Aapa, a new soft drinks brand, has launched in Asda and WH Smith, aiming to sit between conventional fizzy drinks and the fast-growing functional category.
It comes in four flavours, Lemon & Lime, Orange, Wild Berry and Tropical, with each 330ml can carrying 7g of fibre, added zinc and calcium, antioxidants and real fruit juice at 49 calories, priced at £5.50 for a four-pack.
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The positioning is that shoppers no longer have to choose between taste and function. Where many functional drinks lead on their benefits, Aapa is pitching flavour first and treating the nutrition as a bonus, a bet on the mainstream soft drinks buyer rather than the dedicated wellness shopper.
"We created Aapa to help people feel better without asking them to compromise on taste," said Mark Watkins, who called the dual Asda and WH Smith listings a strong endorsement of the proposition at launch.
The listings will be backed by sampling and marketing running through to the end of 2026.
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