I remember the first time I saw a Pepsi Natural display at the grocery store. Its glass bottle, its simple brown packaging sans bold red-white-blue logo and its lighter caramel color cola. “Oooh! ‘Natural’? What’s that supposed to mean?” I wondered. “Is this Pepsi’s answer to the resurgence of Mexican Coke?”
Upon closer inspection I saw that this Pepsi au naturel, unlike the regular Pepsi, features not only natural sugar (a mix of beet and cane sugars) instead of high-fructose corn syrup but lightly sparkling water (finer bubbles) instead of carbonated water (large bubbles), and its color comes from caramel color and natural apple extract. It seems to be more a premium answer to those who have shied away from colas because of the stigma of corn syrup; folks who want a “healthier” alternative to cola.
And I have yet to break into the 12-ounce bottle of Pepsi Natural that I got in my Blogger Prom goody bag — saving that baby for a special occasion — but online reviews have lauded it for its great guilt-free taste.
In any case, you can pick up a four-pack of 12-ounce bottles at Target or Albertsons in SoCal.
Orrr, if you’re a lucky mofo, you can win the Pepsi Natural prize pack (worth over $50) that I’m giving away right now without having to leave your house. Not only does it include the four-pack of Pepsi Natural but it also has the following goodies:
- Pepsi Natural reusable 100% organic cotton canvas bag
- Yoga mat
- Yoga mat tote
- Pepsi Natural 100% organic cotton canvas hat
All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment below saying how you’d best enjoy Pepsi Natural this summer: In a homemade barbecue sauce? Au naturel at a nudist colony? With some tequila and two squeezes of lime over ice? There are no wrong answers.
I’ll pick the winner (U.S. residents only) and email you to get your physical address so that the goods can be shipped directly to you free of charge. Contest ends Wednesday, August 5 at 8pm (PST). Good luck and happy drinking!