2026 sees cherry-inspired innovation peppered throughout beverage categories
Dark cherry gains traction for its color, nostalgia and versatility
Last December, T. Hasegawa named Dark Sweet Cherry its 2026 Flavor of the Year, identifying not only its layered sweet-tart flavor but also its distinctive deep red color and growing visual appeal with consumers.
When T. Hasegawa selected Dark Sweet Cherry late last year, it noted its trend research pointed to several signals already building momentum:
- Global searches for “dark cherry” had increased 36% year-over-year
- TikTok views related to dark cherry were up 44%
- Pinterest searches for “cherry vibe” had increased 325%
- Dark sweet cherry was gaining traction for its rich color, nostalgia, and versatility across beverages, confectionery, desserts, and other applications
Accordingly, in February 2026, Coca‑Cola leaned into the rising flavor trend, announcing a major expansion of its Cherry portfolio, unveiling Coca‑Cola Cherry Float, Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar Cherry Float and the nationwide release of Diet Coke Cherry.
Shortly after, Red Bull followed suit with the launch of its Spring Edition Cherry Sakura, featuring the taste of cherry, cherry blossom (Sakura), and a touch of almond flavor.
Electrolit, meanwhile, expanded its flavor offerings this spring with the launch of Cherry Ice, delivering cherry taste balanced with 1,670 mg of electrolytes to support rehydration and recovery.
And in time for summer, Liquid I.V. joined forces with Ring Pop to create its first co-branded flavor in its Sugar-Free lineup, putting a hydrating twist on the nostalgic cherry-flavored candy.
“Our flavor innovation team went into this collaboration with a specific goal in mind: unlock nostalgia and childhood joy with a spot-on replica of the cherry candied flavor, but this time with zero sugar and science-backed hydration benefits,” said Sai Chaluvadi, chief R&D officer for Liquid I.V., in a statement at the time of launch. “I’m proud to say we’ve done just that, recreating the iconic Ring Pop Cherry candy and offering an experience that provides superior hydration than water alone to help you celebrate all of life’s moments.”
As new cherry-focused products and limited-time offerings across beverage brands continue gaining visibility throughout 2026, it will be interesting to see whether dark cherry will extend its relevance into 2027 product development.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
