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Coca-Cola Zero launched by Coca-Cola India, initially in top 100 towns
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Monday, 22 September, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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fiogf49gjkf0d In a bid to achieve its Vision 2020, Coca-Cola India, one of the country’s leading beverage companies, launched Coca-Cola Zero. The launch added to the company’s suite of sparkling and still products, which now includes Minute Maid juice, Kinley packaged water, Schweppes sodas and mixers, Georgia tea and coffee, Burn energy drink, and a range of sparkling beverages.
The introduction of Coca-Cola Zero, one of The Coca-Cola Company’s most successful and significant innovations, follows the launch of Maaza Milky Delite in Punjab and Kolkata and the expansion of Schweppes footprint, during the year. It offers the taste of Coke with zero sugar, and is first being made available in the top 100 towns in India, both in traditional as well as modern trade outlets.
These cities contribute almost 90 per cent of the SEC A urban population – a segment that is globally networked, well-travelled, has a distinct identity, is on the move and demands wider product choices. With the launch of Coca-Cola Zero in India, the brand is now available in all the top six markets of The Coca-Cola Company (the others being the United States, Mexico, China, Brazil and Japan).
Coca-Cola Zero would be available in 300ml slim cans, 400ml PET bottles and 600ml PET bottles at the same price points as the regular Coca-Cola. For instance in Delhi, the maximum retail price (MRP) of a 300ml can would be Rs 30, while that of a 600ml PET bottle would be Rs 35.
Coca-Cola Zero is one of the seventeen billion-dollar brands of The Coca-Cola Company in terms of revenue, and is, in fact, one of the fastest to this milestone. It was first launched in 2005, and is now available in 149 countries, including India. The variant adds to the hydration and refreshment choices available to the consumers in India.
In keeping with the character of Coca-Cola Zero, actor Farhan Akhtar; luger Shiva Keshavan, fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee and fashion photographer Atul Kasbekar took sips. Coca-Cola was represented by Venkatesh Kini, its India and South-West Asia president, and Debabrata Mukherjee, its India vice-president, marketing
They were joined on stage by Manpreet Gulri, country head, Subway, and Alok Tandon, chief executive officer, INOX Leisure. To recognise their love for Coca-Cola Zero and the product’s availability in India, four out of its 40,000 Facebook fans (Ayushi Markus, Vaibhav Gupta, Vipul Bansal and Karandeep Walia) were presented the first packs of the product by Akhtar and Kini.
Markus, who is 22 years old, is pursuing chartered accountancy; Gupta, who is 25, explores the potential of new technologies as a career; Bansal is a civil engineer, and Walia is a photographer. Speaking at the launch of Coca-Cola Zero in India, Kini said, “As we move towards the halfway mark of the decade, it is important that we add new offerings to our portfolio even as we nurture the existing brands.”
“Coca-Cola Zero comes at a time when Coca-Cola Classic has established itself as one of the country’s favourite beverage brands, with a wide distribution and manufacturing set-up. It therefore complements our sparkling portfolio and leverages the manufacturing capacities that we have created over the last many years,” he added.
“We are on course to invest $5 billion by 2020, thereby providing beverage choices to consumers that complement their lifestyles and hydration needs. In a social and demographic set-up, where consumers are increasingly demanding safe, hygienic, high-quality and consistent hydration options, our portfolio is well placed to cater to the new age consumer’s requirements,” Kini said.
The Coca-Cola System is innovating with new channels to build preference and anticipation for the beverage prior to the national, on-ground, rollout. Coca-Cola Zero would be available on the Amazon India marketplace platform, so its customers across the country can experience it. Hindustan Coca-Cola’s own portal would be listing Coca-Cola Zero 15 days after the Amazon launch.
Post October 5, 2014, Coca-Cola Zero would be available across the top 100 towns in India at more than 1.8 lakh outlets, including traditional and modern ones. Coca-Cola Zero would first be available at Reliance Retail stores. The modern trade chain would also partner with the cola major to create the biggest-ever display of a Coca-Cola product in-store (a potential entry in the Limca Book of Records).
Amongst airlines, travellers aboard IndiGo flights would be the first ones to enjoy Coca-Cola Zero, while amongst the quick service restaurants, it would be available at Subway outlets. Partners like INOX Leisure would provide Coca-Cola Zero as an additional choice on their menus. Speaking at the launch of the variant, Tandon said, “The definition of choice is nowhere as pronounced as in the entertainment business.”
“Twenty years ago, none us thought that we would have audiences for the kind of cinemas that actually do very well today. However, there is more to it than just the kind of cinema but the entire movie experience in multiplexes like INOX that seems to have graduated to another level,” he added.
“The choice of snack and beverage options, the pre- and post-screening experience, technological advancement in terms of projection, sound, good acoustics etc, have seen a sea change over the years. I guess the one thing that has remained constant though, is Coca-Cola is a part of the movie-going experience,” Tandon stated.
“We are happy to know that consumers can now choose the zero-sugar option, besides the regular Coca-Cola. It is always great to have choices, and our guests would enjoy Cocoa-Cola Zero and make it a part of their regular movie viewing experience,” he added.
Gulri said, “Coca-Cola Zero ideally complements Subway’s food service offerings that evolve continually with changing consumer tastes and preferences. I am sure discerning consumers would be delighted to pair up Coca-Cola Zero with our range of low-fat sandwiches during our forthcoming promotion. Coca-Cola Zero makes for a great addition to the beverage options available at Subway restaurants, and we are excited about the opportunity.”
Coca-Cola Zero would be manufactured at ten plants (both company-owned and franchise-owned) in different parts of the country.
Elaborating on the launch strategy and product attributes, Debabrata Mukherjee said, “Coca-Cola Zero is a part of our global red, silver and black model. Its strength lies in its great taste and sharp brand positioning. To ensure that consumers get their first taste of Coca-Cola Zero, we will be sampling more than 1.5 million packs of the product in the next four months.”
“We have a strong communication plan which includes digital media, television and print campaigns. The uniqueness of the product can be gauged from the fact that since its launch, it has done well in matured as well as emerging markets, across the globe. Its top five markets include countries like the United States and Brazil. We expect that Coca-Cola Zero will hit all the right notes with consumers in India,” he added.
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