Coca-Cola will market Diet Cherry Coke on a permanent basis
The soft drink is expected to begin appearing in stores from February 2026 and will be available from a number of retailers, not just limited regional chains, as was the case with previous temporary launches.
Coca-Cola and Cherry Coke bottles.
Coca-Cola will remarket Diet Cherry Coke permanently in 2026, in response to nostalgic demand and intensifying competition in the soft drink market.
Although the company has yet to officially announce it, Parademay confirm that the announcement was made during the recent National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) trade show held at Chicago.
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The product will be available in 20 ounce bottles and 12 pack cans. However, a 2 liter bottle will not be widely marketed at this time. The soft drink is expected to arrive in stores starting in February 2026 and will be sold by a range of national retailers, moving beyond the limited regional chains used for prior temporary launches.
The product was first launched in 1986 as a cherry-flavored variant of the Coca-Cola Light line. After decades on the market, it was discontinued in late 2020.
A product designed to stay
Snackolator, a popular account that reviews new snack, candy and fast food launches, celebrated the news on Instagram, reiterating the announcement made at the NACS trade show.
"As a lifelong Diet Cherry Coke fan, you don't know how happy I am that Diet Cherry Coke is coming back in 2026 and this time to stay," the Snackolator account stated.
"I have spoken to Coca-Cola at NACS and they have confirmed that this is a 'sustainable' item, which means it is meant to stay, so let's hope it sells well this time and stays FOREVER," he added.
Earlier this month, Coca-Cola announced that Diet Coke Lime would have a limited national run through Dec. 31, while supplies last.
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