Guess who’s keeping PepsiCo and Coca-Cola on their toes these days

Industry’s topmost beverage makers PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are now on their toes to compete with the newcomers in the Indian market. As per a report published in Economic Times, more than two dozen aerated drinks are available in the market at a comparatively cheaper price, which is worrying the age-old firms.

Beverage makers like Hajoori & Sons form Gujarat, Alwar-based Jayanti Beverages, Delhi's City Cola, Boss Beverages from Bareilly and Shri Brahm Shakti Prince Beverages of Delhi have taken the market share from the leading brands.

The newly-shaped companies are targeting the rural part of India by selling their products at 20% lesser price than the traditional ones. The B-brands have taken over 10% market share – the highest ever – from the 14,000-crore aerated drinks industry in the country, a Coca-Cola official said quoting researcher Nielsen's data.

Alwar-based Jayanti group’s sales head Mukesh Jain said, "As of now, we haven't felt the need to have a star like, say, Deepika Padukone to advertise for us. Pricing and taste is what is attracting consumers to us.”

Kailash Keswani, director at Shri Brahm Shakti Prince Beverages’, said, "Coke and Pepsi spend crores on advertising, but our quality is better. We put real lemon in our lemon drink and consumers are liking us. We also sell at lower prices."

To protect their market shares, Coca-cola and PepsiCo dropped prices of their 200 ml glass bottles from Rs 12 to Rs 10 in markets such as Uttar Pradesh. The global players have also introduced various offers on two-litre PET bottles.

image: indiatimes