food

Pepsi's newest designer flavor - Salty Watermelon

32 Comments
By Master Blaster

The newest in a line of seasonal limited edition Pepsi flavors has been announced by Japanese distributor Suntory. Set to debut on July 24, this is the red-colored Pepsi: Salty Watermelon. Hopefully this is as awesome as Pepsi: Pink was.

But after reading the announcement, I had to do a double-take. The watermelon’s salty?

Asking a friend, she confirmed that yes some people in parts of Japan put salt on watermelon to enhance the sweetness. Simultaneously intrigued and mildly put off, a quick Google check further blew my mind. Not only Japan, but in certain pockets all over the world, people are sprinkling salt on their watermelon – and it tastes great?

As widespread as it is, however, there also seem to be many like myself who have never heard of this trend, despite how delicious it is contrary to how it sounds. Pepsi has highlighted cultural flavors before. They had their African treat Pepsi: Baobab, and white sapote flavored Pepsi: Caribbean Gold, but never have they turned some of us on to something in our own backyards like this.

Anyone who’s never heard of this can just rush right out and buy a watermelon and toss some salt on that bad boy. But for those living in Japan, waiting for the Pepsi version is just as good.

One of life in Japan’s little pleasures has got to be these seasonal freaky Pepsi flavors that are released. Not always for their taste, but for how amazingly authentic the tastes are.

I first got turned onto these when Pepsi: Ice Cucumber was released a few years back. Although I thought it was disgusting because it – well – tasted like cucumber, I was still amazed at just how much it really tasted like cucumber.

Ever since then I always try to pick up the newest one, but it’s more out of an appreciation of their artificial flavor engineering that the actual drink itself. So if you want to know what watermelon with salt tastes like, Pepsi: Salty Watermelon will likely recreate it dead on.

© RocketNews24

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32 Comments
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I've seen other Asian (non Japanese) friends putting salt on watermelon and other fruits. I've tried it. No thank you.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I don't bother with such seasonal things anymore. Too many times they've been disgusting and the few times I've liked whatever it is, they just get rid of it and it is never to be seen again. No point!

And salt on watermelon? Why? It is like pouring that nasty milk on strawberries here. Not needed.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

When I was younger, eating watermelon would give me a stomachache unless I put salt on it. Man, I was a strange kid.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is yet another example of a monstrosity created by a culture that seems bipolar between 'simple is best' and 'let's mix EVERYTHING together!'. It's not so much an idea of putting salt on watermelon, I think (I've never seen anyone do it), but like I said it's a hideous combination of poor thinking -- salt is good for you in hot, humid weather as it balances the electrolytes (or something like that). You'll recall last year's failure was 'Salt Pepsi', and they've got the Okinawan Black Sugar drink with Salt from Ishigaki island. And of course watermelon is a refreshing, tasty fruit in the heat of summer, so the thinking: "let's make a flavour combining the delicious taste of Pepsi Cola, plus the refreshing image of watermelon in summer, and also throw in some salt because it helps your body when sweating in the summer heat!"

I wish they'd stick with the 'simple is best' axiom.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

"Salty Watermelon"

Har! I mean, yeech!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I've seen other Asian (non Japanese) friends putting salt on watermelon and other fruits. I've tried it. No thank you.

Yeah, I got a big shock once when I was given some chunks of pineapples to eat. It had salt on them. Didn't like them.

As for these drinks, it's all artificial flavorings. The cucumber one was bad enough.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Well apparently sprinkling a small amount of salt will make the flavor sweeter.

http://www.wikihow.com/Sweeten-Your-Watermelon

I don't necessarily think that it's an Asian thing... but I guess many Asians do it.

Salt is actually a taste killer... so it's probably not a good idea to put salt on anything.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Does anyone really need their watermelon sweeter though?

And Smith, if we ever meet, drinks on me. Tend to think alike on these things.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Wow! Sorry, I'm on the other side of this one. Its shocking to me to see so many have never done this. Growing up as a child everyone i knew put salt on their water melon. I think it tastes great. Its not like you put a cup of salt on it either and people are not dipping the water melon into a bucket of salt or something. Just a sprinkle will do. I mean its like how some have salt with sweet cocktails or even how people like salt candy ( which is popular in Japan) or even salt water taffy. People like the salty/sweet taste like they like sour/sweet or bitter/sweet. Its the balancing. But hey I refuse to try nattou so...lol

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Salt + sweet = drink moar pepsi. That's the reason, more sales.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Jisim?

