Ooh-la-la. It’s not exactly Chateauneuf du Pape, but the French are about to get some fizz and perhaps a case of the jitters courtesy of Coca-Cola, which will debut Blak — a new soft drink that mixes Coke and coffee — in France next month.
It’s a “beverage occasion,” said executives who waxed poetic about the dark-bottled, gold-capped drink yesterday.
“It is a blend of unique Coke refreshment with the true essence of coffee and has a rich smooth texture and has a coffee-like froth when poured,” said company Vice President Marc Mathieu, who added that the beverage would provide “a whole new drinking experience.”
People were interested in these podcasts
The name underscores “mystery,” said Isabelle Hubsch of Coca-Cola France.
The brand might not resonate immediately with the locals, though, because the French word for black is “noir.” However, several musicians already have tapped into the urban cachet of the moniker, including Philadelphia hip-hop artist Baby Blak and European performers Blak Flag and Blak Twang.
“Oh well, a big tip of the chapeau to Coke. This is a cultural moment,” said Richard Chesnoff, author of “The Arrogance of the French,” published earlier this year by Sentinel Books.
“This is funny, this is hysterical. And it makes sense. The French are drinking almost as much Coke as red wine these days — an enormous quantity,” Mr. Chesnoff continued. “And to think that French Communist Party tried to get the National Assembly to ban Coke as a symbol of American colonialism after the Second World War.”
Indeed, the party newspaper L’Humanite took Coca-Cola to task at the time, demanding to know “the secret ingredients” in the drink and eventually condemning the “Coca-colonization of France.” The State Department intervened, countering that such talk was “anti-American.”
But odd links between Coke and France persist. The original name of the 119-year-old drink was “Pemberton’s French Wine Cola,” so named by druggist John Pemberton. He invented the formula in imitation of a spectacularly successful French tonic called “Vin Mariani,” favored by both Presidents Grant and McKinley, according to historical accounts.
Coke insists that the French debut is strictly a business decision, though.
“Why did we choose France to launch Coca-Cola Blak? There is no big mystery or magical twist here. France is just the country we chose,” said Andras Sallos, a spokesman in the Atlanta-based company’s press office.
Pepsi once tested “Kona,” a coffee-based soft drink, but withdrew the brand in 1996.
The French will get the first taste of Blak Jan. 15, and U.S. sales begin in April. But Americans need not feel too slighted. The company will introduce Black Cherry Vanilla Coke on these shores next month as well.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.