The Beverage Industry Is Having A Full-Blown ’90s Revival
Nostalgia never really goes out of style, but the beverage industry seems especially eager to revisit the 1990s right now.
The decade gave us everything from highly caffeinated sodas and sugar-loaded fruit drinks to oddball creations like Orbitz, the famously short-lived beverage filled with floating gelatin balls. They weren’t exactly health foods, but they left a lasting impression on a generation of consumers.
Now, many of those same consumers are the ones developing products, building brands, and making decisions inside beverage companies.
In recent months, we’ve seen the return of classic soda brands like Slice, RC Cola, and Mr. Pibb, alongside a Snapple rebrand, a wave of nostalgia-inspired startups, and even fast food chains leaning into flavors and formats that feel straight out of the ’90s. The difference this time around is that many of these products arrive with updated ingredients, functional benefits, or modern formulations.
According to Mintel’s 2026 Food and Drink Predictions, “For consumers in 2026, nostalgia for ‘the past’ does not mean rewinding to a specific year or era.” Instead, brands are blending familiarity with innovation, particularly as younger consumers continue searching for new experiences.
Coca-Cola recently expanded its Cherry Coke lineup with a vanilla-infused Cherry Float flavor. Slice returned after a 15-year hiatus with a prebiotic-forward reformulation. Mr. Pibb came back with 30% more caffeine, an extra kick of spice, and a Zero Sugar option. Keurig Dr Pepper refreshed both A&W Root Beer and Snapple, giving two longtime favorites a modern update.
The company is also attempting to revive RC Cola, an OG cola brand whose popularity faded after the 1990s. Even the packaging leans into nostalgia, retaining much of its classic look.
Meanwhile, Jolt Cola reemerged in 2024 as an energy drink under the Redcon1 banner, complete with a total branding overhaul and more than double the caffeine. Ben Stiller also entered the conversation with Stillers, a soda brand inspired by late-’80s and early-’90s flavors that pairs nostalgia with vitamins and other better-for-you ingredients.
The trend has even found its way into fast food. Dave’s Hot Chicken recently announced a lineup of slushies topped with Pop Rocks and made with flavors from brands like Minute Maid, Hi-C, and Powerade. While Pop Rocks actually predate the 1990s, they remain one of the candies most closely associated with the era.
Marketers have started calling the collision of nostalgia and innovation “newstalgia,” a category that stretches from functional beverages to dirty sodas and beyond. Judging by the number of brands reaching into the past for inspiration, the next wave of beverage innovation may look surprisingly familiar.
