There’s something about familiar taste and smell. It helps you revive memories —hopefully, the ones you would like to relive.
It’s funny how our brains are wired. One bite of a homemade apple pie or a sip of your favorite drink can trigger a memory that’s etched in our minds, activating nostalgia, while at the same time evoking that warm and cozy feeling we once had.
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Soft drinks can have the same appeal and effect. That’s why people sometimes long for a specific product that has been discontinued. Often, it’s about more than just the taste. And that’s why the beverage is irreplaceable.
The soda market is huge. It was valued at $613.2 million in 2024, and it is expected to reach $895.2 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% in the next five years, according to GrandViewResearch.
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Soda-based drinks are immensely popular among Generation X and Millennials, who are shaping market trends. Consumers favor carbonated drinks with an acidic bite, a kind of soft tingling that offers a refreshing sensation with every sip.
Based on the report, the cola flavor segment held the biggest revenue last year. However, fruit-based and lemon-lime flavors are becoming increasingly popular.
One soda that was hugely popular in the 1980s is now making a strong and surprising comeback.
PepsiCo’s Sprite rival, Slice, is making a strong and surprising comeback.
Image source: Shutterstock
Relaunching is a pragmatic, yet challenging choice
Remember Slice soda? It was launched by PepsiCo back in 1984 to rival Sprite and 7-Up, featuring a lemon-lime flavor and 10% real fruit juice. Over time, the brand expanded to other flavors, such as orange, apple, and cherry cola; however, it was discontinued in the 2000s.
It made a brief comeback as a low-calorie sparkling water brand in 2018.
Now, under a new owner, Slice is ready for a major comeback. It also comes with a surprising twist that should answer today’s health-focused consumer demands.
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A company known for its organic juices and boosters, Suja Life acquired the brand and relaunched it in January. The idea of rebranding and relaunching an old iconic brand instead of building a new one is a pragmatic one.
“We know what it takes to build a brand from the ground up. It’s not easy,” said Director of Brand Marketing Jamie Berle, according to FoodDive.
Instead of starting from scratch, Suja Life decided to accelerate the process. But this, too, presents challenges.
Excerpts highlight the difficult balance between satisfying legacy consumers who are familiar with the product, while at the same time making changes that should attract new customers and match current trends.
Suja Life is trying to do exactly that with a healthier version of Slice.
Healthier choice brings different opinions
Slice comes back with the same flavors and bubbles it once had. However, its formula has been upgraded by reducing grams of sugar, eliminating high fructose corn syrup, and adding a blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics.
As of May 2025, Target carries a minimum of four flavors of the new Slice, such as strawberry, lemon-lime, grapefruit, and orange. Grocery stores such as HEB, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, and Safeway are also offering some flavors, according to social media.
Related: Pepsi quietly discontinued popular soda it planned to bring back
Reducing sugar, removing artificial flavors, and using only non-GMO ingredients answers today’s consumers, who are more concerned about the quality of their food and drink.
In addition to making it a healthier choice, Suja Life aimed for Slice to be “at least evocative of the taste people remember,” writes TheStreet’s Daniel Kline.
“While the improved ingredients will bring a new healthy soda option to Suja Life’s portfolio, the flavors and taste profile will resemble the classic, nostalgic sodas people know and love. The relaunch of Slice will not just be an all-natural, low-calorie soda, but one that delivers advantages for gut health with superior nutrition, function, and taste,” the company said.
About a month ago, consumers took the Slice comeback news to Reddit, where users shared their sentiments on the revival.
Opinions are divided. Some users say the new Slice doesn’t taste at all like the iconic beverage, others praise it for tasting better than Sprite, some criticize the $3 price tag, and others are eager to try it because it contains probiotics and prebiotics.
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