The Trader Joe's Copycat Shoppers Say Is Better Than The Original (And It's Cheaper)

Prebiotic sodas are big business in the 21st century. After a round of funding in early 2025, Olipop, one of the most popular prebiotic soda brands, was valued at nearly $2 billion. Consumers enjoy the flavor of prebiotic sodas but also the nutritional benefit of a healthy dose of fiber that breaks down in the intestines instead of the stomach, nourishing helpful gut bacteria.

Given the broad popularity of prebiotic sodas, it's little wonder that Trader Joe's, known for releasing its own versions of popular products, also has an in-house prebiotic soda, as shared by customers on Reddit and TikTok. It currently only comes in Cherry Cola or Strawberry Vanilla, a shadow of Olipop's impressive flavor variety, but the colorful can design is clearly reminiscent of the big brand, as well as competitors like Poppi.

Most importantly, people seem to enjoy the taste. Customers who tried both brands' takes on these two flavors found Trader Joe's Cherry Cola to be more cherry-forward than Olipop's version. But the Strawberry Vanilla soda was a strong favorite, with a pleasant fruity smell and a flavor that some described as a creamy strawberry Fanta. "TJs still has the stevia taste," one customer wrote on Reddit, "but it is more mild and the drink itself tastes more natural [than Olipop], like the strawberry TASTES like strawberry juice." Each Trader Joe's can has less fiber than Olipop — 5 grams versus 9 — but they're also only $1.99 each, significantly less than even the cheapest Olipop retailers (Walmart, for example, sells name-brand cans for $2.50 apiece).

Trader Joe's is far from the only company getting in on the prebiotic soda game. In 2025, Coca-Cola launched its own prebiotic soda brand, Simply Pop. The launch lineup of five flavors is made with real fruit juice and also contains added zinc and vitamin C, in addition to 6 grams of fiber per can. With the power of the world's biggest beverage company behind it, Simply Pop is a significant addition to this market.

Aldi's 2025 Product of the Year is also a budget-friendly prebiotic soda. Summit Popz, Aldi's in-house prebiotic soda brand, is a hit with customers, and they voted for it as their favorite among Aldi's healthy beverage options. It has some of the lowest fiber levels on the market at just 2 grams, but at $1.65 per can, it's hard to complain too much.

Large companies aren't the only ones pushing prebiotic sodas — there's also room for new upstarts. Back in 2023, Shark Tank featured a pre- and probiotic soda brand named Wildwonder. (While prebiotics are nutrients for gut bacteria, probiotics introduce all-new gut bacteria.) Only one among the panel of investors took the bait and funded the company, but it remains in business today.