Space is a never-ending expanse filled with dazzling planets, stars, and galaxies — and Coca-Cola is trying to capture that in a bottle with space-flavored Coke. When discussing the universe, the conversation often revolves around new galaxies being discovered, dazzling photos from Hubble, or mission updates from Perseverance. As exciting as those things are, there are also other fun stories that come from the cosmos. In December 2021, NASA broke two records for growing and harvesting space chilis on the ISS. The ISS crew also celebrated the Olympics this past August, sharing videos of their own space-themed games.
Along with spicy chilis and zero-gravity competitions, Coke is also no stranger to outer space. Coca-Cola teamed up with NASA in 1985 and created a special 'Space Can' for the soda. This made Coke one of the first soft drinks to travel to space and the first one ever consumed there. It may seem like a small achievement today, but it was a notable step forward in experimenting with ways to improve astronauts' time among the stars.
While Coca-Cola hasn't created more Space Cans since then, the company is reviving its space-themed interests with 'Starlight Coca-Cola.' Created as part of its experimental Coca-Cola Creations brand, Starlight is supposed to make Coke taste like ... well, space. The space-flavored Coke has a distinctly reddish color compared to the regular version of the soda. The packaging for the bottle further emphasizes the space theme with purple, red, and pink colors along with stars scattered through the background.
How Starlight Coca-Cola Tastes Like Space
According to Coca-Cola's official press release, Starlight Coca-Cola "includes additional notes reminiscent of stargazing around a campfire, as well as a cooling sensation that evokes the feeling of a cold journey to space." If that leaves you even more confused, food review site Candy Hunting tried the soda themselves and offered a much more practical explanation of the space flavor. They say Starlight Coca-Cola tastes like regular Coke "with added fruity and vanilla flavor." Candy Hunting further explains that the space-flavored Coke "tastes like strawberry, marshmallow, and/or cotton candy." As for the 'cooling sensation,' it's apparently a very subtle one that you can easily miss.
Whether or not strawberry and marshmallow flavors represent space is for you to decide, but regardless, it's really interesting to see Coca-Cola return to the space world over 35 years after its partnership with NASA. While this space-flavored Coke won't be visiting space any time soon, you can buy it now for a limited time. Starlight Coca-Cola is available in 20-ounce bottles and in a ten-pack of 7.5-ounce cans, with options for regular and zero sugar versions of the flavor.
Source: Coca-Cola, Candy Hunting