The New 7-Up

There's a new 7-Up. Have you heard? It's all-natural, but I have some news. It's not new. Those Pepsi-co folk'll try and tell you it's brand new, and therefore you should buy it. Because everyone likes new stuff, right?

What those Pepsi-co dudes didn't reveal in their marketing plan is that this radical new 7-Up has been around for months, possibly even years. I know this because I have a few bottles of it from our Dominican trip back in February and March.

At first, when we drank our fancy Dominican drinks, I thought the unusual taste was just their islandy version of the popular clear sody pop. Since forgotten Fido Dido graced the tropical labelling, it even crossed my mind that the Dominicans had stumbled upon a crate full of 17 year old 7-Ups floating somewhere just off the eastern coast. But we drank our drinks, and enjoyed them regardless.

On our last day I decided to clear out the mini bar. Now, that's not something I'd normally do, but the trip was all-inclusive, and that means all the contents of the mini-bar are included, minus the light bulb. I had to take the 7-Up. Who would believe me that cool dudely guy Fido Dido still exists? I had to show his pasty white legs to everybody at home, so I packed two bottles of 7-UP in our swelling suitcase.

Upon reading the Spanish ingredients at home, I discovered that this was, in fact, the new all-natural mixture that had been touted on TV as the healthy alternative to the old-style chemical-infused 7-Up.

There are only five ingredients in this 'new' 7-Up. I forget what they are. I think it goes like this: water, sugar, lemons, limes, and MSG.

It takes a bit to get used to the different, wholesome taste. But if it doesn't catch on, it'll be history, just like their old spokesdude, Fido Dido. And with that, I'm history too, as I'm off on a short, but extraordinarily exciting vacation in Chicago.

Stay tuned for amazing DMC-related Chicagadventures.