American Express is back with another lineup of exclusive Cardmember perks and immersive onsite experiences, including the return of The Amex Experience, as the headline sponsor of BST Hyde Park.This year sees Amex launch a brand-new Soda Bar located in The Amex Experience. The Soda Bar will serve up an unforgettable menu of five different flavour combinations – from an olive and pickle infused sparkling lemonade to a spicy jalapeño, sweet agave and lime soda fusion.
Created in collaboration with Amex’s official soda recipe curator Maddi Neye-Swift, aka Cripandip – who was crowned TikTok Food Creator of the Year in December 2024 – the sodas will be available for Cardmembers and their guests to purchase exclusively at BST Hyde Park for the duration of the festival only.
The launch of The Soda Bar follows the growing popularity of adventurous soda flavours, with 3.75 million tags across social media featuring countless creative flavour combinations.
What’s more, new research from American Express has revealed that when eating and drinking, Gen Z and Millennials are the most adventurous, with over three in five (62%) Gen Zs experimenting with different flavours, closely followed by 58% of Millennials, compared to 33% of other generations surveyed.
Famed for her viral social videos showcasing bold and adventurous food and drink creations, Maddi Neye-Swift applied her signature culinary creativity to co-create an exciting blend of soda recipes with Amex – spanning sweet, savoury, spicy, salty and sour taste sensations.
A showstopping lineup of soda flavours
From Friday 27 June until Sunday 13 July, festivalgoers can purchase one of five sensational sodas at The Soda Bar at The Amex Experience mezzanine:
- Jalapeño Spice – a zesty twist of lime soda, sweet agave and jalapeño syrup, topped with a fresh jalapeño slice
- Strawberries & Cream – a fresh and tangy lemon soda layered with strawberry syrup and topped with velvety glitter infused vanilla cream
- Pickle-tini – a bold mix of lemonade, soda, sliced pickle, and a splash of olive brine
- Watermelon Smash – refreshing melon soda meets watermelon syrup, with a swirl of lime cream or vegan foam and a lime garnish, topped with pink edible glitter
- Cheeky Cherry – cherry cola infused with cherry syrup and vanilla cream or vegan foam, topped with a fresh cherry
The mouth-watering soda recipes were inspired by research commissioned by Amex which revealed that sweet flavours topped Gen Z’s list of favourite food groups (54%), while one in three (34%) preferred spicy, with fusion flavours also making a strong showing (31%). In fact, one in 10 Gen Zs would consider adding ingredients such as olives (12%) or jalapenos (9%), with 7% opting for sliced pickles.
Maddi Neye-Smith, aka Cripandip, said: “I’m so excited to have created these bold, distinctive soda flavours – and to showcase them at The Soda Bar at The Amex Experience. I’ve loved embracing my creativity to come up with these fun flavour combinations with some of my favourite ingredients. I can’t wait to see festivalgoers discover the menu and I hope everyone will be obsessed with the delicious flavours!’
Aaron Burke, VP marketing, global brand sponsorships at American Express, said: “We’re thrilled to be back as headline sponsor for a fourth year at American Express presents BST Hyde Park. We are passionate about creating meaningful memories for our Cardmembers and music fans through immersive activations that will enhance their festival experience. Cardmembers can enjoy perks including a 5% spend discount across the festival and access to exclusive Cardmember merch lanes. This year’s Amex Experience is the perfect place to make memories that will last long after the music stops, to try some new flavour combinations at the Soda Bar and to enjoy epic views of the Great Oak Stage.”
