Matt Crowley
Sanah Munjal
What happened to SoBe drinks? The extremely ‘90s bottled beverages emblazoned with a signature lizard was a sign of status at school lunch and beloved by many. And then, suddenly, it was gone. SoBe drink fans noticed when the SoBe line of drinks mysteriously disappeared. And, understandably, they had questions. What happened to SoBe drinks, exactly? Were SoBe drinks discontinued? Let’s pour out some answers. Here’s everything you need to know about what happened to SoBe drinks.
What are SoBe drinks? Who owns SoBe drinks?
If you aren’t a diehard drink fan, you might be wondering, “What was that SoBe lizard drink, again?” So, let’s start with a little history about the company.
Originally called the South Beach Beverage Company, SoBe launched in 1995 with one product: SoBe Black Tea 3G (the three Gs being ginseng, guarana, and ginkgo). The bottles were originally made of glass, and yes, they had a lizard on them. It was popular enough that PepsiCo took notice, and purchased SoBe in 2000.
What were the SoBe drink flavors?
SoBe has had a bunch of variations, including more tea flavors (Lemon Tea, Red Tea 3G, Oolong Tea 3G, and more), energy drinks, and other “elixirs” like Tsunami, Wisdom, Fuerte, and the much lamented “Sobe pink drink” Strawberry Daiquiri flavor. SoBe also briefly had a carbonated soda which was called Mr. Green. It was marketed as a tie-in for The Grinch movie.
What happened to SoBe drinks?
Despite having so many products in its portfolio, SoBe began struggling in the mid-2000s, due in part to the rise of more popular non-soda options like energy drinks. Another issue was that PepsiCo didn’t quite know what to do with SoBe—PepsiCo owns similar brands like Lipton, which they prioritized. Also worth noting is that in 2007, PepsiCo switched from the glass bottles to plastic, depriving SoBe drinks of their iconic packaging.
Are SoBe drinks discontinued?
After years of declining sales, PepsiCo quietly took SoBe off U.S. shelves altogether a few years ago. While they still have a website and are not entirely dead, SoBe products are now all but impossible to find.
Can you still buy Sobe drinks?
Technically, yes. But it’s complicated. As per the SoBe website, eight SoBe drink flavors still have regional availability. For example, if you’re in or around the town of Groton, Connecticut, our research indicates that you can still purchase SoBe Elixir Citrus Energy and SoBe Elixir Liz Blizz Pina Colada at Liquor Palace. And you can find bottles on eBay, select online stores, and some brick-and-mortar retailers—but be prepared to pay way more than you did in the early 2000s. We’ve concluded that if you do manage to somehow find SoBe in bulk—buy it. It’s an investment at this point.
Are Sobe drinks gluten free?
Kinda. Per the brand, “We don’t make gluten free label claims, but none of the ingredients in our products are derived from grains or flours that have been linked to malabsorption syndrome associated with gluten sensitivity.” So, drink with caution if you are gluten intolerant. Also, drink with caution because most SoBe drinks are antiques at this point.
Are Sobe drinks alcoholic?
No. Unless you put alcohol in them. In which case, now they are.
Are Sobe drinks vegan?
Though SoBe drinks do not seem to have any animal products, it’s always best practice to check individual labels.
Will SoBe drinks ever come back?
Given recent trends, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if PepsiCo brought SoBe back at some point for a limited run for nostalgia purposes. Alas, until then, we’ll just have to content ourselves with the memory and our SoBe lizard tattoos.
Griffin Parker
Will Morgan
Detoured to the Connecticut retailer otw back from Salem trip.
Unfortunately, they no longer carried it either but the clerk said he may be able to special order some, as he had many requests this year.
We may have to take a trip to Canada next time to find some lol
I want a sobe and can’t find any this is bull crap
They are still sold regionally and at specific retailers however they are hard to find out side of places like Colorado and Montana as far as I know
I’d like to know where I can go buy some of the sobe energy drinks I like the power and I like the citrus but I cannot find it nowhere here in Ohio if you can please just let me know we’re in Ohio I can get it that would be great just let me know
The article is regurgitating the official spin.SoBe had many variations before it sold to Pepsi. SoBe was hurting sales for both Coke and Pepsi. Both companies looked into buying it. Pepsi bought the company to kill off the brand. Sales declined because Pepsi had no interest in maintaining the brand other than the lifewater.
Please
Bring it back!!
I was a die hard fan of SOBE until I could no longer find it in stores. First it disappeared in the major grocery chains, and then slowly faded out in convenience stores as well. My go to was the citrus energy, which really did work in the original formula.
PepsiCo dropped the ball on this one, considering the proliferation of energy drinks these days.
Pepsi, you suck!
I loved the orange creme ones..
👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌!
My mom and I made a pink tea lotus drink with red raspberry syrup and blueberry tea. I added a bit of half & half. And for some odd reason couldn’t place the taste. It wasn’t until I finished the drink to realise it tasted like the strawberry SoBe. Then I was sad to find that it was taken off shelves. Makes me miss my childhood: of my brothers and I racing for the pink one in gas stations.