Coca-Cola’s Newest Creation Tastes Like ‘Transformation’

Gather your Coca-Cola lovin’ tastebuds and pull up a straw, because Coca-Cola is giving us yet another abstract concept as a flavor. As part of their “Coca-Cola Creations” line, they’ve released colas that were space flavored, dream flavored, and pixel flavored (not to mention a DJ Marshmello collab that was not, in fact, marshmallow flavored). I’ll be honest, I thought the dream-flavored soda was going to Coke’s last foray into the world of non-flavor flavors. But I guess as long as people like me keep writing about these kooky flavors (what’s next, schadenfreude flavor?), then they are going to keep cranking them out. The next limited-edition flavor to come out, which drops on February 20, is a collab with Rosalía (the genius behind the song “Chicken Teriyaki”—what a bop). It’s called Coca-Cola Move and will supposedly taste like…”transformation.” That’s right, transformation-flavored coke.

So, does the flavor transform in your mouth? Does it taste at all like chicken teriyaki? Do I need to buy this transformation-flavored Coca-Cola immediately?

Okay, here’s the thing—Coca-Cola has yet to explicitly say what the flavor profile will be. My guess is that it will not taste like chicken teriyaki (unfortunately), and that it will probably be something a bit more fruit-forward, as the other Coca-Cola Creations flavors have been. Coca-Cola says that this promises to be the “boldest and edgiest Coca‑Cola Creations flavor yet,” which raises more questions than it answers. What does “edgy” even mean in the context of a soda flavor?

I will say the pink-and-black packaging looks kind of amazing. Not only that, but the can will have a QR code linking to behind-the-scenes content of the Grammy-winning artist recording her new song, “LLYLM” (Lie Like You Love Me), as well as “a personality quiz that creates custom 3D, metaverse-inspired avatars and playlists based on fan responses,” and “a music video celebrating all versions of the artist by incorporating live-action photography and animation sequences.” So, it’s going to be a good time even if the drink itself turns out to suck.

I, however, don’t think it will suck. Rosalía wouldn’t steer us wrong (I hope). In some international markets where the transformation coke has already been released, efforts to determine the flavor have been inconclusive as yet. People have claimed it tastes like everything from coconut to vanilla to floral bath products to buttered popcorn. I guess come February 20, we’re all going to have to try it for ourselves and see if it tastes as transformative as it claims to be.