Coca-Cola introducing Dasani Drops

Coca-Cola/Fast Horse/AP

(AP) NEW YORK - Coca-Cola's (KO) newest drink won't come in a bottle or a can. And people will only need a squirt or two to quench their thirst.

The world's largest beverage company is introducing its Dasani Drops in coming weeks, which can be squeezed into water for some on-the-spot fruity flavor. And Coca-Cola is betting that there's big potential for growth.

"I think there's an opportunity beyond just flavored waters," said John Roddey, vice president of Coca-Cola's water, tea and coffee business in North America.

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Although there are no set plans yet, Roddey says the next logical category for liquid drops would be tea. That's because drinks with higher sugar content are harder to turn into a liquid concentrate.

Coca-Cola isn't the first to come out with flavor drops. The category was pioneered by Kraft Food Inc.'s MiO, which was introduced in March of last year and has quickly spawned copycats, including by supermarkets that sell store-brand versions.

The drops are popular because they come in small, portable containers that can be easily tucked into a purse or even back pocket. And unlike powdered drink packets, people can decide how much or little they want to squirt into their water. A small bottle can also have more than two dozen servings, meaning people save money they'd spend on bottled teas or enhanced waters.

As with Kraft's MiO drinks, Dasani Drops use artificial sweeteners and have zero calories.

Now Coca-Cola is preparing to leverage its scale to stake a claim in the category. Roddey says the plan is to make Dasani Drops available wherever its Dasani bottled water is sold, including on supermarket shelves, in checkout aisles or in the refrigerated sections in convenience stores.

"We're looking to make this as broad as we can," he said.

Dasani Drops, which will cost about $4, will start hitting shelves in early October. The company is starting with four flavors, but is already planning to introduce additional flavors next year. Each bottle has about 32 servings.

Without mentioning Kraft's MiO by name, Roddey said Coca-Cola saw the early success other brands had and realized the category had huge potential.

Kraft has said that MiO sales through the first half of the year have more than doubled to more than $100 million. The name means "mine" in Italian, suggesting users can make drinks however they like.

For a beverage giant, however, the introduction of liquid flavor drops is more complicated. Coca-Cola says the drops will boost consumption of water, whether it's tap water or bottled. Ideally, of course, people would use the drops with its Dasani water, which already saw sales volume rise 13 percent in the first half of the year, according to industry tracker Beverage Digest.

Overall consumption of bottled water has also been growing, although at a much slower pace than in the early 2000s, according to Beverage Digest, which reported last week that Coca-Cola planned to introduce the drops.

The drops may hurt Coca-Cola's other units, however. The company also makes enhanced waters, such as Vitaminwater Zero.

[bobnjersey]

[deally, of course, people would use the drops with its Dasani water]
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they should make it so it only works w/ dasani water ... any other water it's like drinking sea water.

i'll bet they're working on that right now.

[StopAgendaTwentyOne]

More unhealthy junk for the all mighty dollar. Artifical sweetners, aspartame and etc are a hazard to your health. Pure filtered water with a fresh lemon is a healthy and natural refresher and excelent antitoxant. Stop with the packaged and manufactured crap. You can't beat mother nature. "You are what you eat" look around america - the majority is obease and it comes from the crap people eat. Dump the packaged and canned foods, eat fresh and watch your health improve and your weight decline. Don't believe the Liberal Media and all the seducing ads.

[smartinrn1]

They had my attention until they said it would be $4. That is why we don't buy MiO any more. We like it a lot, but come on! Half that price and you'd have me. Maybe $3 if it really gets 32 servings. Otherwise, no thanks.

[micmac666]

Mothers' milk will always have the best packaging.

[erasmus111]

It has artificial sweeteners. Wouldn't touch the stuff.

Just drink plain old water. Once you get used to it, you'll be fine.

Nothing more refreshing than a nice cold drink of water.

[koppna]

I got to try a sample pack. I love the Strawberry Kiwi and the Mixed Berry. They are great with water, but right now my favorite is Mixed Berry in Diet Sprite.

[cedaredge]

"'Just a marketing gimmick to sell more unhealthy over-processed, over-priced products. Water alone hydrates just fine."

................you see 'koppna'............you fall into this category to kiss up to the advertising. How about you stick your lollipop in the water for flavor or would that be too complicated for you?

[kdoty1986]

I haven't tried it yet but I plan to, I don't need to be heckled because you don't like it. Get a life and stop replying on comments because your tastes are different. GROW UP HIPSTER

[micmac666]

'Just a marketing gimmick to sell more unhealthy over-processed, over-priced products. Water alone hydrates just fine.

[netjunkie1]

May I suggest this be the beginning of the end of canning aluminum and plastic bottles as a container to make an ecological change in the world as it has the potential of saving alot more than consumer sales.
Perhaps reusable bottles with the brand name could be produced and sold.

Just my 2 cents

[j1mrock]

One successful product deserves a dozen ccopies. Just look at your TV guide. The idea pirates are alive and well...

[94585]

Why limit adding this just to water, use as a flavour shot to sprite or diet coke....

[cedaredge]

How about you put this crap on your steak!