• May 17, 2012

Coca-Cola will test mid-calorie varieties of Sprite and Fanta in Memphis, Detroit, Louisville and Atlanta starting in mid-June, reported Beverage Digest.

"It's an opportunity for us to test two different formulas in a very limited way to see what we can learn from it," a Coke spokesperson said.

The test varieties (Sprite Select and Fanta Select), offering half the calories of the regular drinks, will use a blend of sugar, erythritol and the stevia-based sweetener Truvia -- all considered natural sweeteners. Erythritol and Truvia are also used in Coca-Cola's Vitaminwater Zero and other beverages.

Coke's test comes on the heels of rival PepsiCo's introduction of Pepsi Next, a mid-calorie cola that has seen solid sales. PepsiCo has also had success with G2, its mid-calorie sports drink from Gatorade.

The new sweetener formulations that the beverage giants have worked long and hard to perfect are making it possible to offer lower-calorie beverages that taste like regular versions, without an aftertaste.