---
title: "11.5 Yuan for a Bottle of 'Water'? No, It's Transparent Cola Sold at Pangdonglai"
description: "A transparent, sugar-free cola priced at 11.5 yuan per 550ml bottle is being sold at Pangdonglai, sparking discussions on Xiaohongshu. The product, imported from Thailand, is part of a trend of transparent beverages that appeal to consumers' desire for novelty and perceived health benefits."
author: "FBIF"
publisher: "New Distribution"
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published: "2025-11-20"
categories: "Retail Formats"
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# 11.5 Yuan for a Bottle of 'Water'? No, It's Transparent Cola Sold at Pangdonglai

> A transparent, sugar-free cola priced at 11.5 yuan per 550ml bottle is being sold at Pangdonglai, sparking discussions on Xiaohongshu. The product, imported from Thailand, is part of a trend of transparent beverages that appeal to consumers' desire for novelty and perceived health benefits.

### **Source** | FBIF Food & Beverage Innovation **ID** | FoodInnovation Author | _FBIF_
Would you buy a cola for 11.5 yuan? Recently, a transparent cola sold by Pangdonglai has sparked discussions on Xiaohongshu. This sugar-free, transparent cola is priced at 11.5 yuan per 550ml bottle, yet people are still rushing to buy it. A Xiaohongshu user posted that they saw someone loading a cart with "water" from the shelves at Pangdonglai, only to find on closer inspection that it was all transparent sugar-free cola. Image source for transparent cola sold at Pangdonglai: Xiaohongshu @桔梗花下赏猫
Consumers in Henan and Thailand have been showing off transparent colas they've recently seen on Xiaohongshu. Some commented, "Isn't transparent cola just Sprite?" Others who have tasted it said it tastes exactly like sugar-free cola. At 11.5 yuan, it's nearly three times the price of a classic or sugar-free cola of the same size. But for this product, price isn't the main point of discussion. Consumers are more focused on its "transparency"—a keyword that has sparked curiosity about its taste, mouthfeel, and differences from regular cola.
In fact, this isn't the first time cola has turned transparent. Transparent cola sold at Pangdonglai. Image source: Pepsi
**Transparent Cola: A 'Rebirth' That Never Stops**
On September 5, the official YouTube account of Thai PepsiCo released a new commercial for Pepsi Clear. Transparent cola ad. Image source: YouTube Pepsi Thailand
The entire ad, from shots and elements to the slogan, emphasizes one word: refreshing. In the ad, the protagonist wearing a brown suit represents "Be Real." After a jump, the classic cola in the center of the frame transforms into transparent cola, with the subtitle switching to "Be Clear," symbolizing an upgrade from "real" to "purer and more transparent." The cinematography continues classic cola ad symbols—close-ups of bubbling and rising liquid—to enhance the sensory experience of "stimulation and refreshment." Meanwhile, the ad uses a clean blue-and-white color scheme and fast-paced electronic sound effects to reinforce the refreshing impression. The ad ends with the protagonist holding the transparent cola against a blue sky and white clouds, with the tagline: "Pepsi Clear Transparent Cola—Refreshing bubbles, real cola flavor! Try it now!" Transparent cola ad. Image source: YouTube Pepsi Thailand
A month ago, Laddawan Lertwasin, Vice President of Suntory PepsiCo Thailand, also announced this transparent cola on social media: "A breakthrough in cola innovation—crystal clear appearance, but delivering the same bold, refreshing taste as our original zero-sugar cola. This innovation is not just about transparency; it's about reimagining the possibilities of cola while maintaining the flavor consumers love." [1]
Suntory PepsiCo is a joint venture between Japan's Suntory and the U.S.'s PepsiCo, established to expand beverage business in Asian markets. Suntory PepsiCo Thailand was founded in 2017. The joint venture was initially created to further expand Suntory and Pepsi's product lines and beverage portfolio in the Thai market. This transparent cola is one of their latest products in recent years.
