Four Shasta Shortz soda cans including Bubble Gum and Root Beer
Shasta

15 ICONIC DISCONTINUED SHASTA FLAVORS YOU FORGOT ABOUT


4 min read

LIST OF DISCONTINUED SHASTA FLAVORS

  • Mario Punch (1993-1994)
  • Luigi Berry (1993-1994)
  • Princess Toadstool Cherry (1993-1994)
  • Yoshi Apple (1993-1994)
  • Bubble Gum (2003-2006)
  • Camo Orange Creme (2003-2006)
  • Chillin’ Cherry Punch (2003-2006)
  • Cotton Candy (2003-2006)
  • Rah-Rah Root Beer (2003-2006)
  • Red Grape Stain (2003-2006)
  • Manzana (2007-?)
  • Horchata (2007-?)
  • Jamaica (2007-?)
  • Sangria (2007-?)
  • Tamarindo (2007-?)

Note: Many other flavors were discontinued without documented dates, including Arctic Sun, Chocolate, Cranberry, Fruit Punch, Guava-Passion Fruit, Iced Tea with Lemon, Lemonade, Mango, Pineapple Orange, Red Apple Soda, Red Creme Soda, Red Pop, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Strawberry Peach, Tiki Blue, Tiki Mist, Tiki Orange Mango, Vanilla Cola, and Wild Raspberry.

NINTENDO COLLABORATION SERIES

Shasta Mario Ad
Shasta

Discontinued: 1994

Shasta partnered with Nintendo to create four Super Mario-themed sodas: Mario Punch (fruit punch), Luigi Berry (berry), Princess Toadstool Cherry (cherry), and Yoshi Apple (green apple). All flavors were marketed to children in 8-ounce cans with added Vitamin C. They positioned the sodas as healthier alternatives to regular sodas. The soda line failed commercially in America and was quickly discontinued but succeeded in Japan. It was Shasta’s first video game collaboration, in which they tried to ride the popularity of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

BUBBLE GUM

Bubble Gum Shasta
Shasta

Discontinued: 2006

Bubble Gum was a candy-flavored soda from the Shasta Shortz children’s line. It featured a sweeter formula in smaller 8-ounce cans to appeal to youngsters. The chew that inspired it has its own casualty list, from bubble gum brands that folded to flavors nobody missed.

CAMO ORANGE CREME

Camo Orange Creme Shasta
Shasta

Discontinued: 2006

Camo Orange Creme was another candy soda in the Shortz collection. It tried to mimic the flavor of the popular orange creme candy. The soda featured citrus and vanilla notes in kid-focused packaging.

CHILLIN’ CHERRY PUNCH

Chillin Cherry Punch Shasta
Shasta

Discontinued: 2006

Chillin’ Cherry Punch was a Shasta soda designed to mimic fruit punch with a cherry undertone. It was yet another dessert-like soda experience.

COTTON CANDY

Shasta Cotton Candy
Shasta

Discontinued: 2006

Yet another candy-inspired soda, Cotton Candy Shasta, offered a carnival-inspired flavor mimicking spun cotton candy. It was an unconventional soda flavor largely for kids, and one more entry in the long ledger of candy-shop flavors that didn’t last.

RAH-RAH ROOT BEER

Rah Rah Root Beer Shasta
Shasta

Discontinued: 2006

Playfully named Rah-Rah Root Beer, this was another soda in the Shortz line. The soda had a traditional root beer profile but a sweeter taste than anything else in the root beer market.

RED GRAPE STAIN

RED GRAPE STAIN
Shasta

Discontinued: 2006

Red Grape Stain was a grape-flavored soda with a deliberately provocative name. Its intense flavor was similar to sangria sodas from Mexico.

MANZANA

Pop art soda bottle with a red Manzana label beside cherries
Pop art Manzana soda bottle © History Oasis

Discontinued: Unknown

Manzana was an apple-flavored soda targeting Hispanic consumers. “Manzana” means apple in Spanish. It was part of Shasta’s attempt to expand its reach to Latinos and compete with Jarritos.

HORCHATA

Pop art glass soda bottle with a red Horchata label
Pop art Horchata soda bottle © History Oasis

Discontinued: Unknown

Horchata was a rice drink-inspired flavor based on the traditional Mexican drink. Shasta attempted to recreate the cinnamon-vanilla taste of authentic horchata.

JAMAICA

Pop art soda bottle with a yellow Jamaica label on red
Pop art Jamaica soda bottle © History Oasis

Discontinued: Unknown

Jamaica Shasta was a hibiscus-flavored soda inspired by Mexican agua fresca. Named after the Spanish term for hibiscus flower. It offered a tart and floral taste, closer to a bottled agua fresca than a cola — a fruit-drink category where Snapple has retired flavors of its own.

SANGRIA

Pop art red and teal soda bottle with a Sangria label
Pop art Sangria soda bottle © History Oasis

Discontinued: Unknown

Sangria was a non-alcoholic version of the wine-fruit drink. It also targeted the Hispanic market with a flavor that mimicked Sangria minus alcohol content.

TAMARINDO

Pop art dark soda bottle with a pink Tamarindo label
Pop art Tamarindo soda bottle © History Oasis

Discontinued: Unknown

Tamarindo Shasta was a tamarind-flavored soda. It combined the sweet-sour taste of tamarind pods in carbonated form.

Most of these Mexican-inspired sodas have failed to compete in the long term. Even the giants keep graveyards, though — Coca-Cola’s retired flavors run just as deep.