7UP is changing its taste after 15 years — & Gen Z has a lot to do with it

If you’ve noticed a sharper lime taste in your next 7UP, it’s not your imagination. The nearly century-old soda is getting a permanent recipe change, with the brand reducing the lemon flavour and putting lime more front and centre, according to a report by CNN.

The change is 7UP’s first major taste reformulation in 15 years and comes as younger consumers increasingly gravitate towards citrus-heavy flavours. Keurig Dr Pepper, which owns 7UP, says its research found that 72% of Gen Z and Gen Alpha drinkers prefer citrus-forward flavours, such as lime.

“Bringing lime more to the forefront is an improvement, but not that anything was broken,” Drew Panayiotou, chief marketing and innovation officer at parent Keurig Dr Pepper, told CNN.

The new formula took two years to develop. The company says it wants to keep existing 7UP drinkers happy while making the brand more appealing to younger consumers.

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What’s changing for 7UP drinkers

The new recipe will also be used in Cherry 7UP and the zero-sugar versions launching in mid-August.

The packaging is changing too. The words “lime lemon” will now appear prominently, along with a new vertical logo. The refreshed packs will roll out across the US in the coming weeks.

7UP is taking on Sprite

The move comes as 7UP faces tough competition in the $5 billion US lemon-lime soda market.

Coca-Cola’s Sprite leads the category with a 9% share of 2025 sales, while 7UP has 1.2%, according to Beverage Digest. PepsiCo-owned Starry, along with brands such as Poppi, Olipop and Zevia, are also competing for consumers looking for new and “better-for-you” choices.

Citrus flavours are in “high demand among established nostalgic brands” amid an “ferociously competitive market,” said Alex Beckett, principal strategist for Mintel’s food and drink unit.

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The risk of changing a familiar taste

For 7UP, the challenge is to refresh a familiar taste without upsetting loyal drinkers. The company says the bigger risk may be standing still.

“The biggest risk you have with brands is stagnation and not wanting to evolve,” Panayiotou said. “If you stay stagnant, that’s when you start losing momentum and sales decline.”