Mountain Dew Breakfast Soda; Will The New Drink Be Part Of Your Balanced Breakfast? [PHOTO]

Mountain Dew announced Kickstart on Monday. The breakfast soda is not being labeled as that but as a “sparkling juice beverage” that will come in two flavors, Orange Citrus and Fruit Punch. PepsiCo says there will be 80 calories in each 16-ounce container. Kickstart will consist of Mountain Dew, 5 percent fruit juice and some caffeine to give people that boost they need, much like the first cup of coffee or tea in the morning.

Mountain Dew’s strategy is novel because soda is not typically associated with breakfast or the morning and it would have next to no competition from other soda companies. It’s also a risk because consumers may think Kickstart is too close to soda. PepsiCo and Mountain Dew believe that they can make the distinction clear enough to consumers.

In the statement announcing Kickstart, Greg Lyons, vice president of marketing for Mountain Dew, “Our consumers told us they are looking for an alternative to traditional morning beverages – one that tastes great, includes real fruit juice and has just the right amount of kick to help them start their days.”

Mountain Dew fans, or the curious, can get their hands on Kickstart when it hits shelves Feb. 25. This is not the first foray into breakfast for Mountain Dew. Last year, Taco Bell unveiled Mtn Dew A.M, a mix of Mountain Dew and Tropicana orange juice, as a new breakfast beverage, notes USA Today. Mountain Dew will be giving out free samples of its new breakfast soda on Twitter starting Tuesday.