Beverage Digest released the top 10 brands for 2010, and unfortunately Coke Zero missed the cut, again, probably due to strong growth from Diet Dew and Diet Dr Pepper. Pepsi and Diet Pepsi suffered huge losses, and Diet Coke is now cemented as the #2 brand.

Red Bull posted strong growth numbers, as did Hansen. But Pepsi's distribution of Rockstar increased their business almost 20%! That's incredible. I didn't know the brand could be grown that much, it seems like it stalled with us.

Anyway, the official results:

http://www.beverage-digest.com/pdf/top-10_2011.pdf

Found this story on the main page of today's Chicago Tribune web page.

Diet Coke unseats Pepsi as No. 2 cola

Why do so many people buy Diet Coke?

Coke Zero >> Diet Coke.

Originally Posted by SodaFan16

Why do so many people buy Diet Coke?

Coke Zero >> Diet Coke.

Either way, it's a good problem to have if you are Coke.

I'm curious as to the role of Throwback. It's popular enough to become a permanent offering, and what else could its sales cannibalize?

Coke Zero and Diet Coke are not the same drink. Diet coke has been around for ages and loyal Diet Coke drinkers are not going to switch to Zero.

Fanta At #10? They should break it down by flavor. Why not combined the diet and regular colas?

Official word: Coke Zero is #11.

Coke Zero would be doing even better if the Coca-Cola company wouldn't keep holding it back. I think that they wanted Diet Coke to pass Pepsi so badly (for bragging rights), that they've been reluctant to push Coke Zero at restaurants & fountains... so it wouldn't compete with Diet Coke.

Now that Diet Coke is #2, perhaps they'll set Coke Zero free...

I just crunched the numbers (based on the Beverage Digest article), and if Coke Zero continues growing at it's current rate of 17.5%, it will enter the Top Ten in 2-3 years... probably ousting Fanta from the #10 spot.

My projections:

2011: 160.3 (million cases)
2012: 188.3
2013: 221.3

If CZ is added to McDonald's fountains (on a wide scale), then it might happen even faster.

It's also time to release a Caffeine Free version of Coke Zero.