With a strategy that combines both disruptive and conventional routes, Coca Cola India has turned Thums Up and Sprite into billion-dollar brands, and is now trying to bring Maaza into the same club. But where did it all begin? Take a look at journey of Coca-Cola brand in India over the past six decades
In 1956, Coca-Cola, the soft drinks brand made its entry into the Indian market after being rebranded as Coca-Cola India. In the absence of any foreign exchange act, Coca Cola made profits by operating under 100% foreign equity
After enjoying a good run in India for about 20 years, Coca Cola had to exit India after being asked to dilute equity in line with the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA, 1973)
In 1992, Coca Cola re-entered the Indian market. It went on an acquisition spree as it bought Thums Up, Gold Spot, Limca, Citra, Maaza, and Rimzim from Bisleri promoter Ramesh Chauhan for $60 million. Since then there has been no looking back for the brand
India hosted the 1996 Cricket World Cup along with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Coca-Cola grabbed the opportunity and became the official sponsor of 1996 ODI Cricket World Cup
In 1999, Coca Cola launched Sprite with a tagline, ‘Sprite bujhaye only pyaas, baaki all bakwaas’, which went viral
In 2000, Coca Cola entered the packaged drinking water markets with its product Kinley. Since then it has tried to bring in different product variations such as Kinley bulk jars, and Kinley fizzy drinks but some of them did not pick up and the rest never saw the light of the day
It was 2002-03 when Coca-Cola's record-breaking campaign, ‘Thanda matlab Coca-Cola’ featuring actor Aamir Khan in various roles, became viral. It was touted to be pathbreaking
In 2007, Coca Cola launched a juice brand named Minute Maid. This was the second such fruity drink under the Coca Cola umbrella after the acquisition of Maaza
Approx. 10 years later, Coca Cola entered the value-added dairy drinks market with VIO, which was a spiced buttermilk. Two years later, it entered the hydration space with Aquarius Glucocharge
Beverage brand Coca-Cola has seen a huge success in India’s carbonated soft drinks market worth Rs 50,000 crore with its share being a whopping 60%. It's looking to continue this winning streak with its strategic combo of disruptive and conventional elements