Pepsi Ice Cucumber

Region

Japan

Associated With

Suntory - developer and licensed Japanese Pepsi operator

Defining Feature

Pale emerald-green cucumber-flavoured cola in a clear 500 ml bottle

Status

Discontinued - Japan-only summer release; the exact final retail date is not established

Overview

Pepsi Ice Cucumber was a Japan-only seasonal cola launched by Suntory in the summer of 2007.

In its clear 500 ml bottle, pale emerald-green liquid sat behind green stripes, blue shading and ice imagery. The cucumber flavour came from added flavouring rather than cucumber juice, pairing a familiar Japanese food with cola.

Released nationwide on 12 June, it was sold as a limited summer novelty. Reviewers recorded sharply different tastes, from refreshing or better than expected to grassy and mint-like. It was intended only for Japan, and its final sales result and exact end date were not reported.

Why It Mattered

The surprise came from moving an everyday food into the soft-drink aisle. Cucumber gave the drink a recognisable summer association, while its combination with cola made the flavour something to try out of curiosity. The pale-green liquid and ice imagery carried that cooling promise onto the shelf, before anyone opened the bottle.

Release and Distribution

• Suntory announced Pepsi Ice Cucumber on 22 May 2007; ITmedia examined an advance bottle on 9 June, before nationwide public sale began on 12 June.
• The drink was released in one 500 ml PET-bottle format with a suggested price of ¥147.
• Suntory gave the Associated Press a three-month target of 200,000 cases, while ASCII stated a limited release quantity of 2.4 million bottles. Neither figure establishes final sales.

Formula and Colour

• ITmedia’s transcription of the Japanese label lists high-fructose corn syrup, flavouring, acidulant, preservative, caffeine and colouring.
• The packaging stated that the drink contained no fruit juice, and cucumber juice did not appear in the ingredient list; Suntory said the cucumber taste came from flavouring.
• The legible ingredient transcription identifies colouring as a category but does not name individual dyes; reported use of Blue 1 and Yellow 4 remains unconfirmed.

Recorded Tastings

• ITmedia’s prelaunch reviewer found the drink better than expected and increasingly cucumber-like as it was consumed.
• GIGAZINE’s launch-day tasting described a grassy, mint-like and highly unusual aftertaste.
• ASCII’s group tasting produced varied individual reactions, including refreshing impressions and disappointment that the cucumber flavour was weak.

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