Coco Cola

Index

1.History

2.Initial product

3.Quality measures

4.competetors
 History

The History of the Coca-Cola Contour Bottle

The product that has given the world its best-known taste was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May
8, 1886. Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist, produced the syrup for Coca-Cola, and
carried a jug of the new product down the street to Jacobs' Pharmacy, where it was sampled,
pronounced "excellent" and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink.
Carbonated water was teamed with the new syrup to produce a drink that was at once
"Delicious and Refreshing," a theme that continues to echo today wherever Coca-Cola is

Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist, produced the

syrup for Coca-Cola, and carried a jug of the new product down
the street to Jacobs' Pharmacy, where it was sampled,
pronounced "excellent" and placed on sale for five cents a
glass as a soda fountain drink
Thinking that "the two Cs would look well in advertising," Dr. Pemberton's partner and
bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, suggested the name and penned the now famous
trademark "Coca-Cola" in his unique script. The first newspaper ad for Coca-Cola soon
appeared in The Atlanta Journal, inviting thirsty citizens to try "the new and popular
soda fountain drink." Hand-painted oilcloth signs reading "Coca-Cola" appeared on
store awnings, with the suggestion "Drink" added to inform passersby that the new
beverage was for soda fountain refreshment. During the first year, sales averaged a
modest nine drinks per day.
Dr. Pemberton never realized the potential of the beverage he created. He gradually
sold portions of his business to various partners and, just prior to his death in 1888, sold
his remaining interest in Coca-Cola to Asa G. Candler. An Atlantan with great business
acumen, Mr. Candler proceeded to buy additional rights and acquire complete control.
 

A Refreshing Legacy
One of the most famous shapes in the world is the iconic contour fluted lines of the
Coca-Cola bottle. Renowned as a design classic and described by noted industrial
designer, Raymond Loewy as the “perfect liquid wrapper,” the bottle has been
celebrated in art, music and advertising. When Andy Warhol wanted a shape to
represent mass culture, he drew the bottle and when Volkswagen wanted to celebrate
the shape of the Beatle, they compared the car to the bottle.
How did the bottle become so iconic?
It began with the desire to protect brand Coca-Cola and was a cooperative project

between The Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers

An Iconic Beginning
In 1899, two Chattanooga lawyers, Joseph Whitehead and Benjamin Thomas, traveled
to Atlanta to negotiate the rights to bottle Coca-Cola. The product had been an
increasingly popular soda fountain drink established a mere 13 years previously. In
fountain form, Coca-Cola grew from an average of nine drinks per day sold in 1886 to
being sold in every state of the US by 1900. Thomas and Whitehead wanted to
capitalize on the popularity of the drink by bottling it to be consumed outside the four
walls of a soda fountain.
The contract the two signed was a geographic one and The Coca-Cola Bottling
Company began franchising the rights to bottle Coca-Cola in cities across the U.S. By
1920, over 1,200 Coca-Cola bottling operations were established. Sales in both fountain
and bottle form continued to increase and that popularity led to dozens of competitors
trying to imitate the famous trademark of Coca-Cola to deceive the public into buying
their drinks.
The bottles used in those days were simple straight-sided bottles that were typically
brown or clear. The Coca-Cola Company required that the bottlers emboss the famous
Coca-Cola logo onto every bottle. However, competitor brands like Koka-Nola, Ma
Coca-Co, Toka-Cola and even Koke copied or only slightly modified the Spencerian
script logo. These competitor bottles created confusion among consumers. While The
Coca-Cola Company began litigation against these infringements, the cases often took
years and the bottlers were constantly asking for more protection.
As a first step to help the bottlers, in 1906, The Coca-Cola Company introduced a
diamond shaped label with a colorful trademark to stand out from the infringers.
Unfortunately, Coca-Cola was often sold out of barrels of ice-cold water that would
cause the labels to peel off. Some competitors like Koca-Nola even imitated the label as
well!
 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Coca-Cola’s Sustainability History

Sustainability is not something new at The Coca-Cola Company. The Company’s sustainability

efforts cover a wide range of topics including the following: water, women, community well-being,

sustainable packaging, climate protection, human and workplace rights, and sustainable

agriculture.

