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Your Favorite '90s Drink Just Got a Boozy Upgrade—And We’ll Be Sipping It All Summer Long

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sunnyd vodka seltzer hero
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‘90s kids, rejoice! Your favorite lunchtime beverage has now entered the 21-and-up chat with the launch of (drumroll, please) SunnyD Vodka Seltzer. As the latest brand to jump on the nostalgia train, this new canned cocktail is a first for SunnyD, hoping to meet its OG fan base exactly where they are now—all grown up.

Featuring a 4.5% ABV and just 95 calories, SunnyD Vodka Seltzer combines vodka with real fruit juice and zero grams of sugar to create a surprisingly refreshing treat that isn’t overly sweet or alcoholic. It’s that tangy, orange SunnyD flavor you know and love with a bubbly, boozy twist (yum).

In a recent press release, Ilene Bergenfeld, the chief marketing officer of Harvest Hill Beverage Company, explains why the juice brand, originally founded in 1963, decided it was time to switch things up: “Consumers are passionate about this iconic brand, rooted in nostalgia but with a taste that resonates today. Many have told us that they enjoy SunnyD as a mixer and asked for this product. So, we looked at the hard seltzer category, and thought, good, but we can do better. And SunnyD Vodka Seltzer was born.”

But how does it taste? In the name of investigative journalism, we cracked open some cans for an impromptu taste test. From three PureWow editors who grew up on SunnyD, here are their honest thoughts:

“Honestly, I loved it more and more with each sip. It really does taste like SunnyD—light, subtle orange flavor—and really hit me hard with the nostalgia. You can’t really taste the vodka, which is both great and also dangerous. This is exactly the kind of drink I’d want for a summer afternoon by the pool. And there’s really no aftertaste, which is a major plus. My only disappointment is that it’s clear, not orange.” - Abby H., '90s baby, Nickelodeon stan, same age as Tommy Pickles

“It’s giving Emergen-C…but in a good way? I definitely get a soft orange, SweeTart-y vibe, and I like it, but not sure I'm in the ‘love it’ camp just yet.” - Mary R., '80s baby, still thinks she's going to make it on 'Legends of the Hidden Temple'

“Not as bad as I feared, but it still tastes a little like Children's Tylenol.” - Jillian Q., ‘80s baby, millennial mom of two

Welp, there you have it folks. Available now nationwide at select Walmart stores, we have a feeling this won’t be the last ‘90s drink to get a modern makeover.

Capri Sun, Kool-Aid, Hi-C: All eyes are on you.



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Executive Managing Editor

  • Oversees editorial operations; covers a mix of lifestyle topics including fitness, wellness, beauty, travel
  • Former D1 athlete, certified nutrition coach, avid runner
  • B.A. in English and biology from Lafayette College