Kroger adds exclusive new 7UP Manadarin Orange

Every now and then, a limited-time offer captures the public's attention in a way that drives tremendous interest in the brand.

When Starbucks, for example, first introduced the Unicorn Frappuccino, it became something that people had to try at least once. McDonald's created a similar phenomenon with the Grimace Shake in the summer of 2023, and Taco Bell got a ton of media attention when it first brought back the Mexican pizza after dropping it from the menu during the COVID pandemic.

Those types of viral sensations, however, are very rare. Many LTOs work like Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte and McDonald's Shamrock Shake. They're brought back at a similar time each year, which drives added sales from recurring customers and brings back lapsed ones.

"An LTO can be implemented for a number of different reasons – whether it's to test out an item that will later become part of the permanent menu, to put a spin on an existing item (like a burger with a new sauce, for example) or to try a totally new item in an effort to spur interest. For consumers, LTOs encourage repeat visits and inspire them to spread the word," according Datassential's "The ingredients for a winning limited-time offer."

Using LTOs is not unique to restaraunts. The strategy has also worked for retailers including Walmart, Costco, Target, and Kroger.

Now, Kroger has once again partnered with Keurig Dr. Pepper to bring an exclusive soda flavor to its store shelves.

Kroger wants to drive visits

"Limited-time offers are one of an operator's best tried-and-true tactics for creating a sense of urgency and encouraging guests to act now. They help motivate existing guests to return, while simultaneously attracting trial from new ones," according to Restaurant Dive.

In a market where many consumers are struggling financially and Kroger is not the cheapest grocery option, according to data from Consumer Reports, the retailer needs to give consumers a reason to visit its stores.

"Packaged beverages have been a top-performing category in terms of sales and gross profit growth over the last 10 years," NACS Research Analyst Emma Tainter told NACS Magazine, describing beverages as a category that "drives in-store traffic."

That makes them ideal for an LTO.

"For consumers, LTOs encourage repeat visits and inspire them to spread the word," according to the Datassential report.

Kroger hopes that its new 7UP Endless Summer Mandarin Orange flavor will do that for the supermarket chain.

Kroger adds a new 7UP flavor

Last summer, Kroger added 7UP Endless Summer Strawberry Watermelon as an LTO. It has followed that up with the new Mandarin Orange flavor, which is being offered in both full-calorie and "Zero Sugar" versions.

The grocery chain shared a product description for 7UP Endless Summer Zero Sugar Mandarin Orange on its website.

"It's everything you love about summer, crammed into a can. Meet 7UP Zero Sugar Endless Summer, the timeless taste of lemon and lime bursting with refreshingly sweet and deliciously iconic flavor of Mandarin Orange," it posted.

More Exclusive LTOs:

• Walmart adds exclusive candy from 181-year-old brand
• Costco adds new exclusive dessert tied to viral trend
• Walmart unveils exclusive, limited-edition Mountain Dew lineup

AllRecipes.com was able to test the new product.

"A flavorful combo of classic lemon-lime and juicy mandarin, 7Up's newest seasonal flavor brings a crisp and refreshing taste that just screams summer," the food news and recipes site shared.

Kroger faces a challenging economy

Kroger tested 14.8% higher than Walmart, which served as the baseline for the basket Consumer Reports price tested nationwide.

Warehouse clubs Costco and BJ's were both more than 21% cheaper than Walmart and Aldi (8.5%) an Lidl (8.3%) were both less expensive than the baseline brand.

That has not stopped Kroger from growing its sales.

"We're pleased to report another quarter of strong results, capping off a strong year for Kroger. Importantly, in the final period of the year, we achieved positive market share growth for the first time this year. For the full year, we nearly doubled our identical sales without fuel from 1.5% to 2.9% and grew earnings per share by 9%, which was at the high end of our earnings expectations," Kroger interim CEO Ronald Sargent shared during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call.

Sargent acknowledged that despite the chain's success, it still faced a challenging operating environment.

"Customers remain focused on value in the fourth quarter, which was consistent with the trends that we've seen throughout the year, and we are continuing to invest in price to make sure we're delivering the value customers expect," he added.

Related: 38-year-old Italian chain down to 9 locations nationwide

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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 6:33 AM.