Long before its official introduction in stores in 1985, many diners, drugstore soda fountains and movie theaters dispensed an unofficial version by adding cherry-flavored syrup to Coca-Cola.

Many of these are currently only sold in overseas markets and/or are microdispensed through Coca-Cola's Freestyle vending machines.

Currently, in addition to the U.S., the drink is available in Sweden, Albania, China, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Finland, Germany, Belgium and Estonia (only in cans and 1-litre bottles), Denmark, France, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, Latvia, Lithuania, South Africa, South Korea, Bulgaria, Greece (only in cans), Romania and Peru.

Until recently it was available in Ireland only through British pharmaceutical chains such as Boots and Superdrug; however, it returned officially to the country in 2014.

In the past, the product has been distributed in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Israel.

It is no longer bottled in these countries, although the U.S. product is imported by some Canadian convenience stores near the Canada–US border, as well as by IGA, Costco and specialty retailers in Australia.

It returned to Canada by the 2013, 2014, and 2015 holiday season in cases of 24 cans at Costco stores for the two former, and general retail in the latter.

In 2014, it was featured as one of the last major attempts by Target Canada in Ontario to gain market share before announcing its closing in January of the following year.

Coca-Cola Cherry returned to Canada once again in the summer of 2015 and 2016 as part of the "Share a Coke" campaign.

Cherry Coke, in flats of 24 cans, have recently been available at Safeway, Sobeys, and Loblaws-owned stores across Canada with markings indicating production at the Brampton, Ontario bottling facility.

American rapper and record producer Jay-Z was chosen to be the spokesman and played a part in designing the new can graphics.

The drink was expanded internationally, beginning with France in 2012 and the United Kingdom in 2014, and has been later released in Benelux territories, Belgium, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany.