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Pepsi is rolling out three exclusive beverages at its free Super Bowl-themed food festival in New Orleans, aiming to blend local flavors with its signature sodas. Dirty Gator, Starry Berry Beads, and the Pepsi Praline for Ya are the three drinks set to be unveiled ahead of the Super Bowl LIX.
The limited-time drinks, developed by the brand's R&D chefs and New Orleans cultural advisors, will debut at the company's "NOLA Eats Fest" on February 7 and 8, 2025. The festival is held at Woldenberg Riverfront Park in New Orleans.
Pepsi taps into New Orleans culture for Super Bowl LIX drink lineup
The three drinks: Dirty Gator, Starry Berry Beads, and the Pepsi Praline for Ya—draw inspiration from New Orleans' culinary traditions. Developed in collaboration with local experts, the beverages aim to reflect regional favorites like pralines and the iconic Hurricane cocktail.
Scott Finlow, Pepsi Co's Away From Home chief marketing officer, described the menu as a "Mardi Gras party in a cup" in an interview with Food & Wine on February 1, 2025. The Dirty Gator combines Mountain Dew with pineapple, honeydew melon, vanilla creamer, and gator-shaped gummies, nodding to Louisiana's unofficial state reptile.
Meanwhile, the Starry Berry Beads mixes passion fruit, lime, and edible glitter with Starry lemon-lime soda and fruity boba. The Praline for Ya layers brown sugar boba, praline syrup, and caramel-drizzled cold foam over either the regular or the Zero Sugar version of the soda.
Free festival, themed sips: Inside the brand's Super Bowl beverage strategy
The drinks will be served at the mobile "DRIPS" bar, housed in a retrofitted Airstream trailer, during the two-day NOLA Eats Fest by the cola company. The free event at Woldenberg Riverfront Park will also feature 10 local restaurants serving Creole dishes, barbecue, and seafood, alongside a cookoff and craft cocktails. Celebrities like Action Bronson and Mannie Fresh are slated to appear.
This marks the second activation for DRIPS, following a September 2024 pop-up in New York City. The concept targets Gen Z consumers through customizable drink elements like boba and cold foam. Finlow noted plans to expand to college campuses and festivals later in 2025, in the Food & Wine interview.
“DRIPS... is really the opportunity for people to experience our... brands and products in new and creative way,” Finlow said.
Non-alcoholic and Instagram-worthy drinks
The giant cold drink company emphasized that the Super Bowl LIX menu avoids alcohol, instead focusing on playful twists using its sodas.
The beverages will be available from 12 pm to 5 pm on both days, with recipes designed for social media appeal.
The gummy gators and glitter-topped drinks, for instance, are intended to encourage photo-sharing. Attendees can RSVP in advance via PepsiLocalEats.com, though walk-ins are permitted.
The Super Bowl LIX activations highlight its strategy to merge regional culture with beverage innovation, capitalizing on major events to test new concepts.
While the limited-edition drinks are tied to the New Orleans festival, the DRIPS by the soda company initiative suggests broader ambitions to tap into customization trends. Updates on future DRIPS locations and menus are expected later this year.
