Coca Cola to launch fruit juice!

In recent years, Coca-Cola and its archrival PepsiCo have been expanding their non-cola and health based portfolio in various countries because consumers are shifting towards healthier beverages. The sales of cola products had declined in past few years, due to the pesticide controversy.

Coca-Cola is all set to roll out its fruit juice brand Minute Maid in Indian beverage market. With this launch, the company hopes to cash in on changing preferences of consumers, who are increasingly becoming health conscious and may be re-furbish it’s tumbling image from a seller of junk to a seller of health. Initially it will only offer the orange flavour and based on response it will introduce apple and mixed berry flavours. The juice will be available in 400ml and 1litre pet bottles.

How well the Coca-Cola Company will do remains to be seen. Coke is entering the fruit juice a bit late in the day. Brands like Tropiciana from PepsiCo and Real from Dabur have already made inroads into the Indian fruit juice market. On the other hand, maybe Coke is the wise one. Real and Tropiciana have had to literally carve a decent place for themselves in a tiny market…but now the market has taken on a life of it’s own.

So the war of big companies will be fought even in the fruit juice market. As a consumer I am happy, as I’ll get to choose from the best brands. And I hope coca-cola’s Maid won’t disappoint the consumers.