Mountain Dew Might Be Going Nude. Would You Still Dew It? 

Would you buy a can of “NKD” Mountain Dew? Because there’s a rumor going around that PepsiCo is privately surveying a new Mountain Dew with no artificial colors, no artificial sweeteners, and only 7g of sugar. Sit with that. How does that make you feel? 

After Frito-Lay’s success with NKD Doritos and Cheetos—yes, they still taste great without their clothes on, believe it or not—we probably should have seen this coming sooner. But don’t get too excited. The Dew hasn’t started stripping just yet. 

When will this “naked” new Mountain Dew be released? Will it even be released? 

The second question seems to be the more pertinent one. We only know that Pepsi is (allegedly) testing “NKD” Mountain Dew because of leaked news from a couple of different outlets on Instagram. If the rumors are true (they probably are, guys), then it’s likely this colorless soda will come to stores eventually. 

Still, it might be a long time before that happens. In the past, when we’ve gotten wind of stuff like this, it can take another year or so for the official release. Not to mention…

“NKD” products feel a bit politically charged at the moment. Unless they release this soon, I’m a little skeptical it will be released at all. 

The war on food dyes and other additives has been a cornerstone of the MAHA movement, and Yellow #5—the dye that gives Mountain Dew its signature color—is among the dyes the current administration wants to phase out altogether. The FDA’s website mentions PepsiCo’s new NKD Cheetos and Doritos, but it doesn’t say anything about a forthcoming NKD Mountain Dew.

For the record: I have no problem introducing products into the market that are dye-free and contain less sugar. And I don’t even think the brands are trying to market their dye-less products divisively. They want everyone’s money, after all. They probably set out to tread the line between humor (look, the chips are naked! haha!) and getting ahead of the potential FDA regulations. But let’s be real: No one who tolerates the hypocrisy of the loudest voices in the HHS can look at this branding, or these products, without rolling their eyes. Removing food dyes feels loaded. Stamping funny, loud branding on the concept feels even more loaded. 

Anyways, this is all my opinion. I could be dead wrong about all of it! I would love to hear YOUR opinion in the comments. 

If NKD Mountain Dews dew release, we’ll still be among the first to try them. 

That’s our job, folks. And because your dollar determines the moves these companies make, your only job is to answer my very first question: If you saw NKD Mountain Dew next to all the other Mountain Dews in the humming, glistening, floor-to-ceiling beverage fridge of your local convenience store, would you buy it?