Interns designed Coca-Cola’s new Sprite + Tea flavor

Coca-Cola has released a new limited-time soda, Sprite + Tea, which combines the crisp refreshment of Sprite with the flavor of tea. The soda is available in regular and zero-sugar varieties and is expected to remain on the market through October. The idea for the soda originated with a team of Coca-Cola interns six years ago, but it gained popularity on TikTok last summer. A viral TikTok video showed a Malaysian chef steeping Lipton tea bags in a bottle of Sprite, and the idea quickly spread across social media platforms. Coca-Cola took notice of the trend and developed the formula for the amber-colored sparkling beverage through several rounds of consumer testing. Sprite + Tea is the latest in a series of new flavor combinations designed to attract younger consumers, following releases like Spiced Coke and Orange Cream Coke. The new soda arrives just a month after Coca-Cola announced better-than-anticipated first-quarter 2025 financial results. Unlike rival PepsiCo, Coca-Cola is maintaining its growth forecasts for 2025. TikTok is already flooded with videos of fans trying Sprite + Tea, with some commending its strong tea flavor and others recommending the DIY version.