-5 ( +0 / -4 )

u never add salt to watermelon thats just stupidity try it at home and see what happens

-7 ( +1 / -7 )

I don't get the animosity on this thread against putting salt on fruit. It's not just the Japanese doing that, most of southeast Asia does too. I'm a European living in the Philippines, where people dip melon, pineapple, green mango, suha and tons of other fruits in salt... I've tried it all and it tastes awesome. Just because it doesn't suit your taste doesn't mean it's right to label the practice as stupidity...for Christ's sake, grow up.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Fruits with salt. Don't knock it till you've tried it. For some, it actually brings out the flavor more.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@Thomas Anderson

"Salt is actually a taste killer"

I guess that's why people add salt to bland food, right? To make it taste even less? And all those delicious junk foods (pizza, chips, fried chicken etc.), which are loaded with sodium (40% component of sodium chloride, aka. salt), must taste even better if they didn't have the sodium? Where do you get your information?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I've seen many, many people add a little sprinkle of salt to their watermelon. It was the norm where in grew up, in the U.S. northeast.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I've actually tried a pinch of salt on watermelon and it tastes pretty good. Shouldn't knock it before you've actually tried it. It's kind of like how so many Westerners put tabasco (which by the way contains some salt), or Kraft mayonnaise on just about anything and everything you can think of.

3 ( +3 / -1 )

Why worry? in Mexico we add salt an even chili- karay- to

every thing including sweet fruits like orange or mango...

.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Got to hand it to Pepsi for taking chances with their products. While I don't personally like Pepsi, a Coke man myself, I still like getting a little laugh out of their en devours.

I was a bit surprised too at first when I saw people putting salt on watermelon, but after trying it once I didn't think it was so bad either. I was more surprised to see people putting sugar on sliced tomatoes though.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

What?? Oh, Hell naw! Here we go again! Betcha the reviews on this beverage will be in the minuses just like the previous monstrosities! Adding salt to any fruit is sacrilegious! IMO

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

In Bulgaria, some people eat watermelon with feta cheese.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How many consider that the creator put everything in every food that would give it just the balance needed? For instance if salt was meant to be in watermelon, it would be there. If oil was meant to be on vegetables, they would contain fats. Especially salads. I am not just talking taste, but the body absorbing the food value as it should. Pretty difficult to eat things as naturally presented, isn't it? Whole societies are based on "created foods"; potato chips, cheese, sauces, noodles, all wheat products are unnatural foods, alcoholic drinks, when water is the only natural drink meant for us. Yet we all know, that someone living on a diet like this, will often be outlived by someone on a junk food diet.

-4 ( +1 / -4 )

Try salt on your Kiwifruit- you will be suprised at how much nicer they taste. Salt on fruit is not just a Japanese thing.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I always soak my apples in salty water - they just taste so much better afterwards. The salt makes them so much juicier too. So, nothing strange putting salt on watermelons. I do wonder about that drink though.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I think it is just depends on how you grew up, but by mother nature fruit (most are either sweet or sour) in its natural form is perfect the way it is, no need for sugar and especially salt. And yes, Vic, tried the salt on a Kiwi because one of my friends said the same thing, but absolutely NOT, the way nature made Kiwi, it's already perfect, salt just ruins it, or most people that have that kind of craving need to get their taste buds checked. Salt in soft drinks, bad move! There, I said it.

-4 ( +0 / -3 )

Sounds like a porno star's pseudonyme. I bet she's hot.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

japanese will put salt on watermelons and apples, and yes, they think it improves the taste.

Smithinjapan and CO must excuse PepsiCo for focusing on the local culture's eating habits (about 50 million potential customers), and not listening to the complaints of a few disgusted, revolted, gaijin... How could they?!?!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I grew up putting salt on cantaloupe and now, living in Israel, I frequently eat watermelon with feta cheese in the summer. It's quite yummy.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I know that too much salt is not good for you, but we can not live with out it either, and here in HOT AND HUMID JAPAN, your body will naturally CRAVE more salt in the hot and humid weather, just like being in Mexico, or other hot and humid countries, or even say parts of the Southern USA, Florida, Texas, etc.them southern folk in the USA are not surprised about adding a pinch of salt to watermelons, as for me if Pepsi thinks they can make more $$$$$ in Japan with this salty watermelon Pepsi, well BLE$$ their heart$! But where I DRAW THE LINE is those gawd awful YELLOW WATER MELONS for gawds sake a watermelon was meant to be RED on the inside not YELLOW!!! IMHO.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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