Dr. Pepper Is Making Soda History With New Strawberries & Cream Flavor

Dr. Pepper is a bit of a standout in the soda world, and now it's looking to cement that reputation with another new flavor. With its unique and secret blend of 23 flavors, Dr. Pepper has always stood apart from the colas of the world. Much like Mountain Dew, it occupies its own self-created genre of soda, which has spawned store-brand imitations like Kroger's Dr. K, and Coca-Cola's Pibb Xtra (via Brand Informers). And being its own category has been working for it, as CNN reports that Dr. Pepper has continued to grow and gain market share, even as soda sales drop around the country.

Dr. Pepper also seems to know their strength and has been following in the footsteps of Mountain Dew recently by experimenting with new and limited-edition flavors that inspire excitement and curiosity. The most unique was most likely Dr. Pepper Dark Berry, which Food Network notes was released as a limited-run flavor in 2019, and then again as a promotion in 2022. Dr. Pepper's newest permanent addition to its flavor lineup, Dr. Pepper & Cream Soda, has also been a huge success, with Food Dive reporting that it was the best-selling new food product launch of 2021. 

Now Dr. Pepper is back with a new flavor, Dr. Pepper Strawberries & Cream, which will join its permanent lineup.

Anyone who was once a soda-loving child probably has a memory of mixing drinks at a soda fountain. Some results were delicious and intriguing combinations of flavors; oftentimes they were less than successful, but mixing flavors was always a fun way to bring a little whimsy into your life. Dr. Pepper has embraced this feeling wholeheartedly with a new flavor that seems to come straight from that flavor-mixing childhood impulse. According to a press release, Dr. Pepper Strawberries & Cream will be released this month, in both standard and zero-sugar varieties. The Texas-born brand says the new flavor is a blend of its classic formula, with "refreshing strawberry flavor and a smooth, creamy finish."

You'll have to wait until you can get your hands on the new flavor — it hits grocery store shelves across the United States this month — to see how well this flavor works, but longtime Dr. Pepper fans may get a hint by remembering the Berries & Cream flavor that was released in the long-gone days of the mid-2000s. As Elite Daily notes, the short-lived flavor debuted in 2006 and featured a blend of blueberry, raspberry, and vanilla flavors. It was missed enough that Dr. Pepper brought it back in 2022 as part of a sweepstakes giveaway. There is also the long-popular Cherry Vanilla flavor, which hits many of the same notes, so it will be interesting to see how this new Strawberries & Cream version will distinguish itself. But if Dr. Pepper's recent run is any indication, fans have good reason to get excited.