Mello Yello
Mello Yello is a highly caffeinated, citrus-flavored soft drink produced, distributed and created by the Coca-Cola Company that was introduced on March 12, 1979, to compete with PepsiCo's Mountain Dew.
| Type | Citrus soda |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Introduced | March 12, 1979 |
| Color | Chartreuse yellow |
| Flavor | Citrus |
| Variants |
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| Related products | Vault Mountain Dew Surge Sun Drop |
| Website | www |
Mello Yello was withdrawn from Australia in the early 1990s, being replaced with the similar but uncaffeinated Lift.
In South Africa in the 1980s, Mello Yello became associated with Apartheid South African Police and their notorious canary-colored vehicles.
There have been three flavored variants of Mello Yello in North America. Mello Yello Cherry was released in response to Mountain Dew Code Red. The other two variants were Mello Yello Afterglow (peach-flavored) and Mello Yello Melon. All three were only available for a limited time. Mello Yello Cherry is available at Coca-Cola Freestyle machines and is still available in limited markets.
The caffeine content is 49.5 mg per 12 US fl oz (355 mL) serving (139 mg/L).
The national expansion ended in 2021 with Mello Yello's availability limited to the eastern part of the United States, however it is still sold as a fountain drink at various locations including Arby's, Cracker Barrel, Hardee's, Golden Corral, and Culvers.