For the first time in more than 15 years, 7UP has been reformulated.
7UP, since its creation, has been a lemon-lime-based beverage. There have been limited-time flavors along the way, like cranberry, mixed berry and pomegranate. 7UP Cherry has also become a mainstay.
But 7UP has, largely, remained unchanged. That’s changing.
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Keurig Dr Pepper announced this week that 7UP is undergoing its “biggest brand evolution in more than 15 years,” bringing lime to the forefront instead of lemon.
7UP Lime Lemon is meant to “strengthen the brand’s distinctiveness and appeal with a new generation of drinkers,” a press release shared with Nexstar explains.
“7UP has an incredible legacy, but by giving lime the spotlight, we’re rewriting the rules of the
lemon lime category,” Drew Panayiotou, the chief marketing and innovation officer for Keurig Dr Pepper, said. The company pointed to its recent “State of Beverages” report, which found that more than 70 percent of Gen Alpha and Gen Z consumers are gravitating toward citrus-forward flavors.
As an elder member of Gen Z, I felt especially qualified to try 7UP Lime Lemon. 7UP has long been a fixture in my life, from pizza parties and bowling nights to Shirley Temples and now, as an adult, Wisconsin-style old fashioneds.
I tried 7UP Lime Lemon, provided by the company, alongside 7UP Lemon Lime. It wasn’t an easy feat, though, since the lineup at my local Kroger store has almost entirely flipped to the new Lime Lemon profile. Nonetheless, a bottle of 7UP Lemon Lime was located.
You may have already noticed the new product while shopping the soda aisle near you. As part of the reformulation, 7UP has also opted for a refreshed, simpler logo and branding:
The other difference is, of course, what’s inside.
While the original lemon lime version has a noticeable lemon aroma, a stronger, tangier citrus smell stands out in 7UP Lime Lemon.
In a taste test, the lime is undoubtedly prominent in 7UP Lime Lemon. A tartness not found in 7UP Lemon Lime hits your tongue in the first sip of the new beverage. In comparison, the Lemon Lime version carries a sweeter profile, at least in the opinion of this writer.
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To take it one step further, I crafted a Shirley Temple with both versions of 7UP. The tartness of 7UP Lime Lemon carries through the grenadine, but still in a refreshing way.
If you enjoy a citrus-focused soda, you shouldn’t be put off by the new evolution of 7UP. But, if you have an aversion to the lime flavor that was harder to find in 7UP Lemon Lime, you may want to find a different drink.
The lime-forward profile is coming to not only regular 7UP but also its Zero Sugar, Cherry, and Cherry Zero Sugar options. These options should appear in stores near you soon, if they haven’t already.
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