Sprite is shaking things up by heading into completely new territory: tea.
The lemon-lime soda brand, known for its crisp, citrusy bite, has been on a creative streak lately. Between its chillingly cool Sprite Chill and a surprising collaboration with Absolut Vodka for a watermelon-flavored hard seltzer, Sprite has shown it’s not afraid to push boundaries. Now, the brand is gearing up to launch something few expected: Sprite + Tea.
The new drink has already been spotted in the wild by eagle-eyed shoppers, with some early arrivals landing on shelves at select Walmart locations. Officially, though, the nationwide release date was set for May 19.
Sprite + Tea combines the brand’s signature lemon-lime flavor with the earthy depth of tea, marking a first for the Coca-Cola-owned label. The product will be available in both Full-Sugar and Zero Sugar versions, allowing fans to indulge or keep things light. As with other recent innovations, the goal seems to be broadening Sprite’s appeal beyond traditional soda drinkers.
Sprite has long stood apart in the soft drink world for its no-caffeine, clean citrus profile, so the tea move is bold and strategic. As the beverage market gets more crowded with functional drinks, wellness teas, and flavor hybrids, this could be Sprite’s way of keeping pace with changing tastes.
Whether this fusion of soda and tea becomes a summer staple or just a limited-time novelty remains to be seen. But if the brand’s recent track record is any indication, Sprite + Tea will at least get people talking.
And if you’re the kind of person who likes to try every new drink before it goes mainstream, consider this your early heads-up. May 19 is just around the corner.