In the early 1880s, pharmacist John Pemberton had a problem. A former Confederate colonel, Pemberton had been injured in the Civil War. To manage the pain, he’d been given morphine and was now an addict. He knew this, and set about creating an alternative. His solution was a beverage that was derived from both coca leaves and the kola nut (also sometimes called a cola nut). Hence, Coca-Cola.
The original Coca-Cola contained both cocaine and caffeine. The cocaine was removed in the early 1900s, while the caffeine remains. Today, Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable soft drinks in the world, and a target of much competition. Aside from its most visible competitor, Pepsi, makers of cola abound throughout the United States, from local bottlers to grocery store versions.
Aldi sells a line of soft drink options (or soda, or pop, or soda pop, depending on where you live). Most of those options are stocked under the Summit private label, and one of those soft drinks is a traditional cola.
The 7.5 ounce cans. Aldi also sells 2 liter bottles and 12 ounce cans.
Summit Cola is a Regular Buy at Aldi. That means you can find it in stores all year long. At the time of this post, Aldi sells a few different versions of Summit Cola: a 2-liter bottle, a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans, and a six-pack of 7.5-ounce cans. As you would expect, the 2-liter bottle is usually the cheapest per ounce (currently about 1.2 cents per ounce), but it also will go flat within a couple of days of opening. The 7.5-ounce cans are the most expensive per ounce (6.0 cents per ounce), while the 12-pack of 12-ounce cans is usually somewhere in between (2.5 cents per ounce). Which one you get will depend on your situation.
While all of the versions are formulated the same, for this review, we got the 7.5-ounce cans. Smaller cans are a recent trend in the soft drink business, marketed as a lower-calorie option. (Those little cans have been a sales bonanza for soft drink companies.) In looking at nutrition, I compare it to similarly sized cans of other brands.
Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
Here’s how Summit Cola compares to Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Keep in mind that all of these are for 7.5-ounce cans; 12-ounce cans will, of course, be higher in all categories for all three.
| Summit Cola | Coca-Cola | Pepsi | |
| Calories | 90 | 90 | 100 |
| Sodium | 20mg | 30mg | 20mg |
| Sugar | 26g | 25g | 26g |
| Caffeine | 15mg | 21mg | 24mg |
Summit is very similar in composition to the others, with roughly the same sugar content as Coke and Pepsi, and the same sodium content as Pepsi. It has less caffeine than either. Also like both — at least in the United States — it is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
As for taste? Summit Cola is not Coca-Cola and it’s not Pepsi. It is similar as far as colas go, but it’s not quite as good. And I don’t think it’s as good as many local sodas, especially ones that are made with cane sugar.
But I also don’t think Summit Cola is that bad. In fact, I think it’s better than it was when I tried it a few years ago. One reason: it appears to have been reformulated at some point since 2018, and this new version differs from the old in a couple of ways, including the addition of sodium. Those changes, I think, make this a better cola than it was a few years ago.
The Verdict:
Summit Cola isn’t a dead ringer for Coca-Cola or Pepsi, and it isn’t quite as good. But Aldi’s cola is better than it used to be, and in our view it is a lot closer now to being a respectable soft drink. It’s also incredibly cheap, especially if you go the 12-ounce can or 2-liter bottle option.
“It is similar as far as colas go, but it’s not quite as good.” — An understatement, to be sure. Summit is god-awful! Aldi was better off when they stocked Faygo, which at least was tolerable.
When they start adding cocaine back in, let me know – lol!!
Do not post comments before the 2018 reformulation.
After reading this review, I decided to give it a try. It’s not very good. I’ll finish what I bought. But, I won’t buy any more.
Richard, I agree. I wish Aldi would have stuck with Faygo instead.
When I started buying it in 2021 or early 2022. I liked it. I bought because of the price. To my surprise it was very close to Diet Coke so I continued buying. But something changed and nobody at ALDI seems to be willing to elaborate on this. Just change it back the way it was when I started buying…..and LET ME KNOW. Otherwise I’m not interested in it anymore.
To clarify, this site is not run by Aldi. If you want to hear from Aldi about this soda, you’ll want to reach out to them: https://www.aldi.us/en/contact/
I am writing this in Dec 2022. I have been a lifelong Coca-Cola drinker. (I am 55+ in age). I gave Aldi Summit (Regular) Cola a try and I have tried other off-brands as well. Personally, I think Aldi’s Summit Cola is very close to Coca-Cola and more like Coca-Cola foundation soda. Summit Cola has more carbonation in it and gives that awesome “burn and fizz” when you get just the right Coca-cola soda fountain mix. I have started drinking the Summit brand Cola over Coca-Cola as the Summit brand is 1/2 the cost of Coca-Cola these days and is so close to Coca-Cola fountain soda. (it is less sweet than Coca-Cola can soda)
I totally agree. Good review. Not enough of a difference in product to justify paying more for Coke! Summit Cola has more carbonation in it and gives that awesome “burn and fizz”
WHAT!? Oh, wait a minute. You must be comparing Summit Cola to “Classic” Coke. But Classic Coke is no classic. Today’s Original Coke traces its roots to the way Coca Cola tasted in the 30s, 40s, 50s. Far superior, in my opinion. None of that “fruity” aftertaste.
To try Original Coke for yourself, don’t fall for any of the products labelled “Original Coke” in grocery stores. Instead, go to McDonald’s and try an Original Coke from their soda fountain. Or Waffle House.
If you’re still curious and want to sample the taste of the cola you’re drinking, go to Dairy Queen or Wendy’s.
I was in Aldi the other day and decided to try this with a lot of hesitation. Coca-Cola was right next to it for $6.39 for a 12-pack while Summit Cola was $3 something. I just had my first one and it’s really not bad at all. I am going to give it the whole 12-pack to decide but if I had to decide right now I would choose it again. Every off-brand I have tried from Aldi has been pretty good.
In my honest opinion, Shasta and Faygo were better tasting. But that’s now all in the past.
Not bad. Being a life long Coke drinker this one will do.
I tried Summit Diet Cola last night and it’s not bad. It does not taste like Coke or Pepsi to me – it reminds me more of RC Diet Cola. (There are not a lot of places I see RC Cola any longer.)
Me and my kids agree this summit cola taste like there’s a cleaning agent added. It taste weird. Almost thought we were being poisoned.