Pepsi loses its crown as America’s second favorite soda

Dr Pepper has soared up the rankings to challenge Pepsi as America’s second-favourite soda in the fizzy pop wars.

While Coca-Cola still leads by a comfortable edge over its competitors, contention for the second spot has heated up with Dr Pepper gaining market share over the years.

Market share data has now revealed that Dr Pepper, which has been consumed by Americans since the 1880s, tied with Pepsi as the number two soda brand in the United States in 2023.

Coca-Cola remains on top, holding 19.2 per cent of the country’s soda maket by volume, data from Beverage Digest, obtained by CNN, shows.

In second were Dr Pepper and Pepsi with 8.3 per cent each, with Dr Pepper being technically ahead, CNN reported.

After the top three brands came other sodas owned by Coca-Cola, with Sprite at 8.1 per cent and Diet Coke at 7.8 per cent.

Pepsi has held the number two spot nearly every year for the past four decades, according to the sales volume data from Beverage Digest, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Dr Pepper has had the social media spotlight cast on it after recent TikTok trends have seen people get creative with the unique-tasting drink.

This includes a trend of making a “Dirty Dr Pepper,” which for the most part consists of mixing the soda with creamer, milk and other flavourings like lime.

Others have got creative with the “Pickle Dr Pepper” drink, where sliced pickles get thrown into an icy glass with the soda.

The popular soda resides under Keurig Dr Pepper, a beverage company in the United States that has more than 125 owned, licensed and partner brands in its portfolio.

Dr Pepper has its roots in Waco, Texas, where the unusual flavoured drink was created.

While Keurig Dr Pepper and The Coca-Cola Company have focused their industry efforts mostly on the world of beverage brands, Pepsico also has a large focus on food in its portfolio, including Lay’s, Doritos and Quaker.