MUMBAI: Coca-Cola’s product portfolio in India remains strong, thanks to the inclusion of popular local brands such as Thums Up, Maaza, and Limca. As one of the beverage giant’s most important global markets, India presents a dynamic landscape where Coca-Cola has built a competitive edge over decades, said John Murphy, President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of The Coca-Cola Company.
The local beverage market has become increasingly competitive, especially with the entry of Reliance’s Campa Cola, which has sparked a price war. This has prompted global players like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to reassess their strategies to maintain market dominance.
“We always face competition in our industry, and it pushes us to be at our best. Campa Cola is just one of many challengers—there are several strong regional players as well. The advantage we have is our long-standing experience in the business, allowing us to refine our playbook on how to compete and win. Right now, we are more optimistic about our growth in India than ever before,” Murphy said.
India’s relatively low per capita consumption of commercial beverages, coupled with its young population, provides ample growth opportunities for companies in the sector, Murphy noted.
“Our portfolio in India is among the strongest globally, if not the strongest, due to the presence of established local brands. Additionally, the potential for growth in our global brands—Sprite, Fanta, Coca-Cola—and emerging categories we plan to invest in is vast,” he added.
In the coming years, Coca-Cola aims to strengthen its position in its existing categories while remaining open to expanding into new segments if opportunities arise. Urban markets, with their higher purchasing power, offer a prime testing ground for new product categories, Murphy said.
During his visit to India, Murphy met with the company’s Delhi-based team and bottling partners, acknowledging that execution in the market still has room for improvement. Over the next few weeks, Coca-Cola plans to conduct a series of strategy sessions with its bottling partners to enhance operations and drive growth.