Such efforts began over 100 years ago and have since become an integral part of the Company. While

there are countless sustainability projects and initiatives started by the Company, there are some

monumental moments that have helped shape the company’s efforts. These efforts are highlighted in this

timeline of events.

1917
The Coca-Cola Company began its partnership with The Red Cross. During World War I, the Coca-Cola

system ran annual Red Cross drive campaigns which continued for over a decade. This partnership

remains strong today and has been essential to the company’s involvement in disaster relief throughout

the years.

1935

Lettie Pate Evans joined the Board of Directors as the 1st woman to serve on the board of a major

company.

1963

The Coca-Cola Company produced its first diet drink, Tab. Tab was introduced before the early growth of

the low-calorie soft drink segment, and the beverage was developed for consumers who wished “to keep

tab on their calories.” Several women chemists played a critical role in the development of Tab.

1966

The Coca-Cola Company launched “The Nutrition Project”, assigning an international team of scientists

and food technologists the task of finding a solution to the “protein gap” facing the impoverished nations of

the world and provide more light, protein-rich beverages to consumers. This project led to the introduction

of the brands Saci, Sanson and Taí, three protein-rich energy beverages developed in Latin America,

utilizing the local ingredients such as soybeans and whey as protein source ingredients for the beverages.

1984

The Coca-Cola Foundation was founded. The Coca-Cola Company is committed to giving back 1 percent

of its prior year’s operating income annually through the foundation. The foundation serves three priority

areas: women, water and well-being.

2001

The Coca-Cola Company established the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, which has worked to prevent and

treat HIV/AIDS in Africa. Since it was established, the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation has launched

numerous projects and initiatives throughout Africa.

2007
The Coca-Cola Company announced a transformational partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature

(WWF) to address challenges related to freshwater conservation. This partnership focused on five core

areas including the following: conserve seven of the world’s most important freshwater basins, improve

water efficiency within the company’s operations, reduce the company’s carbon emissions, promote

sustainable agriculture and inspire a global movement to conserve water. 

2009

The Coca-Cola Company introduces PlantBottle Packaging - the first ever recyclable PET plastic beverage

bottle made 30 percent from plants. The Coca-Cola Company has continued to develop sustainable

packaging, including the creation of the world’s first prototype PET bottle made entirely from plant materials

in 2015.

2010

The Coca-Cola Company launched the 5by20 Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to enable the economic

empowerment of 5 million women entrepreneurs across the globe by 2020. Through the initiative, women

are offered access to business skills training courses, financial services and connections with peers or

mentors.

2013

The first EKOCENTER is established. EKOCENTER is a modular community market that is run by local

woman entrepreneurs and provides safe drinking water, wireless communication, electricity and other

functionality to jump-start entrepreneurship opportunities and community development. The 100th

EKOCENTER was opened in 2016 and the project continues to grow around the globe. This project also

complements the 5by20 initiative that was launched in 2010.

The Coca-Cola Company’s sustainability efforts and goals continue to develop as the years go on and their

impact can be found across the globe. Within the last 5 years, the Coca-Cola Company has launched new

initiatives and achieved many goals, such as accomplishing its 100 percent water replenishment goal five

years ahead of schedule.

The company will not stop once it has accomplished a goal; it creates new initiatives and works to

create a bigger impact. The history of sustainability in the Coca-Cola Company is an indication of

how far the Company has come and how much farther it can go in future
 First product
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company.

Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in

the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1888 Pemberton sold
Coca-Cola's ownership rights to Asa Griggs Candler, a businessman, whose marketing tactics led
Coca-Cola to its dominance of the global soft-drink market throughout the 20th and 21st
century.[1] The drink's name refers to two of its original ingredients: coca leaves and kola nuts (a
source of caffeine). The current formula of Coca-Cola remains a closely guarded trade secret;
however, a variety of reported recipes and experimental recreations have been published. The
secrecy around the formula has been used by Coca-Cola in its marketing as only a handful of
anonymous employees know the formula.[2] The drink has inspired imitators and created a
whole classification of soft drink: colas.

The Coca-Cola Company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers
throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold exclusive territory contracts with the company,
produce the finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate, in combination with
filtered water and sweeteners. A typical 12-US-fluid-ounce (350 ml) can contains 38 grams
(1.3 oz) of sugar (usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup in North America). The bottlers
then sell, distribute, and merchandise Coca-Cola to retail stores, restaurants, and vending
machines throughout the world. The Coca-Cola Company also sells concentrate for soda
fountains of major restaurants and foodservice distributors.

Other product

The Coca-Cola Company has on occasion introduced other cola drinks under the Coke name.
The most common of these is Diet Coke, along with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet
Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special versions
with lemon, lime, and coffee. Coca-Cola was called Coca-Cola Classic from July 1985 to 2009, to
distinguish it from "New Coke". Based on Interbrand's "best global brand" study of 2020, Coca-
Cola was the world's sixth most valuable brand.[3] In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200
countries worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings
each day.[4] Coca-Cola ranked No. 87 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States
corporations by total revenue.[5]
 Quality measures
It is very important that each product that Coca Cola produces is of a high quality
standard to ensure that each product is exactly the same. This is important as the
company wants to meet with customer requirements and expectations. With the brand
having such a global presence, it is vital that these checks are continually consistent. The
standardised bottle of Coca Cola has elements that need to be checked whilst on the
production line to make sure that a high quality is being met. The most common checks
include ingredients, packaging and distribution. Much of the testing being taken place is
during the production process, as machines and a small team of employees monitor
progress. It is the responsibility of all of Coca Colas staff to check quality from hygiene
operators to product and packaging quality. This shows that these constant checks
require staff to be on the lookout for problems and take responsibility for this, to ensure
maintained quality.

Coca-cola uses inspection throughout its production process, especially in the testing of
the Coca-Cola formula to ensure that each product meets specific requirements (Coca-
Cola, 2011). Inspection is normally referred to as the sampling of a product after
production in order to take corrective action to maintain the quality of products
(Summers, 2009). Coca-Cola has incorporated this method into their organisational
structure as it has the ability of eliminating mistakes and maintaining high quality
standards, thus reducing the chance of product recall. It is also easy to implement and is
cost effective.
Coca-cola uses both Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) throughout its
production process. QC mainly focuses on the production line itself, whereas QA focuses
on its entire operations process and related functions, addressing potential problems
very quickly (Summers, 2009). In QC and QA, state of the art computers check all aspects
of the production process, maintaining consistency and quality by checking the
consistency of the formula, the creation of the bottle (blowing), fill levels of each bottle,
labelling of each bottle, overall increasing the speed of production and quality checks,
which ensures that product demands are met (Muirhead, B. 2011). QC and QA helps
reduce the risk of defective products reaching a customer; problems are found and
resolved in the production process (Summers, 2009), for example, bottles that are
considered to be defective are placed in a waiting area for inspection (Muirhead, B.
2011). QA also focuses on the quality of supplied goods to Coca-cola, for example
sugar, which is supplied by Tate and Lyle. Coca-cola informs that they have never had a
problem with their suppliers (Muirhead, B. 2011). QA can also involve the training of
staff ensuring that employees understand how to operate machinery. Coca-Cola ensures
that all members of staff receive training prior to their employment, so that employees
can operate machinery efficiently. Machinery is also under constant maintenance, which
requires highly skilled engineers to fix problems, and help Coca-cola maintain high
outputs. 
Every bottle is also checked that it is at the correct fill level and has the correct label.
This is done by a computer which every bottle passes through during the production
process. Any faulty products are taken off the main production line. Should the quality
control measures find any errors, the production line is frozen up to the last good check
that was made. The Coca Cola bottling plant also checks the utilisation level of each
production line using a scorecard system. This shows the percentage of the line that is
being utilised and allows managers to increase the production levels of a line if
necessary (Muirhead, B. 2011).
Coca-Cola also uses Total Quality Management (TQM), which involves the management
of quality at every level of the organisation, including; suppliers, production, customers
etc (Summers, 2009). This allows Coca-cola to retain/regain competitiveness to achieve
increased customer satisfaction Hradesky, J. (1992). Coca-cola uses this method to
continuously improve the quality of their products. Teamwork is very important and
Coca-cola ensures that every member of staff is involved in the production process,
meaning that each employee understands their job/roles, thus improving morale and
motivation, overall increasing productivity (Summers, 2009). TQM practices can also
increase customer involvement as many organisations, including Coca-Cola relish the
opportunity to receive feedback and information from their consumers. Overall,
reducing waste and costs, provides Coca-cola with a competitive advantage (Muirhead,
B. 2011). 
The Production Process
Before production starts on the line cleaning quality tasks are performed to rinse
internal pipelines, machines and equipment. This is often performed during a switch
over of lines for example, changing Coke to Diet Coke to ensure that the taste is the
same. This quality check is performed for both hygiene purposes and product quality.
When these checks are performed the production process can begin.
Coca Cola uses a database system called Questar which enables them to perform checks
on the line. For example, all materials are coded and each line is issued with a bill of
materials before the process starts. This ensures that the correct materials are put on the
line. This is a check that is designed to eliminate problems on the production line and is
audited regularly. Without this system, product quality wouldn’t be assessed at this high
level. Other quality checks on the line include packaging and carbonation which is
monitored by an operator who notes down the values to ensure they are meeting
standards.
To test product quality further lab technicians carry out over 2000 spot checks a day to
ensure quality and consistency. This process can be prior to production or during
production which can involve taking a sample of bottles off the production line. Quality
tests include, the CO2 and sugar values, micro testing, packaging quality and cap
tightness. These tests are designed so that total quality management ideas can be put
forward. For example, one way in which Coca Cola has improved their production
process is during the wrapping stage at the end of the line. The machine performed
revolutions around the products wrapping it in plastic until the contents were secure.