The transparent cola sold at Pangdonglai originates from Thailand. On the original Thai ingredient label, the trading company has affixed a Chinese translation sticker. The shelf life is about half a year. Transparent cola sold at Pangdonglai. Image source: Xiaohongshu @寇大虹
But this is not the earliest transparent cola. The history of transparent cola dates back to World War II. Soviet Marshal Zhukov was a loyal cola consumer, but after the war, the Soviet Union banned cola. To satisfy the marshal's needs, then-U.S. President Truman contacted one of Coca-Cola's European executives, Mladin Zarubica, who used chemical agents to remove the artificial color from the cola, making it colorless like vodka, and bottled it in bottles with a red star. [2] Imaginary image of transparent cola. Image source: Reddit
But that was a small-scale custom product. The official launch of transparent cola came in 1992 with Crystal Pepsi. In the 1990s, consumers began seeking healthier foods, so Pepsi developed Crystal Pepsi—removing caramel from the classic cola formula and substituting high-fructose corn syrup, resulting in a transparent cola with fewer calories and slightly less sweetness than classic cola. [3]
While many factors contribute to a product's success or failure, for food and beverages, the most important reason for failure is not tasting good enough. Consumers who resisted Crystal Pepsi criticized it as bland and watery. The product's inventor, David Novak, told Fast Company: "If I could have ensured the product tasted good, that would have been great." [3]
Besides taste criticism, competitors also tried to undermine Pepsi. Crystal Pepsi in different eras. Image source: Reddit
In 1992, after Crystal Pepsi launched, Coca-Cola introduced Tab Clear, a "strategic counterattack" against Crystal Pepsi. Coca-Cola CMO Sergio Zyman said: "One way to ambush Crystal Pepsi was to kamikaze them, so I went to Coca-Cola and pitched my idea." [4] In 1992, after Pepsi launched Crystal Pepsi, Coca-Cola quickly introduced a transparent cola called Tab Clear. But Coca-Cola's goal wasn't to compete for market share; it was to "sabotage" Crystal Pepsi's image. At the time, Coca-Cola's sub-brand Tab was declining and was perceived as a poor diet drink. Coca-Cola used this brand to launch Tab Clear, a transparent cola with a vague positioning. Placed next to Crystal Pepsi, it aimed to associate Crystal Pepsi with Tab's unpopular, poorly selling products, discouraging consumer interest. In Zyman's view, Tab Clear was designed to fail because it was intended to reduce Crystal Pepsi's chances of success. [3] Crystal Pepsi and Tab Clear. Image source: LinkedIn
Both colas indeed failed. In 1994, Crystal Pepsi and Tab Clear were withdrawn from the market. Given that Pepsi initially allocated $40 million for Crystal Pepsi's marketing budget and even aired a Super Bowl ad, its failure was "spectacular." Time magazine called it "one of the biggest product failures of all time" [5], and the "Museum of Failure" founded by Swedish psychologist Samuel West also included it.
In fact, Crystal Pepsi's early performance wasn't that of a failure. According to The New York Times, by March 1993, after the Super Bowl ad, the company had sold $474 million worth of Crystal Pepsi, capturing a 1% share of the carbonated soft drink market. [6] Initially, Pepsi only hoped Crystal Pepsi would capture a 2% market share. [4] Although the product ultimately failed, Novak still considered it an excellent product. Even after the initial buying frenzy faded and Crystal Pepsi didn't become a long-term hit, Novak maintained it was "one of the best ideas" of his career. [4] Crystal Pepsi. Image source: Thrillist
There may be a more fundamental reason Crystal Pepsi never caught on: consumers don't like products that are completely different. Kyle Murray, a marketing professor at the University of Alberta in Canada, found that when products differ from expectations, consumers feel curious, but when new products are extremely inconsistent with what consumers consider typical for the category, anxiety arises. [7] Kyle Murray said consumers resist products that are too far from familiar ones: "Despite companies' constant innovation, people still struggle to keep up with the many changes innovation brings. This is a challenge for innovators and entrepreneurs, and only by better understanding the psychology behind our natural reactions to radical novelty can we address it." [7]
Although consumers don't like products that differ from their impression of classic cola, that doesn't mean they won't miss it. After all, the "uniqueness" of transparent cola itself satisfies consumers' curiosity and nostalgia. As a result, it has gradually evolved into a limited-time, pop-up product. In recent years, Pepsi has repeatedly released limited-edition Crystal Pepsi or offered it as a prize in sweepstakes alongside regular cola. Even on the secondary market, Crystal Pepsi prices have risen, still attracting consumers.
