Life

There Are Frozen Coca-Cola Pouches Now & It's Like Capri-Sun For Grownups

by Megan Grant

One of the best parts of going to the movie theater (remember those?) as a kid was, without a doubt, the insanely buttery popcorn and the Coca-Cola slushies. Now, in a serious blast from the past, you can relieve this epic '90s memory — or part of it, anyway — with a new twist. CFrozen Coca-Cola in a pouch are here, the company announced in a press release, putting back in the spotlight one of the greatest '90s staples and giving you the option to enjoy it on-the-go. There's one tiny catch, though: it looks like you can only get 'em in Japan.

They're calling it Coca-Cola Frozen Lemon, and it sounds like something plucked straight from my dreams. According to the press release, it's got a sherbet-like texture and can be described as "crunchy creamy." This will be the first time you can get the iconic beverage in a pouch, and it's timing couldn't be more perfect. What's better on a hot summer day than a Coca-Cola slushie? (Nothing.) All you have to do is rub the pouch between your hands to break up the frozen beverage, and bam — you get an instant chill and the same great tasting soda you grew up drinking (with a little bit of lemon). And you don't even have to stop by the local movie theater to enjoy it. Just Japan.

We've talked before about how Japan is forever on the edge of innovation when it comes to their drinks. In fact, as we explained in a previous article, they recently announced their first alcoholic Coca-Cola product would be arriving soon — a piece of news that stole headlines everywhere. Around that time, Jorge Garduño, the president of the brand's Japan division, explained via the website, "The Japanese market is incredibly dynamic, fiercely competitive and rooted in innovation. Because of this, our team is constantly looking at ways to experiment – both from a product standpoint and finding new ways to do business with our customers." He wasn't kidding.

Coca-Cola Frozen Lemon is clearly a reflection of that. They take their drink inventions seriously. This one was in the works for eight years, they revealed, and they played with more than 70 different kinds of ingredients and tested almost 100 trial products. In other words, it took a lot of effort, largely because they had difficulty finding a way to make it freezable without changing the great taste we've all come to love over the decades. They refused to quit, though, and perhaps that's no surprise coming from Japan. After all, they do release new products of almost 1,000 beverages each and every year, they said.

It comes as no shock, then, this isn't the first time Coca-Cola's Japanese division has seriously thought outside the box. In fact, I'm not sure the box even exists there anymore. Back in February of 2017, the company announced they were releasing a version of the classic drink that contains five grams of indigestible dextrin, which is a type of dietary fiber.

It's not just the famous soda they're experimenting with, either. Actually, their website says carbonated soft drinks accounted for just 25 percent of their sales in 2016. Tea, coffee, and juice are also popular there, giving Coca-Cola Japan plenty of wiggle room to come up with new and inventive products.

Those of us stateside still have to venture out to the local 7-Eleven to enjoy a creamy Coca-Cola slushie, but a gal can hope the brand will bring this magical creation to the USofA. In the meantime, maybe blending a Coca-Cola and some ice will do the trick? Cheers!