Coca-Cola Lime

Last updated

Coca-Cola Lime
Coca-Cola lime.jpg
1.5 L bottle sold in Turkey (2015)
Product type Lime-flavored cola
Owner The Coca-Cola Company
CountryWorldwide
Introduced2004 (Diet)
2005 (regular)
2019 (Zero Sugar)
Related brands Coca-Cola Lemon
Diet Coke with Citrus Zest

Coca-Cola Lime is a soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company. It is a version of the original Coca-Cola containing lime flavoring. There also exist non-sugar variations based on Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Lime was the fourth flavor to be launched by the company in their line of cola products after the launches of Cherry, Lemon and Vanilla. [1] Besides being sold in cans and bottles, Coca-Cola Lime can also be created in Coca-Cola Freestyle machines.

Contents

Diet/Light version

The diet version of the drink, based on Diet Coke/Coca-Cola Light, was the first to be released. In January 2004, The Coca-Cola Company announced the release of the drink, entitled Diet Coke with Lime. [2] [3] The drink remained a popular variety all the way until 2018, when the drink was discontinued as part of Diet Coke's relaunch [4] [5] in favor of Diet Coke Ginger Lime, a variant with added ginger flavoring, which itself was sold canned until 2020[ citation needed ] but continues to be available on Coca-Cola Freestyle. [6] In October 2025, The Coca-Cola Company announced that the drink would return to store shelves until the end of the year. This limited-time release features retro-style packaging, similar to the re-release of Diet Cherry Coke at the beginning of the year. [7]

Great Britain was the first territory outside North America to get the drink, which was released in March 2005. [8] The international expansion continued with its release in the Netherlands in May 2005, [9] Sweden, [10] France, [11] Belgium and Fiji throughout 2005 and 2006, all under the name of Coca-Cola Light Lime.[ citation needed ] In February 2007 it was withdrawn from the British market alongside Diet Coke With Lemon, in favour of Diet Coke with Citrus Zest, a variant that blended lemon and lime flavors. [12] That same year, it was also discontinued in the Danish market. [13]

In February 2020, the drink returned to Britain as Diet Coke Sublime Lime, [14] and it also returned that year to Denmark as Coca-Cola Light Taste Lime. [15]

Regular version

Logo as seen on Coca-Cola fountains Cocacola withlime logo.png
Logo as seen on Coca-Cola fountains

The version based on classic Coca-Cola was released as Coca-Cola with Lime in the United States and Canada in the first quarter of 2005. [16] [17] The decision to market the product was based on popular feedback from consumers. An advertisement of Coca-Cola with Lime first appeared on television during the March 7, 2005 broadcast of American Idol . The advert used Harry Nilsson's hit song Coconut in an edited and slightly altered form with the mondegreen "You put the lime in the Coke, you nut." [18]

A bottle of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Lime Taste in Czechia (2024) Cocacolazerolime-cz (2).jpg
A bottle of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Lime Taste in Czechia (2024)

Coca-Cola with Lime was released as a limited edition in Australia, at the same time as its American debut, in 2005. [19] However, it proved quite unpopular with some larger retailers such as Woolworths and Coles, who bought in bulk, having to reduce the price considerably (50c for a 1.25 L bottle compared to around A$2 for all other varieties) to clear the product out. Despite a marketing push, it was a failure and discontinued by early 2006. [20] Singapore became the third region after North America and Australia to receive the drink, in 2005. [21] In 2021, it was back in the country for a limited time at 7-Eleven stores. [22]

Coca-Cola with Lime had limited releases in many European countries. It saw a limited edition release in Great Britain in the summer of 2006, after the success of Coca-Cola with Lemon the year before, and was available in green bottles. However, it was not made permanent at the time. [23] [24] The drink launched in Turkey in 2014, exclusive at Migros stores. [25]

Lime had also began distribution in Poland in April 2017, [26] and then in Romania returned to market in April 2024, a few years after discontinuation. [27] Coca-Cola Lime returned to the British market in January 2025 after seventeen years, alongside its Zero Sugar counterpart. [28] In 2025, the drink was introduced in Serbia and Montenegro. [29]

Zero Sugar version

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Lime, which is based on the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar formulation, has also been produced. It has been released in 2021 in Turkey, [30] 2022 in territories including Sweden, [31] Portugal, [32] and in 2025 in Britain. [33]

