Coca-Cola's Aha sparkling water fell to 1.9% share, so it pulled the brand from US shelves

Coca-Cola launched Aha in March 2020 with eight flavours, two of them caffeinated, to compete with LaCroix and PepsiCo's Bubly. It was the company's first major brand debut since 2006, and it came after Dasani Sparkling failed to make a splash and was discontinued in 2019. Coca-Cola invested heavily in a marketing campaign for Aha in 2021 and 2022.

Food Dive reported in October 2023 that Aha sales had dropped abruptly that year after the caffeinated offerings were discontinued and the grocery chain Publix delisted the brand. Beverage Digest figures showed sales down 42% in the first quarter of 2023, when Aha had 1.9% of the category, behind LaCroix with 14% and Bubly with 7.5%.

A Coca-Cola spokesperson told Food Dive that in 2024 Aha would be sold in the US only in 'focused channels' and in Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, and would continue in Canada. The company said the move followed a strategy to realign its portfolio around consumer preferences, and that it saw growth potential in sparkling water through its premium Topo Chico brand.

Aha held 1.9% of US sparkling water sales against LaCroix's 14% and Bubly's 7.5%, and its US distribution was cut to focused channels.

Coca-Cola entered a category already led by LaCroix and Bubly, a launch Food Dive suggested may have come too late.

Its earlier sparkling entry, Dasani Sparkling, had failed and was discontinued in 2019.

Dropping the caffeinated flavours and losing Publix distribution coincided with the abrupt sales drop in 2023.

Despite heavy marketing in 2021 and 2022, Aha reached only 1.9% of category sales.

Even the biggest beverage company cannot buy its way into a crowded category late. Share, retailer support and a differentiated reason to buy must come before the heavy marketing spend.

Coca-Cola shifted its sparkling water focus to Topo Chico, acquired for $220M in 2017, which it said was on the trajectory to reach $1B in annual sales. It had launched Topo Chico Hard Seltzer with Molson Coors in 2022 and Topo Chico Sabores in April 2023.