BICKFORD’S GOES SUGAR-FREE – BUT DOES IT STILL TASTE GOOD?

Bickford’s is using a blend of stevia and erythritol that mostly sidesteps that metallic tang

Australians are a complicated bunch when it comes to sugar. We’ll tell you we want less of it, but heaven help any drink that tastes like watered-down regret. That’s the hill Bickford’s has chosen to climb with its new No Added Sugar Cordial range.

Let’s start with the good news. This range isn’t one of those cloyingly weird “diet” cordials of old, where the aftertaste haunts you like a bad Tinder date.

Instead, Bickford’s is using a blend of stevia and erythritol that mostly sidesteps that metallic tang. They’ve genuinely tried to make this taste like real cordial - and it works.

According to Prue Warner, Senior Brand Manager at Bickford’s: “This launch is about giving people more choice, without the usual trade-offs.

"We know that for many Australians, cordial is a pantry staple, but the way we think about health and wellness has changed. The No Added Sugar range was developed to meet those shifts, while keeping everything people already love about Bickford’s: the flavour, the quality, the versatility.

"And don’t worry - our traditional cordials aren’t going anywhere. This range gives you more ways to enjoy the Bickford’s flavour you love, with less sugar.”

Fair enough. And credit to them - they didn’t kill the flavour trying to make it “healthy.”

The Lime, in particular, is a winner, zesty without being harsh. Tropical tastes like summer holidays in Queensland, minus the sunburn. Even the Lemon Lime & Bitters gets the balance right, which is rare in sugar-free anything.

Each serve has eight calories or less, no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners, and the company is touting it as the best option yet in their “better-for-you” line-up.

This new range replaces their old Diet and Sugar-Free cordials basically: out with the clunky legacy stuff, in with something more modern that doesn’t make you pull a face.

The price is $5.50 for a 750ml bottle, which feels fair for something Australian-made and vegan-friendly. It’s meant to suit every occasion, from kids’ hydration bribery to adult spritzers that fool you into feeling virtuous.

Warner again: “It’s about offering more great-tasting choices for every lifestyle. We’ve refined our offering to deliver our best-tasting option yet in the better-for-you space - with an improved recipe and a flavour to suit every home and every moment.”

That’s brand-speak for “we know you’re sick of watery, sad diet cordials.” And they’re right.

To be clear, it’s not going to be precisely like the sugar-loaded original. But it’s a solid alternative if you’re trying to dodge added sugar without punishing your tastebuds.

For anyone who cares, Bickford’s points to research saying 47% of us avoid added sugar in drinks, while 70% say flavour is still the deal-breaker. This range is an attempt to split that difference, and it does a decent job.

Available now in Coles, with independents from July and Woolworths from September.