One initiative they adopted meant that one less revolution was needed. This idea
however, did not impact on the quality of the packaging or the actual product therefore
saving large amounts of money on packaging costs. This change has been beneficial to
the organisation. Continuous improvement can also be used to adhere to environmental
and social principles which the company has the responsibility to abide by. Continuous
Improvement methods are sometimes easy to identify but could lead to a big changes
within the organisation. The idea of continuous improvement is to reveal opportunities
which could change the way something is performed. Any sources of waste, scrap or
rework are potential projects which can be improved.
The successfulness of this system can be measured by assessing the consistency of the
product quality. Coca Cola (2011) say that ‘Our Company’s Global Product Quality Index
rating has consistently reached averages near 94 since 2007, with a 94.3 in 2010, while
our Company Global Package Quality Index has steadily increased since 2007 to a 92.6
rating in 2010, our highest value to date’. This is an obvious indication this quality
system is working well throughout the organisation. This increase of the index shows
that the consistency of the products is being recognised by consumers. 
Customer Satisfaction
Coca-Cola controls its customer satisfaction by having a code on the bottles it produces.
This means that if there is a fault, then that code can by entered into the Coca-Cola
database and they can find out what plant it was produced at and where it was
distributed to. This helps customer satisfaction because if there is a faulty group of Coke
bottles then they can be recalled before any other customers find problems with a
particular batch of Coke products. They also have an OTIF rating system for distributors
(OTIF stands for ‘on time in full’) (Muirhead, B. 2011). External customers, such as
distributors can rate Coca-Cola’s delivery based on, if it was on time and the full stock
was delivered. Coca Cola also use mystery shoppers to examine the quality of the
products and how satisfied customers are with those products (Muirhead, B. 2011).
Customer Satisfaction
Coca-Cola controls its customer satisfaction by having a code on the bottles it produces.
This means that if there is a fault, then that code can by entered into the Coca-Cola
database and they can find out what plant it was produced at and where it was
distributed to. This helps customer satisfaction because if there is a faulty group of Coke
bottles then they can be recalled before any other customers find problems with a
particular batch of Coke products. They also have an OTIF rating system for distributors
(OTIF stands for ‘on time in full’) (Muirhead, B. 2011). External customers, such as
distributors can rate Coca-Cola’s delivery based on, if it was on time and the full stock
was delivered. Coca Cola also use mystery shoppers to examine the quality of the
products and how satisfied customers are with those products (Muirhead, B. 2011).
Corporate Social Responsibility
As part of the quality system, factors such as corporate social responsibility are
important as many organisations have a number of roles and responsibilities that they
must adhere to, to ensure they provide high levels of quality and customer satisfaction.
A large organisation, such as Coca-cola will normally compile a document stating the
company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR). A CSR is integrated into the business
model, which helps to self regulate a company. The CSR must comply with law, ethical
standards and international norms (Crane, A. et al. 2009). Coca-cola’s responsibilities
include; ‘beverage benefits’, ‘active healthy living’, ‘community’, ‘Energy and climate’,
‘sustainable packaging’, ‘water stewardship’ and ‘workplace’ (coca-cola, 2011). Overall,
Coca-cola takes quality very seriously, and ensures that the company meets the
‘requirements and consumer expectations in the market place’. 
Coca Cola have considered the need to meet with environmental standards in both their
product design and the production process. These standards were implemented in the
production area we witnessed firsthand. These implications are important factors during
the design and development of new products, packaging, production processes and
factory facilities. Coca Cola abide by the ISO14001 guideline in order to ‘implement,
maintain and improve an environmental management system’ (The ISO 14000
Environmental Management Guide) (Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd, 2011). 
One of the main environmental initiatives taken up by Coca Cola was Water Stewardship
in which the company aims to improve their water efficiency by 20% by 2012. Water is
used by Coca Cola for production processes such as cleaning, heating and cooling. The
overall aim of these factors is to minimize the cost of producing new and existing
packaging without compromising the product. However, at the Edmonton factory was
struggling to meet with this level of stewardship at present.
The Times 100, (2010) states that ” taking action on the conviction that education is the
key to changing behaviours and attitudes, Coca-Cola supports a large number of litter
prevention organisations around the world, such as the Tidy Britain Group and Coca-
Cola Great Britain receive the Group’s top award in 1992 in recognition of over 20 years
of support”. 
Criticisms of Coca-Cola
