Coca-Cola CEO Unimpressed by Diet Coke’s ‘Fridge Cigarette’ Nickname

If you happen to’ve ever cracked open a bubbly, icy-cold “fridge cigarette,” Coca-Cola’s CEO would love a phrase.

The beverage giant’s CEO, Henrique Braun, was requested concerning the phrase — a well-liked slang time period for a can of Weight-reduction plan Coke — in a Tuesday interview with Yahoo Finance, and appeared unimpressed.

He first answered by selling the corporate’s development, earlier than being pressed for his ideas on the nickname.

“The customers name it the best way they wish to name it,” Braun stated. “An important factor to us is that we do not place Weight-reduction plan Coke in that manner.”

“It is a great-tasting product, which connects with the patron in a really distinctive manner.”

Coca-Cola didn’t instantly reply to a request for additional remark.

Merriam-Webster defines “fridge cigarette” as “a chilly, refreshing, and addictive gentle drink,” noting that it is particularly used to discuss with Weight-reduction plan Coke.

The phrase first gained traction with Gen Z by a viral TikTok video in 2025, which has practically 4 million views. It confirmed a lady opening a can of the soda, with the textual content: “Overheard somebody name a Weight-reduction plan Coke a ‘fridge cigarette’ and nothing’s been extra true to me since.”

It is smart that Braun would relatively keep away from any comparisons to cigarettes, particularly given some earlier unhealthy media for Weight-reduction plan Coke.

Aspartame, a man-made sweetener used within the soda, made headlines in 2023 after the Worldwide Company for Analysis on Most cancers labeled it as presumably carcinogenic to people.

Nonetheless, this classification solely means there’s restricted proof in people and less-than-sufficient proof in animals. Well being our bodies and regulators globally have maintained their acceptable each day consumption ranges of aspartame. An grownup weighing 150 lbs must drink a minimum of 17 cans of Weight-reduction plan Coke a day to exceed the secure quantity.

Diet Coke contains more caffeine, the usage of which may result in dependence, than common Coca-Cola.

To most individuals, “fridge cigarette” as a substitute evokes the aid from consuming a soda. An excuse to step away from work for a second and indulge with a gratifying deal with.

Rachel Reno, who posted the viral TikTok, advised The New York Instances in 2025, “I really feel prefer it’s a kind of issues that does not want quite a lot of rationalization.”

She added that individuals who perceive it know that “the crack of the can is just like the spark of a lighter,” after which after the primary sip, “all the troubles and cares on the planet go away.”

Braun’s interview got here the identical day as Coca-Cola’s quarterly earnings, which narrowly beat estimates with $13.4 billion of income.

The CEO advised traders on an earnings name that Weight-reduction plan Coke and Coca-Cola Zero grew by double digits. Coca-Cola’s share value is up 33% because the begin of the yr.