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The Extra Caffeinated Vintage Breakfast Pepsi That No One Liked By David Stringer Oct. 20, 2025 7:00 pm EST

Before the rise of über-caffeinated canned drinks in tall, thin cans like Red Bull, Celsius, and even V8 Energy, Pepsi was already trying to crack the code of getting people to crack a cola in the morning. In the cola wars between Pepsi and Coke, and with the mid-'80s arrival of Jolt Cola promising "twice the caffeine," Pepsi decided it was time to try its hand at busting open the morning market.

So in 1989, with coffee sales on the decline and soda sales climbing, the company launched Pepsi A.M. with diet and regular versions in Midwest test markets. The new morning beverage contained 28% more caffeine than a regular Pepsi, still less than coffee

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