A TikTok Tea Hack Got 17 Million Views — Now It’s the Boldest Sprite Flavor Yet

From TikTok’s “For You” page to one of the world’s largest soft drink conglomerates, this beverage combo has captured our attention.

Sprite + Tea, a brand-new combination of citrusy soda and classic black tea, is rolling out to national retailers as we speak. Starting today, you can pick up regular and sugar-free versions of the beverage wherever classic Sprite is sold. 

This latest launch isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it certainly plays off a fan-favorite customization that’s recently picked up speed online.

“The inspiration for Sprite + Tea came from a recent viral social trend — our consumers were steeping tea bags in Sprite bottles to create their own unique Sprite and tea beverage,” Kate Schaufelberger, brand director at Sprite, tells Food & Wine. “Consumers organically showed us this white space, and gave us the launching point to explore how we combine two delicious refreshment solutions and elevate the trend to the next level.”

The sweet and citrusy combination first began trending on TikTok in late 2023. Around that time, Malaysia-based creator Hisham Raus posted a video showing tea bags steeping in a Sprite bottle. His video, which reached 17 million views, sparked numerous other taste tests across the platform: 

Few good things seem to last, and sadly, that’s true of Sprite + Tea. 

The newest flavor will only be available for a limited time this summer, as Sprite confirms to Food & Wine. We can expect to see it on shelves through October of this year — but in the meantime, Sprite is noting the customer reception. In today’s announcement, Sprite teases that this is the latest in “a string of successful limited-time-only innovations this summer.” 

Sprite + Tea actually began as an intern research assignment, as A.P. Chaney, a senior creative director at Sprite, shares in the press release. During its development, the Sprite team underwent several rounds of tastings and consumer feedback to nail the right flavor balance. 

“The product is still Sprite at its heart, but we wanted to make sure we paid off consumer expectations of blending with tea flavor,” Schaufelberger explains. “It’s the known lemon-lime citrus and cut-through refreshment of Sprite balanced with classic black iced tea flavor and aroma.”

Meanwhile, it looks like the rollout kicked off early in some states. Trusted food blogger Markie Devo shared details on the drink earlier this month, noting that customers had already spotted cases on store shelves in Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

Whether you’ve already DIY’d this beverage or are open to remixing a classic, this launch is certainly one to watch this summer.