Coca-Cola is bringing back a beloved Diet Coke flavor for good.
In June, Coca-Cola announced the return of its Diet Coke Cherry, sold in a vintage-styled packaging. However, the flavor was only available for a limited time at Kroger’s family of stores, including Kroger, City Market, Dillon’s, and Foods Co.
Now, Diet Coke Cherry is making its return permanently. According to the popular food Instagram account Snackolator, the soda flavor is coming back in early 2026.
“I spoke with a Coca-Cola representative and they confirmed this is a ‘sustain’ item which means it is intended to stick around (not a 'limited' flavor) so hopefully it sells well enough to stay FOREVER this time,” Snacklator’s post read.
The Diet Coke Cherry flavor is expected to be sold in 20-ounce bottles and a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans. It will also feature the signature Diet Coke logo and packaging, with a magenta cherry. While there isn’t a specific release date, the flavor will be available at all retailers nationwide starting next year.
In the comments of Snackolator’s post, fans expressed their excitement over the news.
“Dreams do come true,” one quipped, while another added: “Mixed drinks just got a whole lot better.”
“I’m absolutely crazy for the Diet Coke with lime, so I’ll probably love this too,” a third person wrote.
Diet Cherry Coke was initially discontinued in 2020 after being launched in 1985. It’s unclear why it was removed from shelves.
There are several variations of Cherry Coke, including a Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla, which was discontinued in September.
That month, Coca-Cola brought back another beloved flavor: Diet Coke with Lime. However, the drink was only available for a limited time and has not become a permanent item.
The news comes after Coca-Cola jumped in on the healthy soda trend. In February, the company launched Simply Pop, a probiotic soda sold in five flavors: strawberry, lime, pineapple mango, fruit punch, and citrus punch.
It noted on its website that this is the “first-ever prebiotic soda made with real fruit juice.” Similar to all prebiotic sodas, Simply Pop aims to “support gut health,” meaning there’s prebiotic fiber in it and no added sugars. The drink also has Vitamin C and Zinc to support immune function.
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