Soda isn’t just soda anymore, except when it is.
Against the backdrop of an evolving market, in which gut-boosting prebiotic and probiotic sodas have reignited category momentum for a new generation of independents, United Sodas (formerly United Sodas of America) is betting that its minimalist visual approach — along with reformulated recipes — can offer consumers less-as-more.
“I’d say that the overarching goal was to stay true to the idea of being simple,” said Kate Reeder, United Sodas’ COO and Head of Brand, of the company’s slight packaging makeover, debuting today. “Our branding and design is powerfully minimal, and we bring that throughout all the elements of our customer experience.”
The update follows a period of change for the company, which was launched during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 by Brooklyn-based former corporate strategy consultant Marisa Zupan. She departed day-to-day operations in 2022, but the brand – backed by $4 million in venture capital and with Dan Herndon in as President – is aiming to reintroduce itself within the red-hot soda space this summer with a new formulation that drops much-maligned erythritol in favor of an improved blend of stevia and and cane sugar, raising the total to 8 grams (35 calories) per 12 oz. can.
Sticking with the theme of simplicity, the brand name has been given greater prominence on the can, and the Lemon Verbena flavor has been recast under the more intuitive title Lemony Lime.
Within a category that increasingly embraced functionality, United Sodas’ minimalist approach offers a refreshingly straightforward proposition; no functional ingredients means consumers “don’t have to make any decisions” outside of pleasure, said Reeder. There may be something to that notion: even as Evolution Fresh, Tru and others jump into the gut-soda space, conventional CSDs are still putting up impressive growth numbers – just ask Dr Pepper.
That position — premium to conventional soft drinks, but minus the added value from functional ingredients — prices United Soda at around $2.49 per 12 oz. can in stores, or $34.99 (with free shipping) from its website.
United Sodas’ ability to drive interest from DSDs will likely be an indicator of not only the brand’s individual potential but also for other non-functional sodas, too. The brand picked up recent wins in top markets like SoCal (with Bristol Farms) and Texas (with United Supermarkets), counting the likes of LA Distributing and Pod Foods as partners alongside broadliners KeHe and UNFI.
“We like to say that flavor is our function,” added Carli Nicholas, the brand’s Head of Marketing. “Soda, above all else, should be a really enjoyable experience and taste really good. And I feel like a lot of these new-age beverages have kind of lost the plot there.”