max is available primarily in Asian, European and Australia/New Zealand markets. While Pepsi Max was released in April 1993, it did not become available in the United States until 2007.
A drink with the same name but different formulation (containing ginseng and higher quantities of caffeine) was sold in the United States until it was renamed "Pepsi Zero Sugar" in late 2016.
Pepsi ONE
On 30 June 1998, acesulfame potassium finally received FDA approval. PepsiCo responded within an hour, announcing the introduction of Pepsi ONE (which reached store shelves the following October). This new variety contained the same sweeteners as Pepsi Max, but not an identical formula or flavour. Pepsi ONE was among the twelve brand names that were considered and rejected when creating Pepsi Max.
In early 2005, Pepsi ONE was revised, with Splenda brand sucralose replacing the aspartame ingredient.
Canadian formulation
Beginning in early 1994, an entirely different Pepsi Max was marketed in Canada. Now regarded as a precursor to Pepsi Edge, it was sweetened with a combination of aspartame and high fructose corn syrup. As a result, it contained 2/3 fewer calories than full-sugar colas (including regular Pepsi), but more calories than conventional diet/light colas (or the version of Pepsi Max sold elsewhere). The Canadian product was discontinued in 2002; the Diet Pepsi Max product introduced in 2008 has no direct relationship to the earlier formulation.
In popular culture
In the Nintendo 64 game Conker's Bad Fur Day and its Xbox remake, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Conker meets a scarecrow named Birdy, who asks for "Mepsipax" in return for a manual. Mepsipax is a play on words of Pepsi Max, switching the first two letters of each word.
In the fictional Borat TV series, a Pepsi Max factory is relatively responsible for the decrease in Kazakhstan's Aral Sea.
See also
References
- Kotabe, M. and Helsen, K. Global Marketing Management, John Wiley & Sons, 2004. ISBN 0-471-23062-6
External links
- Pepsi Max (Argentina)
- Pepsi Max (Australia)
- Pepsi Max (Brazil)
- Pepsi Max (United Kingdom)
- PepsiCo
- Pepsi Max page on PepsiCo UK & Ireland
- Pepsi USA Pepsi Max, brand promotional site "wakeuppeople.com".