By SAM SCHECHNER

PARIS—A new beverage dubbed Paris Cola is trying to elbow its way into shops across the French capital this summer, on a quest to chip away at the dominance of Coca-Cola Co.

But Paris Cola also faces a homegrown problem: Another drink called Parisgo Cola is launching at the same time.

A new cola war is breaking out in Paris this summer, between two drinks with nearly the same name. Each has a red cap, and a label that prominently features the Eiffel Tower. Each has toiled to convince tiny shops and sprawling hypermarkets to sell its product. And each claims to better represent the spirit of Paris.

"We have a real product of the terroir," said Paris Cola's Rodolphe Grosset, using the French phrase for a local product drawn from the land. For Paris Cola, whose red-labeled bottles are lettered in curling white script, Mr. Grosset's gourmet souvenir company, François de Fonbelle, sought out sugar made from beets grown in the Paris region.

Rival Parisgo Cola says its goal is to show Parisians that they have been "lobotomized"by Coca-Cola, and that …

Continue reading "TERROIR WAR: GOOD NOSE, LOCAL BEETS? MUST BE A 2013 PARIS COLA" on wsj.com »»