Diet Rite is a brand of no-calorie soft drinks originally distributed by the RC Cola company.
It was introduced in 1958 and initially released as a dietetic product, but was introduced nationwide and marketed to the general public as a healthful beverage in 1962. The original formula was sweetened with cyclamate and saccharin.
Today it is owned by and distributed by Dr Pepper Snapple Group (known until 2008 as Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages), after the merger with Dr Pepper/Seven Up. Product containers, however, still bear the Dr Pepper/Seven Up markings.
The early 1960s broadcast media advertising campaign featured a jingle, sung by The Paris Sisters with the lyrics:
Diet Rite Cola
Good for you and children too
Because it hasn't got
Any sugar at all ... new Diet Rite Cola!
By 1969, the Food and Drug Administration banned cyclamate, forcing the beverage to be reformulated with saccharin.
Diet Rite was reformulated in 1983 to eliminate sodium, making it the first sodium-free diet soda.
In 1987, after having used a blend of the two sweeteners, the saccharin was replaced entirely with NutraSweet brand aspartame and eliminating caffeine altogether.
In the 1990s, several fruit-flavored varieties of Diet Rite were introduced.
In 2000, the line was reformulated yet again, this time to replace aspartame with Splenda brand sucralose and Sunett brand Acesulfame potassium. It became the first major diet soda in the United States to use neither aspartame nor saccharin as a sweetener.
In 2005, "Pure Zero" was added to the name, and a cherry cola flavor was introduced in 2006.
Brand decline
As of 2011, most stores in the United States only carry the cola flavor, and to a lesser extent red raspberry or, in some regions, the tangerine flavor. Kiwi strawberry is no longer available.
The Snapple website contains a Product Locator link for Diet Rite; however, the page it links to does not include Diet Rite as one of the available brands.
Diet Rite is no longer listed as one of the brands on the RC Cola website.
Despite the sparse and diminishing availability of the brand, this is the only soda currently recommended by Atkins for low-carb dieters because it does not use sugar or aspartame.
Diet Rite still is made with sucralose and acesulfame potassium but is no longer labeled as being "sweetened by Splenda", due to the patent of Splenda expiring.
Brand portfolio
Cola Pure Zero
Cherry Cola Pure Zero
Golden Peach Pure Zero (discontinued)
Kiwi Strawberry Pure Zero (no longer distributed)
Red Raspberry Pure Zero
Black Cherry Pure Zero
Tangerine Pure Zero
White Grape Pure Zero
Green Apple Splatter Pure Zero (discontinued)
