Coca-Cola to roll out caffeine-free Coke Zero this summer

One of the most successful brands in Coca-Cola’s stable, Coke Zero is “the only soft drink on the North American market to post double-digit sales growth for five straight years”, ​said the company in a statement.

“Caffeine-free products are growing in popularity, making up nearly 30% of all sparkling beverage sales in the U.S.,”​ said Stuart Kronauge, Head of Sparkling, Coca-Cola North America Group.

“By introducing Caffeine Free Coke Zero, we’re giving fans exactly what they want, making the brand accessible for enjoyment all day long.”​

'The same great taste of original Coke Zero – without the caffeine'​

A spokeswoman told FoodNavigator-USA that Caffeine-free Coke Zero was ideal for "consumers who are sensitive to caffeine, but love the taste of Coke Zero".​

She added: "While the levels of caffeine in our sparkling beverages vary slightly by brand and portion size, the average amount of caffeine per 12 ounces of Coke is about 34 milligrams.  ​

"To put this into context, this is more than an average size dark chocolate bar, but significantly less than a comparable amount of filter coffee.  At Coca-Cola we were among the first companies in the U.S. to voluntarily list caffeine content for our beverages on the Nutrition Fact Panels.  ​

"The new caffeine free Coke Zero is the same great taste of original Coke Zero – without the caffeine."​

Caffeine Free Coke Zero will begin appearing on shelves in supermarkets, drug stores and mass merchants nationwide in mid-July, and will be available coast to coast in August.

It will be packaged in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and 2-liter bottles.