Sprite Drops Refreshing Take on Tea With New LTO – Sprite + Tea

Sprite continues its string of successful limited-time-only (LTO) innovations this summer with the launch of Sprite + Tea.

The category-crossing offering blends the crisp, lemon-lime refreshment of Sprite with the classically refreshing flavor of tea. Regular and zero-sugar varieties of Sprite + Tea hit shelves today across the United States and Canada and will remain in market through October.

Sprite + Tea is a uniquely strategic, insights-driven innovation inspired by the viral trend of consumers steeping tea bags in Sprite.

“We’re always listening to our consumers, but this particular phenomenon motivated us to explore how we could offer our own refreshing take on tea,” said Kate Schaufelberger, Brand Director, Sprite North America. “Sprite fans love variety, not just in flavor but in the ways we bring refreshment to life through unique multisensorial experiences that stay true to the essence of the brand.”

Coca‑Cola North America’s R&D team completed several rounds of consumer testing to fine-tune the formula for the amber-colored sparkling beverage, striking a smooth and refreshing balance of the complementary flavors.

“The Sprite + Tea concept started out as an intern research project, which is really fun and interesting,” adds A.P. Chaney, Senior Creative Director, Sparkling Flavors North America. “When it blew up on TikTok with millions of views, it was a gut check that we were on the right track. Because you never go wrong when you listen to consumers and tap into what they're doing by becoming part of their everyday.”

Chaney compared the Sprite + Tea origin story to another hybrid offering, Sprite Lymonade, which was driven by fans mixing their beloved brand with lemonade.

Packaging for the LTO fuses the Sprite logo and signature green with gold and amber accents, dynamic splash graphics and a youthful font atypical of ready-to-drink tea brands.

Tea-ing Off With Eastside Golf

Sprite's "Refreshing Take on Tea" campaign leans into the core creative idea of blurring lines and bringing refreshment and confident edge to new categories. Sprite + Tea collaborated with Eastside Golf, a pioneering fashion and lifestyle brand pushing the boundaries of golf by infusing hip-hop and basketball-inspired culture.

“As a brand, Sprite has always championed those who are shaping culture, so it was a natural decision to partner with another brand that’s bringing a refreshing twist to tradition,” Schaufelberger said.

Eastside Golf co-founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper star in a Sprite + Tea film titled “The Fix” alongside another cultural disruptor, rapper/singer Monaleo. Fans can scan any Sprite product to access the new Sprite Squad digital portal for exclusive Eastside Golf content and other prize perks.

"Sprite + Tea is bringing something fresh to the golf course that challenges tradition, just like we do at Eastside Golf,” Ajanaku said. “This drink is stepping in where traditional golf beverages have been for decades. It’s time to try something new on the golf course – whether that’s what you’re wearing or what you’re drinking. We enjoyed working on this campaign with Sprite, which recognizes the cultural shift happening in golf and wants to celebrate our game in the same authentic way that we do." 

A second intrinsic-focused spot — plus outdoor and social/digital creative — tout the hybrid beverage as “not your granny’s tea.”

Sprite + Tea hits the market on the heels of last summer’s hit LTO, Sprite Chill, which became the No. 1 selling sparkling soft drink innovation at Coca‑Cola in 2024, earning a sustaining spot in the Sprite portfolio lineup. Schaufelberger said the team hopes Sprite + Tea will become a year-over-year seasonal offering like the holiday fan-favorite Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry.

Flavor innovations are a growth driver for Sprite, which is now the No. 3 sparkling soft drink brand in North America. LTOs present a fun creative challenge for the Sprite team due to limited time in market and the need to communicate multiple messages. “I love innovations, because we can take bigger swings with our marketing,” Chaney added. “Sprite has never rested on our laurels, so we’ll always continue to push ourselves to do what's right for our consumers and the business with innovations like Sprite + Tea.”