Coca-Cola April-June quarter volumes up 20% riding on marketing, pricing

NEW DELHI: Beverage maker Coca-Cola’s Atlanta-based parent announced on Tuesday that its India sparkling beverage volume grew 20% in the April-June 2012 quarter, driven mainly by integrated marketing campaigns centered around music and sports.

During the quarter, brand Coca-Cola’s volume in India grew 35% while Sprite was up 29%, the company announced. In India, Coca-Cola has been pushing mainstay brand Coke ahead of its other aerated drinks like Thums Up and Limca.

Coke has been the only brand for which the beverage firm brought down prices to Rs 8 earlier this year. In terms of market share, brand Coke continues to lag behind Thums Up and rival cola Pepsi.

Last month, Coca-Cola global chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent announced fresh investments of US $3 billion on accelerating the beverage maker’s pace of growth, bottling, brand building and distribution expansion by year 2020.

The $3 billion investment is over and above the $2 million the maker of Thums Up cola and Kinley water had announced last year November. Kent had said he expects India to be among its top 5 markets soon, up from its current No 7 ranking.

Globally, Coca-Cola reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit, with consumption of its beverages in emerging markets making up for declining growth in Europe. The company said its worldwide volume growth at 4% in quarter was ‘well-balanced’ around the world. Coca-Cola said emerging markets like India grew 20%, while Russia grew at 9%) and China at 7%. Worldwide sparkling beverage volume was up 2% in the quarter, it said.