Starry Review: Pepsi's Latest Lemon-Lime Soda Is Out Of This World

PepsiCo has long been a player in the lemon-lime soda game with various attempts to move ahead of the competition. The brand's first shot came about with 1959's Teem, but when that drink began to fade by the 80s, PepsiCo gave newbie Slice a cut of the action. At the same time, the brand started test-marketing a caffeinated lemon-lime brew called Storm that didn't exactly take the world by its own name. Sierra Mist was the next soda up, and after a two-plus decades run, the company decided to go in a new direction. And thus, in January 2023, a "Starry" was born!

The title of Starry's press release spells out exactly what kind of drink PepsiCo believes it is — "a Crisp, Clear, Refreshing Lemon Lime Flavored Soda for a Generation of Irreverent Optimists." That's a lot to swallow, but as its Chief Marketing Officer Greg Lyons said, "With one product dominating the category, consumers deserve another option...one that hits different. STARRY is bright, optimistic, and rooted in culture and fun."

Positive adjectives aside, what actually is Starry, is it any good, and will it finally be the fulfillment of PepsiCo's lemon-lime hopes and dreams? Let's focus our telescopes, snap open a can, and investigate...

An initial sip of the bubbly, transparent Starry will assure minds and taste buds that this new lemon-lime PepsiCo product is instantly a welcome addition to the brand's portfolio of sodas. There's truth in advertising, or at least what the company said in its press release, as Starry is indeed "a great-tasting soda bursting with lemon-lime flavor that delivers... [a] crisp, refreshing bite."

That bite, however, isn't as biting (in a great way) as the soda it's aiming to dethrone (and is hard not to compare to), which is Sprite. Starry is akin to a lighter, airier take on Sprite. The aftertaste the newcomer leaves is far more enjoyable lingering in the recesses of the mouth than the one Sprite has been leaving behind for decades. 

Starry strikes a perfect balance between both its lemon and lime flavors, and its gentle sweetness allows for continual easy drinking, from one sip to the next.  As a caloric drink, it will leave one's belly filled to a comfortable level of satisfaction, yet leaves room for consumption of more.

One of the most striking features of Starry, even perhaps more so than its fabulous taste, is its stark and luminous title treatment and packaging design. It's so appealing to the eye that you might be stopped in your tracks to take notice of the new product.

Lemon-lime drinks are predominantly bottled and packaged green, but the design team at PepsiCo wanted to give an equal color balance between green and yellow with Starry. Leon Imas, design vice president at the company, told The Dieline, "The visual identity system aims to bring brightness and levity to shine through any daily negativity. The result is a fresh look that nods to the past but feels warm and familiar." The polished wordmark logo the company created with its rounded, forward-moving italic font that's accented with a pointed star gets straight to the point, seemingly saying, "This is fun and cool, please drink me!"

The ingredients list for Starry is as follows: carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup (as its sweetener), citric acid, natural flavor, potassium benzoate (which preserves freshness), potassium citrate, and calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor). Two things not listed are lemon or lime. That's because Starry contains zero juice, but its chemical makeup will make you believe otherwise. And if one is drinking Starry in the first place, they're probably not looking to bulk up on their intake of actual fruits and juices. As it says right on the label: "Not a significant source of other nutrients."

Starry is also caffeine- and phosphorus-free, but perhaps the 39 grams of sugar/carbohydrates and 150 calories found in a 12-ounce can will put some pep into one's step. Starry Zero Sugar cuts out that glut and is made with artificial sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame potassium, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose (aka Splenda) to closely mirror the regular flavor's taste.

Sodas show their true selves and best tastes in the form of fountain drinks, and Starry and Starry Zero Sugar can be found on tap. For those who prefer to play soda jerk at home, they are also available in a Sodastream beverage mix option to be added to sparkling water.

In stores and on shelves, Starry comes in the usual containers for consumption — cans and bottles of various sizes. In the can version, the soda is available in both mini 7.5-fluid-ounce and regular 12-ounce sizes. Plastic bottles offer up convenience and more liquid; they are available in 16.9-, 20-, and 67-fluid-ounce (aka 2 liters) sizes. Zero Sugar is available in the two can options, but for bottles, it's only available in the 20-ounce size. Let's hope we see Starry in a glass bottle on day, too!

Starry's availability in the United States is far-reaching. The Starry website has a handy product finder that allows you to enter your zip code to reveal where to get your hands on Starry, Starry Zero Sugar, and fountain Starry. Big box stores like Walmart and Target have Starry products available for pick up or to be shipped directly to your home. The soda can also be found at places like Amazon, Dollar General, 7-Eleven, Instacart, and your local corner grocer or convenience store. Prices vary based on stores, but Walmart sells 2-liters for $2.28, a 12-pack of 12-ouncers for $6.98, and a cube of 24 for $11.98. 

For those seeking the great taste straight from the fountain, head to a PepsiCo-friendly fast food joint or restaurant. Places like KFC, Taco Bell, and Buffalo Wild Wings are some of the best bets for sampling this new mellow yellow concoction as "nature" intended — on tap.

PepsiCo had no choice but to hit the ground running when it launched Starry. To make a name for the new soda, the company enlisted both familiar and new faces to help sell it to an uninformed public.

Two of these new faces include the hip, yellow and green cartoon mascots Lem and Lime. They've been a part of numerous promotions and on display in advertising alongside the product's main pitch-woman, multi-hyphenate star Keke Palmer. Starry is also the official drink of the NBA, WNBC, and NBA G Leagues.

In one of the first ads, Palmer sits courtside at a Philadelphia 76ers game and finds both love at first sight — and taste — of Starry:

Is it hot in here or do I just need @starrylemonlime? #StarryHitsDifferent #StarryPartner pic.twitter.com/zrnZfnyUAR

— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) February 16, 2023

Palmer told Rolling Stone that Lem and Lime are her "besties," and as for her opinion on the drink itself, said, "It's a really crisp, clear lemon-lime flavor. I can't wait for people to try it."

While the history of Starry is just being written, its clean, clear, and crisp taste cannot be written off. It not only stops Sierra Mist fans from getting all misty about its disappearance, but it also proves it can go toe to toe with the lemony-limey titans of the industry. Sprite may not have to lose sleep at night due to this new entry into the market, but the folks over at PepsiCo can rest assured that they may have finally cracked the lemon-lime code and won't need to try again in a few years. 

Starry is literally a clear winner. It's a satisfying drink for leisure or to accompany a hearty meal; it's a perfect mixer with liquor, and in general, a luminous sight to both see and imbibe in. It is both of this world and out of this world, with a bright future and a most delicious present. So grab one and try it! (And don't forget to recycle).