Now, Suntory PepsiCo Thailand has again launched transparent cola. Thai transparent cola. Image source: Mini Me Insights
Pepsi's competitors haven't forgotten this product either. In 2016, 2017, and 2022, Coca-Cola held several limited-time re-releases of transparent cola. In 2018, Coca-Cola also launched a lemon-flavored transparent cola, Coca-Cola Clear, in Japan. In specific markets, Coca-Cola has also released transparent colas, such as Pepsi Clear in Mexico and Pepsi Nex II in Japan. [8] Coca-Cola Clear. Image source: ANN News
**The 'Transparent' Trend: Not Just Cola Turning Clear**
Food and beverages trying to become transparent include more than just cola. Suntory has launched transparent milk tea and transparent lemon tea, which look completely clear; without looking at the packaging, consumers might think they're water. Transparent milk tea is a milk tea-flavored flavored water beverage, but it does contain milk and tea leaves. According to Suntory, the brand uses pigment extraction technology to extract essences from milk and Assam tea leaves, removing the color while retaining the aroma and taste, and uses natural water from places like Okudaisen in Japan. [9]
The transparent lemon tea is achieved through condensation. Suntory says that to remove color while maintaining the tea's flavor, they pass steam through the tea leaves to capture the aroma and taste, then condense it into a clear liquid. [10] The transparent lemon tea isn't simply decolorized; it's made transparent through condensation and pigment removal. Consumers commented: "It looks like plain water, but when you drink it, it has the taste of black tea and lemon." However, some also said the transparent lemon tea tastes much weaker than traditional black tea. [10] Transparent milk tea and transparent lemon tea. Image source: Suntory
I have also reported on a transparent protein water, which contains 5g of protein per bottle but looks like water. The secret to this protein water's transparency is collagen peptides—collagen peptides don't gel, so they dissolve more easily in cold water and can be used where gelatin can't, mainly as a supplement ingredient.
Besides water, Japan has also experimented with transparent soy sauce, transparent pudding, and transparent potato chips. Kumamoto Prefecture seasoning manufacturer FUNDODAI has launched "transparent soy sauce," which doesn't discolor ingredients and won't stain clothes if spilled. In the hot summer, the color of transparent soy sauce can bring a cooling sensation to food. This soy sauce is made by removing color from regular dark soy sauce using a unique refining technology. [11]
In the summer of 2023, FUNDODAI's direct store in Asakusa, Tokyo, was stocked with transparent foods. Among them, transparent potato chips are the most unusual. According to Nikkei Chinese, transparent potato chips have a texture like edible paper, with the potato and oil flavors slowly spreading. To make these chips, potato starch is mixed with steamed mashed potatoes, processed into chip shapes, baked in an oven for several hours, and finally fried in oil at 150 degrees Celsius for 15-20 seconds. [11] Transparent soy sauce and transparent potato chips. Image source: FUNDODAI, Mamatas
Major Japanese convenience stores like FamilyMart and Lawson have launched transparent pudding products. Although called pudding, these products are actually transparent jelly with a pudding flavor. To achieve the final transparency, these products contain no milk or eggs, which are essential in traditional pudding; they are essentially transparent jelly or pudding, and consumers can optionally add transparent caramel sauce as a topping. [12] Notably, this product has been sold in convenience stores for two consecutive years as a summer limited item. Transparent pudding. Image source: | NEWS NEXT
Beyond Japan, a British beverage company has also launched a transparent coffee (Clear Coffee), which removes the pigment from coffee using pigment extraction technology, but the extraction isn't complete, leaving a light brownish-yellow tint.
