I found out about Pepsi’s Maple Cola the same way a lot of Americans did: secondhand.
A friend in Canada sent me a photo from her grocery run, a full box of Pepsi Maple sitting on a supermarket shelf, gold cans stacked and ready to grab.
Under the picture, one word: “why.” No explanation. No tasting notes. Just confusion.
That question has followed Pepsi’s latest Canada-only release across TikTok and Instagram, where the limited-edition maple cola has quickly become less about how it tastes and more about what people expected it to be.
What is Pepsi Maple Cola?
Pepsi Maple is a Canada-only, limited-edition soda that blends classic Pepsi with maple and vanilla flavoring. It’s already on shelves across the country.
The drink is primarily appearing in Zero Sugar 355ml cans (the shiny gold ones), while a full-sugar version is reportedly lurking in 591ml bottles.
The ‘1-2 Punch’ Taste Test
On TikTok, creators are testing the “Why” in real time, and most land on the same thing: this soda has a timing problem.
One review sums it up perfectly. The creator takes a cautious first sip, tastes regular Pepsi, and then, boom. A few seconds later, the maple shows up.
“It 1–2 punches you in the face with maple,” she says. It’s not an immediate hit. It’s delayed, lingering like a maple cookie instead of syrup. She calls it drinkable, even suggests it might work better as a “dirty soda” because of how dessert-sweet it gets.
That delayed punch? That’s the whole experience.
The Comment Section Splits Into Camps
Under social media posts, the vibes are split down the middle. For some, it’s the “best pop ever,” with users already planning to “stock up on cases” before the limited run ends.
For others, the “Why” remains unanswered.
- The FOMO: Meanwhile, American commenters are looking north with envy. “Why aren’t we getting this in America?” and “I need a road trip to Ontario” are common.
- The Sweetness Factor: Critics are calling it “overpowering” and “too sweet,” with one commenter comparing it to “drinking fake syrup out of the bottle.”
- The ‘Zero’ Backlash: The heavy focus on the Zero Sugar version has sparked a minor revolt. “Zero sugar 🤢,” one user wrote, while another asked the logical question: “How can it be maple without real sugar?”
A Soda Caught Between Two Audiences
Pepsi Maple feels like it was made for Canadians but discovered by everyone else, most of whom are watching TikToks, not actually drinking it.
In Canada, maple doesn’t need to scream. It’s everywhere, so a subtle note makes sense. But Americans scrolling through their feeds? They’re thinking pancakes and syrup that hits immediately.
Pepsi Maple doesn’t do that. And that’s the problem.
The reactions aren’t really about whether it tastes good. They’re about what people expected before they ever took a sip. Which is why so many don’t land on love or hate, they just sound confused.
It all circles back to the same question my friend asked when she spotted that gold box on a grocery shelf.
Why?
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