Africa-Press – Liberia. Soda giant Coca-Cola has decided to pull its energy drink off market shelves in North America, just over one year after its U.S. launch, as part of a broader push to prune its product portfolio in favor of more profitable products.”Our strategy is focused on scaling big bets across a streamlined portfolio … As we scale our best innovations quickly and effectively, like AHA and Coca-Cola with Coffee, we need to be disciplined with those that don’t get the traction required for further investment,” according to a company spokeswoman, as quoted by Reuters.The decision also follows a shift among consumers towards Coca-Cola’s more traditional sodas and flavored sparkling waters, as the US emerges out of the pandemic. The beverage giant had rolled out Coca-Cola Energy early last year to tap into the fast-growing energy drink segment in the U.S.Though discontinued in the U.S., the product, which contains guarana extracts, B-vitamins, and more caffeine than regular, lower-priced Coke, will remain on shelves in other parts of the world, the company said.Coca-Cola also remains the majority stakeholder of Monster Beverage, which is among the leading energy drink companies in the U.S.In the meantime, Rival PepsiCo has expanded its presence in the energy drink category with the acquisition of energy drink maker Rockstar Energy and the launch of new flavors of Mountain Dew, including a new drink, Mtn Dew Rise Energy, targeting morning consumers.
