Some of the most popular long-time favorite snacks and treats at the grocery store are coming back soon, but another beverage under Coca-Cola’s umbrella is about to be gone for good. The company just updated fans about its HONEST line, revealing that the bottled tea is being discontinued fully by the end of 2022 after almost 25 years.
The drink comes in flavors like Half Tea & Half Lemonade, Honey Green Tea, Peach Tea, Pomegranate Blue, and more but will soon be phased out and replaced on grocery store shelves by HONEST Kids. The child-geared juice-box-style drink brand is growing quickly, according to Coca-Cola, while the original option has faced tough sales and limited glass supplies.
Older ready-to-drink tea lovers shouldn’t be concerned about a lack of brews—the Gold Peak and Peace Tea brands will still remain a part of the company along with HONEST Kids. Both Gold Peak and Peace Tea saw sales increase during the COVID-19 pandemic as they both cater more to health-conscious shoppers and have “multi-serve” packaging perfect for drinking at home. HONEST, on the other hand, is primarily sold in single-serve bottles.
“Ongoing supply chain challenges mean we are having to prioritize production and distribution of certain product SKUs, and that we’ve been unable to meet consumer demand for Gold Peak,” Sabrina Tandon, group director, RTD Tea, Coca-Cola North America Operating Unit, said in a statement on the company’s website. “This, among other factors, helped drive this very difficult decision.”
Tandon says they don’t expect the discontinuation to result in much consumer loss—noting that many HONEST Tea fans also buy Gold Peak, as well. For those who may be struggling with what to get once the year is over, here are The 12 Healthiest Teas on Grocery Store Shelves.
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Amanda McDonald