Aapa, a new challenger soft drinks brand, has launched in Asda and WH Smith.
The brand aims to straddle the space between traditional carbonated soft drinks and functional beverages. It promises to carve out “its own space built around maximum taste and everyday enjoyment”.
Available in four flavours – Lemon & Lime, Orange, Wild Berry and Tropical – each can of Aapa contains 7g of fibre, added zinc, calcium, antioxidants and real fruit juice, with just 49 calories (rsp: £5.50/4x330ml).
“We created Aapa to help people feel better without asking them to compromise on taste,” said Mark Watkins, director at Aapa. “We wanted to make a soft drink that people genuinely want to drink, while also giving them something more from the ingredients in the can. That’s what makes Aapa different: it’s about bringing great taste and meaningful nutritional benefits together in a way that feels natural for everyday life.
“Securing national listings with both Asda and WH Smith at launch is a huge endorsement of that proposition and gives us a strong platform to build from.”
The listings would be supported by sampling and marketing activity planned through to the end of 2026, Aapa added.
Functional health benefits have shot up the wish list for soft drink shoppers in recent years.
Nearly one in four (24%) people now say they look for benefits like added vitamins, minerals or fibre when deciding what to drink, up from 13% in 2024 [Field Agent, 2026].
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