Domestically, some brands are also making transparent, colorless beverages. For example, Yike Da has launched tomato nutrient water, offering three colorless drinks: tomato water, tomato honey water, and high-fiber tomato water. Yike Da Tomato stated on Xiaohongshu that transparent coffee inspired them to develop this product, explaining that the transparency of tomato water comes from precisely removing pulp fibers—filtering out particles that may oxidize or cause sediment, leaving a clear body. Yike DaTM tomato nutrient water. Image source: Xiaohongshu @一颗大番茄
**Why Are There More and More Transparent Food and Beverages?**
The most direct reason is that consumers like them. Suntory launched a colorless, non-alcoholic beer called All-Free All-Time in 2018. Its creator, Ryo Otsu, told The Wall Street Journal: "The need for consumers to enjoy drinks without hesitation is one of the reasons for the growing demand for transparent drinks in Japan." [13] Suntory transparent beer. Image source: Untappd
In beverages, the most direct association with transparency is water. Water is a symbol of purity and no burden. Therefore, when a cup of milk tea or a bottle of cola takes on the form of water, it naturally gives consumers a psychological perception of "light burden," as if they're drinking something more refreshing, lower in calories, and less stressful. Although "returning to simplicity" might require not just simplicity and purity, but more pigment processing methods and ingredient substitutions, transparent products themselves remain the most direct way for brands to communicate—they convey an attitude of "nothing to hide." Even if it's just color transparency, it can create a sense of trust in a cleaner ingredient list on a psychological level.
In practical scenarios, transparent drinks also serve another purpose: using transparency as a "disguise" to fit into different situations. A Suntory spokesperson told Quartz that Suntory developed these transparent drinks in response to "trends such as increasing health consciousness among consumers and resistance to drinking sweet things like juice in public." [14] After all, a transparent drink is a drink that looks like water. Transparent cola sold at Pangdonglai. Image source: Pepsi
Additionally, transparent drinks come with their own buzz and gimmick. For example, Japan, which has produced the most transparent food and beverage innovations, is itself a highly competitive market. In such a market, food and beverage companies need to introduce gimmicky products to attract consumer attention because consumers have too many choices. For instance, when consumers think of beer, coffee, milk tea, soy sauce, or cola, they automatically match these products with corresponding colors—golden, brown, brown, black, and dark brown. When these products suddenly become transparent overnight, it naturally makes consumers curious. Whether or not these products remain popular in the long run, in the short term, such contrasting, scarce products make consumers more eager to try them.
So, Thai Pepsi changed its slogan from "Be Real" to "Be Clear" in its ad. After all, for this product, transparency itself is a "value" that consumers are willing to pay for.
**References:**
[1] Laddawan Lertwasin, Introducing New Pepsi Clear!, LinkedIn.
[2] Wang Yudan, Truman Ordered Secret Production of Colorless Coca-Cola for Zhukov, May 5, 2015, Reference News.
[3] Kenn C. Bivin, What Happened to Crystal Pepsi? How the 'Clear Craze' Drink Became No More., April 24, 2024, Parade.
[4] DB Kelly, Why Crystal Pepsi Was A Flop, October 20, 2025, Mashed.
[5] Thomas C. Frohlich, The 10 Worst Product Fails of All Time, March 6, 2014, Times.
[6] COMPANY NEWS; Pepsi Tries New Diet Cola Abroad, March 2, 1993, The New York Times.
[7] Kyle Murray, Enabling innovation: Lessons from Crystal Pepsi, October 17, 2017, The Conversation.
[8] Yanhan Tan, We Tried Clear Coke, Latte and Iced Lemon Tea from Japan, July 9, 2018, Foodie.
[9] Li Chaofan, Transparent Milk Tea Is Here, How Many More Drinks Will 'Bleach' Themselves?, September 14, 2014, ifanr.
[10] Wayne, The Secret of Transparent Milk Tea Revealed, November 2, 2017, Wayne's Food and Agriculture Life.
[11] Japanese Seasoning Brand FUNDODAI Launches 'Transparent Soy Sauce', December 7, 2023, Nikkei Chinese.
[12] Sold Out! Huh?! What? FamilyMart's 'Transparent Pudding?' Grab It If You See It♪, July 9, 2024, Tokubai.
[13] Suryatapa Bhattacharya, Megumi Fujikawa, Clear Beer? Don't Judge a Drink by Its Color, September 1, 2018, The Wall Street Journal.
[14] Isabella Steger, The latest in Japanese drinks innovation is clear, July 21, 2022, Quartz.


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- Publisher: New Distribution
- Author: FBIF
- Published: 2025-11-20
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- Original source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/DJ5ClzyOf0NCe7PDhn9Jdw

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