1st Tuesday Tim Cofer: Faculty Reaction

Innovation isn’t a word just reserved for tech startups. In the beverage industry, innovation can be particularly tasty.

“When doing research with food and snacks, a common refrain is that consumers want something different, something new, something novel,” says Carlson School Marketing Professor Joe Redden, the Curtis L. Carlson Chair in Marketing Analytics.

For Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), the company behind the coffee and soda, as well as a vast range of other beverages, creating new flavor variants is vital to its success. At April’s 1st Tuesday Speaker Series, CEO Tim Cofer, ‘92 MBA, said Canada Dry Fruit Splash, ginger ale with cherry juice, was the largest grossing innovation in carbonated soft drink soda in 2024. Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut, an exclusive summer 2024 release inspired by the “dirty soda” TikTok trend of mixing creamy add-ins to soda, was also wildly popular.

Redden’s research centers on satiation—the phenomenon of how repeated exposure to something can lead to its decreased enjoyment. He says these new twists on old favorites can help inject excitement into a brand.

“It is impressive to see that Dr Pepper, even as long as it has been around, is still finding ways to deliver that novelty with their flagship brand,” said Redden. “Tapping into these creative flavors shows the benefits of doing market research and hearing the voice of the customer in the right way.”

At KDP, Cofer calls that “consumer-obsessed” brand building, which can help lead to viral moments like Creamy Coconut.

“We talk about consumer obsession—really understanding at an intimate level who your consumer is, what’s important in their lives,” said Cofer. “The real magic in consumer products is when you can connect consumer truths with cultural moments or cultural trends, with brand authenticity.”

Looking for more business insights? Check out the recap of Cofer’s 1st Tuesday event. Register for the next 1st Tuesday with Christy Sovereign, CEO of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games & managing director of Accenture, on June 3.