PepsiCo taps banana flavor trend with innovations from Brisk, Gatorade and Quaker

PepsiCo taps banana flavor trend with innovations from Brisk, Gatorade and Quaker

Banana flavor is having a moment. Long associated with retro desserts, smoothies and childhood snacks, the flavor of America's most eaten fresh fruit is showing up in unexpected ways across food and beverage this year, with banana's share of all U.S. beverage launches doubling from 2021 to 2026.

With the flavor ripe for innovation, PepsiCo is meeting that momentum across its portfolio. From the new Quaker High Protein Instant Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Flavor to limited-edition beverages like Banana-Flavored Brisk and Banana-Flavored Gatorade, PepsiCo is using consumer listening, culinary creativity and unexpected retail channels to bring the flavor into people's homes.

Why banana flavor is having a moment in 2026

Part of the appeal of banana flavor is its ability to bridge familiarity and surprise. For PepsiCo's R&D teams, that balance makes it a versatile and playful cue for innovation across beverages and beyond. That has created an opportunity to translate one trend across multiple brands while keeping each product true to its own occasion and role in the portfolio.

"Banana's classic flavor and association with nostalgic desserts, like banana pudding and banana cream pie, make it an approachable flavor for food and beverage innovation," said Jennifer Tartaglia, R&D director, senior flavorist at PepsiCo. "Banana flavoring pairs easily with the brands that consumers have enjoyed for years, like Brisk, Gatorade and Quaker, giving familiar products new tropical, creamy notes."

How PepsiCo used social listening to launch Banana Brisk

For Brisk, the path to banana flavor started with its passionate fanbase. The brand's social community had been asking for Banana-Flavored Brisk for years, and a mock banana product post became Brisk's top-performing organic social post to date, generating more than 2.3 million organic impressions in its first 72 hours. Brisk answered the call and turned the consumer interest into a limited release on TikTok Shop of Banana-Flavored Brisk, which sold out within hours.

Gatorade brings banana flavor to everyday hydration

Gatorade brought banana flavor to a different beverage occasion: everyday hydration. The limited-edition Banana-Flavored Gatorade Thirst Quencher combines the popular flavor trend with Gatorade's science-backed hydration, giving consumers a surprising new way to experience banana flavor. The product debuted as part of a limited-edition drop of bundles on Tik Tok Shop and Walmart.com, which included a 20 oz. bottle of Banana-Flavored Gatorade Thirst Quencher, plus an 8-count box of Gatorade Zero Mashups powders and a green 26 oz. Gatorade stainless steel bottle. The launch was designed to meet consumers where flavor discovery and culture increasingly happen - in fast-moving digital communities.

Quaker shows how banana flavor can work beyond beverages

PepsiCo was already leaning into the appetite before banana became one of 2026's buzziest flavor cues. Quaker High Protein Instant Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Flavor, introduced in July, pairs the flavor of banana with cocoa richness in a convenient breakfast option that delivers 22 grams of protein per packet. The flavor is particularly popular among millennial hot cereal buyers, with 61% noting that they love it. The flavor's appeal demonstrated an early indicator that banana flavor can feel both nostalgic and newly relevant when matched with the right format and consumer preference.

How PepsiCo brings flavor trends to life across its portfolio

Together, Quaker High Protein Instant Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Flavor, Banana-Flavored Brisk and Banana-Flavored Gatorade show how PepsiCo can translate one rising trend across its house of brands. By combining consumer insights, culinary creativity and brand storytelling, PepsiCo is meeting the banana flavor moment with innovations tailored to breakfast occasions, refreshment and hydration, demonstrating how one flavor trend can spark new products across different brands and occasions.

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