It’s a fascinating time to be a consumer at U.S. grocery stores right now.
Brands and companies are constantly iterating, trying to identify the next big food craze that every shopper might grapple for.
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Several years ago one of the biggest trends was plant-based or alternative meats.
Many customers have voiced concern about sustainability issues with traditional beef, and others were just looking for a way to swap their burgers for something else.
So brands like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat shot up in popularity, baffling customers with their near-identical appearance to traditional beef.
Now, you’d be hard pressed to find a grocery store or burger shop that doesn’t also offer a vegan option.
A customer shops for fruit juices at a Walmart in Miami.
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The drink industry is growing
The beverage industry has also seen substantial recent growth.
Some folks might be trying to break a daily soda habit, so they’re branching out and trying other carbonated beverages, like gut healthy Poppi, Olipop, or Kombucha.
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Others might be trying more exotic flavors; this year Coca-Cola (KO) released an Oreo flavored Coke as a limited edition soda and it immediately garnered attention on social media.
Walmart gets an exclusive new soda
And now Walmart (WMT) is getting an exclusive new soda flavor.
Beginning in June, Walmart will begin carrying Mountain Dew Dragonfruit, a new flavor that will taste like the pink tropical fruit. The PepsiCo (PEP) product will be available in cans and bottles, and Walmart has not said the flavor is limited edition, so it could be around for a while.
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For now, there is no zero sugar option, though that’s always subject to change depending on the success of the product.
This isn’t Walmart’s first exclusive Mountain Dew flavor. It also carries Frostbite, which is described as “a burst of icy refreshment and cool melon” flavor. Frostbite had a mixed reception and is expected to be discontinued this spring.
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