Perhaps you’ve seen the drink on TikTok or heard about it from a friend claiming they can’t get enough. Olipop — a brand of sparkling tonics — seems to have exploded in popularity in the last couple of years since its launch in 2018.
The company uses a proprietary blend of roots, prebiotics and plant fibers that they claim will support digestive health, all while packing 9 grams of fiber in each can. The drink is also marketed as a healthy alternative to traditional soda. Each can has between just 2 to 5 grams of total sugar, as most of the sweetness comes from stevia.
As someone who has never enjoyed soda, I have to admit these drinks won me over simply with their aesthetically-pleasing packaging that combines pastel colors and charming designs. Curious about the buzz surrounding them, I headed to the Jackson Creek Kroger and picked up every flavor they had in stock. At $2.69 a can, they’re considerably pricier than your average soda. But for some, the health benefits may be worth it.
I have ranked the flavors in order of how much I enjoyed them, from least to most for the consideration of fizzy drink-lovers:
Tropical Punch
After doing some research on social media, I saw this flavor rated highly by several TikTok creators. When I saw it on the shelf, the palm tree illustrations drew me in immediately. Much to my disappointment, I knew from the first sip that this would not take me to a warm, sunny paradise as I had hoped. Rather, it had no resemblance to the dangerously red Hawaiian Punch from the birthday parties of my childhood. I found the combination of passionfruit and mandarin juice to be slightly too dissonant, and each sip was accompanied by an unpleasant aftertaste. Ultimately, I couldn’t even finish the can.
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Strawberry Vanilla
I also had high expectations for this flavor, given that strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts. The baby pink packaging instantly appealed to me. Although I am not generally a fan of carbonation, the mild, almost creamy vanilla flavoring pleasantly balanced it out. This flavor has a hint of fruitiness from the strawberry, but it wasn’t as strong as I had hoped, and was therefore slightly reminiscent of children’s antibiotic syrup. I do think this would pair really well with vanilla ice cream in a float — which might help hide that mildly unpleasant aftertaste.
Classic Grape
I went into this taste test apprehensive, as grape can be a divisive flavor. Luckily, there was no strange aftertaste like the strawberry vanilla and tropical punch flavors. And the flavor had no medicinal qualities — which is often a complaint I hear about grape-flavored drinks and candy. The drink doesn’t contain as much of that intense grape flavor you would get with a classic Welch’s juice or grape Fanta. I actually find the apple juice included in it to be quite noticeable. It’s bright and fruity, with more similarity to the milder white grape juice flavor. I think this is a quintessential and non-offensive Olipop flavor that is perfect for beginners like myself.
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Orange Squeeze
It’s likely been at least 10 years since my last sip of orange soda, but this Olipop was light and refreshing — very similar to an orange Fanta, if my memory serves me right. It had none of the bitter aftertaste that some packaged orange juices have. Each sip was citrusy, bright and juicy, reminding me of real oranges. I do think the stevia flavor comes through a bit more in this one, but there were no unpleasant or jarring flavors, as with some of the others.
Vintage Cola
I was pleasantly surprised by this flavor. I have to admit, I can probably count the number of times I have had Coca-Cola on one hand. But as soon as I cracked open this can, the smell instantly reminded me of it. Taste-wise, I would say it is nearly identical; if someone served me this saying it was Coca-Cola, I wouldn’t question them. The taste is warm, sweet, familiar and just slightly citrusy. That being said, I think it had just a slightly more earthy aftertaste than the soda it is based on. Drinking this felt nostalgic and comfortable, like a sunny day at an amusement park. For those who are religious Coca-Cola drinkers, I might advise exercising caution with this flavor because I know some people can literally taste the difference and have a strong preference between Diet Coke, regular Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Personally, though, I think they did a fantastic job.
