Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Friday, Sep 01, 2006
Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Friday, Sep 01, 2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marketing
-
Strategy Corporate - Outlook Coca-Cola plans to invest $120 m in Indian arm K. Giriprakash
Expansion plans To expand `Georgia Gold' and `Georgia Gold Frosts' coffee and tea vending machines Plans to invest more into research in India
Bangalore , Aug. 31
Brushing aside the `pesticide in colas' controversy, Coca-Cola has said it is investing $120 million (Rs 560 crore) more during the year in its Indian company Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) to grow the per capita consumption of its beverages. A Coca-Cola spokesperson told Business Line that the new investment in HCCB is expected to increase the urban and rural penetration of its brands and diversify its range of beverages. "All this has been designed to help secure a strong future for the company," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said Coca-Cola during the last 13 years invested over $1 billion in its Indian operations. The spokesperson said Coca-Cola has 60 per cent share in the Indian carbonated soft drink industry whose current size is 500 million cases (each case consisting of 24 bottles). The spokesperson said Coke would also expand its vended tea and coffee business, Georgia. Its `Georgia Gold' hot vending machines will be expanded further through a concept called `Georgia Junctions'. About 100 Georgia junctions will be rolled out within this calendar year in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad. These would act as interceptors at high traffic areas and will be a one stop shop for the consumers. In addition to tea and coffee, they will carry the entire range of Coca-Cola India's beverage portfolio including carbonated soft drinks, juices and water. High quality snacks and bakery items will also be on offer at these `junctions.' "These junctions are being put up at places frequented by consumers with high willingness to spend," the spokesperson said. There are also plans to push `Georgia Gold Frosts' which are cold coffee and tea vending machines. There are over 6,000 Georgia vending machines installed across the country. On its other beverages, the company official said Coca-Cola has a higher market share than its other brand Thums Up, while its fruit drink brand, Maaza has a 30 per cent market share. Its bottled water brand, Kinley has a market share of over 22 per cent.
Investing in Research
Last year, a Coca-Cola official had said that the company wanted to transform itself into a total beverage company in India as it planned to launch a slew of health and wellness drink brands in the country. The official had forecast that over a period of time, the share between carbonated drinks and non-carbonated drinks could be equal.
More Stories on : Strategy | Outlook | Beverages
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2006, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|