The Yogurt-Themed Coca-Cola That We Would Welcome Back
Throughout the years, wacky soda flavors have been introduced that go far beyond the conventional norms of colas, lemon-lime soft drinks, and root beers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the bacon craze also ushered in a bacon soda, giving us something to wash down all that pork belly. Lester's Fixins, the company that introduced bacon soda to Americans, also created a ranch dressing soda, which we suppose you could pair with a Cobb salad if you wanted to.
Jones Soda Co. first developed a limited-release turkey and gravy flavored, Thanksgiving-inspired soda in 2003 but has also featured other holiday favorites in soda form, from mashed potatoes and green bean casserole to cranberry dressing. That said, no one perfects unique food and beverages quite like Japan, the country of origin for a drink manufacturer called Kimura Inryou, which launched an eel-flavored cola. Because of this, it makes sense that Fanta once produced a yogurt-inspired Coca-Cola in Japan, similar to another popular milk-based, non-carbonated beverage called Calpis. Coca-Cola's Fanta Moo Moo White, a carbonated, dairy-based drink with a yogurt flavor profile, was released in Japan in 2010 to great fanfare and received endorsements from Japanese celebrities.
A fan of Calpis who tried Fanta Moo Moo White described it as "tasting like carbonated yogurty milk." Eventually, the flavor was discontinued. A Reddit thread from 2019 in the community r/soda had one commenter lamenting the drink's disappearance, stating, "Unfortunately, Fanta Moo Moo White has never come back..."
Today's market might be more receptive to Moo Moo White
Fanta released another beverage in Taiwan in 2006 called Fanta Lactic, the taste of which was also compared to yogurt. Fanta Moo Moo White reworked Fanta Lactic's formula, creating a sweetened, carbonated milk beverage that differed from typical sodas as it contained both lactic acid and a healthy dose of calcium, which helps strengthen bones (via Mayo Clinic).
In today's world, Moo Moo White would likely be welcomed back with open arms. Yogurt-based drinks and smoothies are becoming more popular in the United States since consumers wish to reap its benefits as a convenient, healthy breakfast or snack option. Yogurt contains probiotics that aid digestive health and essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin A, and calcium (via WebMD). The sales of yogurt-based beverages kefir (a fermented milk drink) and lassi (a traditional Indian blended yogurt drink often mixed with water, spices, and fruit) have increased as a growing segment of the public has embraced them. Elsewhere, the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan is even touting its traditional fermented mare's milk beverage, kumis, as a tourism draw (via CNN). If Fanta Moo Moo returned to this pro-yogurt drink environment, it might fare well with consumers outside the Japanese market.