In 2024, Coca-Cola Lime Zero Sugar launched in Australia and Thailand. [34]

References

  1. ↑ "Coke launches lime variant". BakeryAndSnacks.com. January 16, 2004. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Coca-Cola set to launch Diet Coke lime flavour spin-off". www.campaignlive.co.uk. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  3. ↑ Pearson, Robert. "Diet Coke With Lime Commercial 2004". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  4. ↑ "You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers: Diet Coke Relaunch FAQ". The Coca-Cola Company. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  5. ↑ Wahba, Phil. "Diet Coke Gets a Redesign for the LaCroix Generation". Fortune. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  6. ↑ "100 Choices". Coca-Cola Freestyle. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  7. ↑ https://www.coca-colacompany.com/media-center/retro-diet-coke-lime-returns-for-limited-nationwide-run
  8. ↑ "Lime Coke dashes to launch". The Grocer. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Een lichte zomer". www.vmt.nl (in Dutch). June 17, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Coca-Cola light® lime". Mynewsdesk (in Swedish). August 22, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Coca-Cola BlaK, le nouveau soda anti-coup de pompe". L'Express (in French). December 3, 2006. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  12. ↑ "CCE adds zest to drinks to refresh key brands". The Grocer. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Kæmpeflops: De blev trukket tilbage - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). January 13, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Diet Coke gets a zesty new flavour". Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Coca-Cola introducerer tre helt nye slags cola til Danmark" (in Danish). January 29, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Regular Coke now coming with lime". The Globe and Mail. January 8, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  17. ↑ "The 2005 Soft Drink | Beverage Industry". www.bevindustry.com. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  18. ↑ Only, Subscription (February 28, 2005). "Coke Goes Lime Green on Broadway, TV" . Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  19. ↑ Shoebridge, Neil (April 4, 2005). "Coke's latest tastes take a sour turn". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  20. ↑ Shoebridge, Neil (March 9, 2006). "The essence of success". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Coke Lime latches onto Singaporean tradition | News". Campaign Asia. November 4, 2005. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  22. ↑ MoneyDigest (August 10, 2021). "Coca-Cola with Lime is now back for a limited time at 7-Eleven stores". MoneyDigest.sg. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  23. ↑ Week, Marketing (October 19, 2006). "Coca-Cola tries Orange limited edition despite retailer doubts". Marketing Week. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Top 25 Soft drinks 2007". Talking Retail. September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Coca-Cola | Merak Ettim | Yeni çıkardığınız "Coca cola lime" nerede bulabilirim hangi marketlerde satışa başladı?". merakettim.coca-colaturkiye.com (in Turkish). Coca-Cola Turkiye. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Produkcja: Coca-Cola wprowadza na rynek nowość" [Production: Coca-Cola introduces a new product to the market]. HandelExtra (in Polish). Coca-Cola Poland Services. April 20, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Coca-Cola cu gust de Lămâie și Coca-Cola cu gust de Lămâie Verde". www.coca-cola.com (in Romanian). Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Coca-Cola Lime flavour returns after 17-year absence".
  29. ↑ "The Strength of Our 24/7 Portfolio Lies in Quality Choices". Coca-Cola HBC Serbia and Montenegro.
  30. ↑ "COCA-COLA İÇECEK 2021 ENTEGRE FAALİYET RAPORU" (PDF). Coca-Cola İçecek (in Turkish).
  31. ↑ "Äntligen! Coca-Cola lanserar två nya smaker". Mynewsdesk (in Swedish). Coca-Cola Europacific. January 14, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  32. ↑ "Coca-Cola Zero Lima chegou a Portugal e desta vez veio para ficar". Coca-Cola Europacific (in European Portuguese). July 28, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  33. ↑ "Real taste with a zing of zesty Lime: Coca-Cola introduces new Lime flavour". Coca-Cola Europacific. January 7, 2025. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  34. ↑ Hong, Tan Heng (March 17, 2024). "'Coca-Cola' Reignites the 'Best Coke Ever?' Debate at 'Coke' Zero Tastival in Thailand, featuring the Magic Maker 'PP-Krit'". Mini Me Insights. Retrieved September 9, 2025.