Why Was Pepsi Kona Discontinued?

Over the decades, Pepsi has released quite a few different variations of its classic cola. Customers can drink Pepsi flavored with wild cherry, mango, vanilla, nitrogen gas, as well as a more recent zero sugar formula. However, not all of the beverage behemoth's products have been hits throughout the years. One product of the past is Pepsi Kona, which was sold in 20-ounce bottles and 12-ounce cans. The cola combined the sweetness of the classic Pepsi flavor with the richness of coffee into one can. The drink was first launched in smaller markets in 1996 but struggled to find success. It was never deemed popular enough for nationwide release, so only a select few areas along the East Coast had the opportunity to taste-test the drink. (Philadelphia seems to be the area that had the most availability, according to Twitter.) And it turns out that Pepsi Kona's flavor may have been part of the reason for its downfall.

Unfortunately for fans of the cold-coffee combination, Pepsi Kona was ultimately discontinued a year after launching across the test markets. Though the soft drink hasn't been sold since the late '90s, Pepsi enthusiasts online still reminisce about the short-lived drink.

Some who remember the flavor have taken to social media to disparage Pepsi Kona decades after it disappeared from shelves. One Twitter user even called it an "abomination" and said they "will never in my entire [life] drink anything as vile as the contents of that one can I had that day in 1996."

Still, some fans maintain their dedication to the drink despite it having only been sold in a small area for a limited period of time. Some reminisced over how the beverage tasted best — while one Twitter post suggested sipping on Pepsi Kona was best when it was ice cold, another insisted they would only drink the beverage after it had been warmed. (Dr Pepper, which is partially manufactured by PepsiCo, was even once marketed as a beverage best enjoyed hot.)

Cans of the cola have become collectors' items to some over the years — one empty 12-ounce can sold for more than $25 on eBay. However, even the most recently produced cans are over 20 years old now and are probably unpleasant and potentially unsafe to drink. If you really want to recreate the flavor of Pepsi Kona, you could simply try mixing together some cold coffee and a (new) can of classic Pepsi.

More than 20 years after Pepsi Kona was discontinued, the brand attempted to launch a different Pepsi-coffee beverage: Pepsi Café. The soft drink company planned to release 12-ounce cans of the drink for a limited time in spring 2020, in both regular and vanilla flavors, featuring double the amount of caffeine found in a standard can of Pepsi. However, the product's launch was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately scrapped altogether.

Pepsi's largest competitor, Coca-Cola, even tried creating a coffee-cola beverage. In January 2021, the soda company released three flavors: Caramel, Vanilla, and Dark Blend. The latter two also had zero sugar variations available. It, too, failed to find popularity with consumers and was discontinued in November 2022. (And, yes, Coke and Pepsi do taste different.)

If two of the largest soft drink companies can't create a cola-and-coffee-flavored beverage that consumers love enough to keep around as a permanent offering, it may just not be the right flavor combination, no matter the buzz. Sadly, it seems unlikely that consumers will ever see Pepsi Kona return to store shelves ever again.