In 1999, Coca-cola released Dasani bottled water onto the shelves, which ended up
turning into a disaster for Coca-cola and as a result was taken off the shelves. There
were speculations over the quality of the water and that Coca-cola had simply filled
each bottle with purified tap water. It has been stated by BBC news (2004) that the water
is that of the mains supply from Coca-cola’s plant in Kent. This bad press put Coca-
Cola’s brand into a bad light and raised questions over the quality provided to
consumers
As stated in their CSR, Coca-cola takes its environmental policy very seriously in the UK,
however, it could be considered that the company is exploiting developing countries,
taking advantage of their lack of laws and regulations and corrupt governments. The
Guardian (2006) reported that Coca-cola had been accused of “polluting a lagoon in
Africa, by pumping untreated waste into the water and killing fish”. Despite Coca-Cola’s
clear statement in their CSR that they look to help steward the environment, they are
failing to show that they can maintain environmental quality standards outside of the
UK and other developed countries, which can as a result reduce consumer’s trust in the
company.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of this report, it seems that Coca-Cola has an efficient and
productive quality management system. However, some recommendations can be made
which Coca Cola could consider in both the short and long term. The Coca-Cola
Company has high uncertainty about the usage of raw materials, which is used to create
their products. This may not be an issue at present but with raw material supplies
becoming increasingly scarce there could be pressure to use more recyclable materials.
The company faces criticism of health and safety and packaging obligations, which can
affect the social image of the company. Therefore, the use of continuous improvement
is significant concept within the quality management system and the business should
look to find the most recyclable packaging available. Although this could help reduce
their carbon footprint, different materials may affect the quality of products and the cost
of production. This is something that would need to be considered by the company.
This may not be the best option financially in the short term but could boost social
image in the long term.
Conclusion
The educational visit to Coca Cola Enterprises and the research conducted via other
sources suggest that the company has a very efficient and productive quality
management system. The global presence that Coca Cola has means that its quality
system needs to maintain a high level of consistent products which meets the standards
expected by its consumers worldwide. Research shows that the system in place enables
Coca Cola to measure all parts of the production process with large success. This is
reflected in the Company’s Global Product Quality Index rating which has consistently
reached 94%. The effectiveness of this system allows for the organisation to profit by
creating various distribution centres all over the world, applying the same quality
principles. Without this quality system in place, Coca Cola may have found it tougher to
penetrate international locations. One important aspect to Coca Cola is their brand
image and this quality system does its best to promote this image providing checks
throughout the production process. Other ways in which Coca Cola tries to increase its
social standing is by adopting sustainable approaches to environmental initiatives.
⁸These factors are important to maintaining quality in the design and development of
new products, packaging, production processes and factory facilities. The water
stewardship scheme is an example of this.
However, the recommendations suggested provide Coca Cola with some areas to
consider. Environmental and social factors which are likely to influence the quality
system are the most important recommendations. Continuous improvement throughout
the organisation could offer some ideas about these issues which could maintain or
improve upon the current product quality index rating. Nonetheless the current system
in place seems to be extremely effective and allows Coca Cola to distribute its products
on a global scale producing consistently high products with rare cases of defection. It is
clear that the system has gone through various transformations that have improved the
way in which quality is managed and without these changes, customer demand would
struggle to be achieved.Government regulations
Our drinks must comply with the health and safety regulations of each country or region
where they are sold. In the European Union (EU), for example, The European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) is the keystone of risk assessment regarding food safety. In close
collaboration with national authorities and in open consultation with its stakeholders,
EFSA provides independent scientific advice and clear communication on existing and
emerging risks. Many other countries throughout the worldhave similar regulatory
agencies and frameworks for ensuring food and drinks and their ingredients are safe,
such as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK. Because such extensive regulatory
systems govern the use of substances in food and beverages, many government
agencies and the great majority of scientists consider food additives to be one of the
safest parts of the food supply.

