Coca-Cola Cherry, also referred to by its original name Cherry Coke, is a cherry-flavored version of Coca-Cola. It is produced and distributed by the Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers in the United States and some international markets. Coca-Cola Cherry was originally launched in 1985, the very first flavored cola to be distributed by the company, and their second ever product extending the original Coca-Cola brand following the launch of Diet Coke in 1982.[1] Today there also exist no-calorie variants based on Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. In addition, the drink is also available microdispensed through Coca-Cola's Freestyle vending machines.
Long before its official introduction in stores in 1985, many diners, drugstoresoda fountains and movie theaters dispensed an unofficial version by adding cherry-flavored syrup to Coca-Cola.[2]
Original Cherry Coke logo from 1985
The Coca-Cola Company first began testing its official Cherry flavored version of Coke along with other flavors on visitors to the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee.[3][4] Following further tests in various markets, Cherry Coke then entered mainstream production in the U.S. during the summer of 1985.[5] Cherry Coke was the third variation of Coca-Cola at that time – the others being regular Coca-Cola and Diet Coke – as well as the first flavored Coke[6] (there would not be another flavored Coke until Diet Coke with Lemon in 2001).[7] Cherry Coke was released nationally around the same time as New Coke, the controversial reformulation of original Coca-Cola. The company boasted Cherry Coke as "the first major entry into a whole new category: cherry-flavored sodas."[8]
In 1991, Coca-Cola relaunched Cherry Coke with changes to make it taste more similar to how it is on fountains. It was partly done as a result of sales falling flat.[9]
Packaging and marketing
Can of Coca-Cola Cherry from 2016
Packaging for Coca-Cola Cherry may differ from country to country. In the United States, Coca-Cola has altered the logos and label designs for Coca-Cola Cherry several times since it was introduced in 1985. In most cases, the can and bottle label designs have consisted of a purple hue, often with depictions of cherries.
Cherry Coke's design was significantly changed beginning in 1994, adopting a graffiti inspired design as part of a major makeover by Coca-Cola targeting the youth.[10][11] The design was rolled out in phases in different markets around the world.[12] In Canada, the drink was reintroduced in 1998 after a few years off market and the "Do something different" campaign was launched both there and in America for youth.[13][14]
In April 2002, Coca-Cola announced the repositioning of Cherry Coke and a new look, consistent with that of the then newly launching Vanilla Coke.[15] On February 7, 2007, Coca-Cola launched a new campaign for the Coca-Cola Cherry brand in the US, resulting in a significant redesign of the product's label. American rapper and record producer Jay-Z was chosen to be the spokesman and played a part in designing the new can graphics.[16]
As part of Coca-Cola's ongoing "One Brand" marketing campaign, a new U.S. packaging design for Coca-Cola Cherry was introduced in January 2019. The new packaging follows the design principles already employed in the United States for Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and Coca-Cola Life. The word "Coca-Cola" is superimposed upon a red disc with a picture of a cherry below the text. The background color of the can or bottle remains the same shade of purple introduced in the 2007 design. The word "Cherry" is placed above the red disc, similar to the "Original Taste" text currently used on cans and bottles of original Coca-Cola.[17]
Distribution
Plastic bottle of Coca-Cola Cherry sold in Japan in 2013
After its original launch in 1985, the product quickly garnered great interest throughout America. Internationally, Cherry Coke was test marketed in Japan to positive interest. The drink was rolled out to Canada, Puerto Rico, Norway and the Netherlands by the end of 1985.[18] By the end of 1986, availability was expanded to 33 markets around the world.[19]
Since then, the product has been sold on and off in various markets throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Cherry Coke was first introduced to New Zealand in 1993[20] and to Australia in 2003.[21] In Japan, it was discontinued a few years after its release, but has since seen limited edition revivals.[22] In Sweden it was also discontinued during the 1980s but was relaunched in the country in 2012.[23]
In Spain, the drink was introduced in 1995 and sold for three years. It returned as a limited edition in 2013 before becoming permanent due to demand.[24] In Poland, Cherry Coke made its debut in 1996 and was sold until 2018, replaced by the Zero Sugar version.[25]
Coca-Cola Cherry returned to the market in Brazil during the 2016 Summer Olympics as a limited edition drink.[26] It launched in Austria permanently in 2025 after having had periodic limited edition runs for ten years.[27]
Diet/Light version
With the success of the original Cherry Coke, Diet Cherry Coke was introduced in 1986[8] as a low-calorie version of the original and the first flavor expansion within the Diet Coke lineup. It has also been marketed in some countries as "Coca-Cola Cherry Light" and "Coca-Cola Light Cherry", while its original name was renamed to "Diet Coke Cherry" in 2005. The drink is also available within Coca-Cola Freestyle machines.
The drink was released in Great Britain in 2006, replacing Coca-Cola Vanilla and Diet Coke Vanilla.[28] In 2018, to coincide with Diet Coke's "Millenial" rebranding, Diet Coke Cherry (as well as the original Coca-Cola Cherry) was fully replaced with Diet Coke Feisty Cherry, which featured a bolder cherry taste than the original.[29]
In October 2020, The Coca-Cola Company announced that the drink would be withdrawn from the American market at the end of December 2020.[30] It was announced in January 2025 that Diet Coke Cherry will be returning in stores for a limited time only exclusively in Kroger stores in the US. In addition 32 packs will exclusively be available only in Costco stores in Canada. The return will feature the retro 1980s design of the product.[31]
Zero Sugar version
Cans of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry from 2020 using the "One Brand" design
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry is the low-calorie variant based on Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. It was introduced in February 2007 in the United States as Coca-Cola Cherry Zero.[32]
The drink was later expanded internationally, beginning with France in March 2013.[33] In Europe it has since been released in several other countries including in Britain in 2016,[34] Poland in 2017,[25] the Netherlands in 2022,[35] and Sweden in 2024.[36]
↑ "Coca-Cola - The Original Taste | Coca-Cola SE". www.coca-cola.com (in Swedish). Retrieved September 12, 2025. 2012 lanserades åter den populära smaken Coca‑Cola Cherry i Sverige som inte funnits sedan det glada 80-talet.
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