Competitor
Direct competitors – Other soft drinks and energy drinks

1) Pepsi

Without a doubt one of the strongest coca cola competitors is Pepsi. One of the reasons
these brands fight tooth and nail is because both of them are very strong in
their distribution and have excellent marketing and sales policies. As a result, you will find
that the maximum market share is of these 2 brands – be it any country.

2) Red Bull
Red Bull gives you wings, quite literally!! Red Bull is one of the strongest growing energy
drink/sports drink and is amongst the strongest direct coca cola competitors in terms of
brand valuation. The popularity of Red Bull is because of a wide adoption in the pub culture
where Red Bull can be mixed in various drinks. Its taste is stronger and loved by Red Bull
drinkers.

Red Bull is another brand which is known for its strong distribution channel. It was one of
the first entrants to popularize energy drinks to such a massive audience (Gatorade is
targeted towards sports whereas Red bull is targeted towards the masses). Interestingly,
amongst the top 6 direct competitors of Coca-cola, Red bull is the only one not
manufactured by Coca-cola or Pepsi. It is owned by an Australian company Red Bull GmbH
3) Diet Coke / Diet Pepsi

The diet soft drink market is fast rising, especially with at least a 1000 videos and blog
articles bombarding people about the sugar content in traditional soft drinks such as Coca-
Cola and Pepsi. As a result, Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi both are being replaced and being
consumed instead of regular coke and Pepsi.

If we had to rank further, Diet coke will rank much higher then Diet Pepsi in terms of  market
penetration and in terms of Brand valuation as well.
4) Fanta

Again a sub-brand of the Coca-Cola company and one of the most widely loved fruit-
flavored carbonated drink. If you want a break from cola’s which are black colored, you
would do well with the various tastes of Fanta. In fact, Fanta has close to 100 flavors being
used across various countries.

Fanta is also known for a differentiated marketing message in each of the countries which it
operates in. But the target message is always towards “freshness”
5) Sprite

Sprite originally started as a competitor to 7 up but it has ended up being a large market

share holder of soft drinks market and although it is from the house of Coca-Cola, it is one
of the strong coca cola competitors in the market. Sprite’s clear formula has helped the
brand amass an excellent fan following and it has captured the market which previously
belonged to Limca or 7 Up.

There are at least 20 variations of sprite and the soft drink is a hit with the teenagers. Sprite
majorly targets the youth and talks of being a brand with a no bullshit – clear message. This
is obviously a pun because Sprite is a soft drink which is clear in color and is transparent in
nature. It is the 5th strongest direct coca cola, competitor

6) Gatorade

Gatorade uses Science to come up with its various formulae and targets mainly sports and
athletes for its drink. It has various nutrients, each of which can be applied to different
sports activities – such as drinking before the game, drinking within the game or drinking
after it. Calories, proteins, and various nutritional value facts are included in the packaging
of the product so that the athlete has a complete knowledge of what he is drinking.
Gatorade is the 6th highest ranked brand in the soft drink market and hence is a competitor
for coca cola especially in the calorie conscious and energy desiring sports market. If you
want to be lean and fit, it is much more likely that you will opt for Gatorade instead of
something like Coke or Pepsi

7) Dr Pepper (Dr Pepper Snapple)

The 7th coca cola competitor is another one in this list which is not from the house of Coca-
Cola or Pepsi. Dr Pepper Snapple Group has a combination of some well-known brands
such as 7 up and RC Cola. Amongst these, the flagship product which is the strongest coca
cola competitor is Dr Pepper itself.

Dr Pepper comes in various flavors and in fact, is known and loved for its unique taste. The
brand is distributed in many countries but has a major market penetration in the US, from
where it derives its brand valuation. It is also known for its smart marketing and use of
slogans, due to which it has survived and thrived for long against the likes of Coca-cola and
Pepsi.
8) Mountain dew

Home » Competitors » 11 Top Coca cola competitors – Competitor analysis of Coca cola

11 Top Coca cola competitors – Competitor analysis of Coca

cola
February 3, 2020 By Hitesh Bhasin Tagged With: Competitors

Coca-cola is one of the most respected brands in the world and it has long warded off the
competition with the use of a strong distribution strategy and equally strong marketing messages.
Coca-cola has over a period of time used positive marketing to the best of its advantage and has
rarely been involved in negative marketing (which Pepsi does frequently).

In this article, We will be considering Coca-cola as an individual drink and not considering Coca-

cola as a brand which has many sub-brands and products under it.  The ranking is mainly on the
basis of brand valuation of the individual brands.

Table of Contents
So which are the Top Coca-Cola competitors? Let’s find out

Direct competitors – Other soft drinks and energy drinks

1) Pepsi

Without a doubt one of the strongest coca cola competitors is Pepsi. One of the reasons these
brands fight tooth and nail is because both of them are very strong in their distribution and have
excellent marketing and sales policies. As a result, you will find that the maximum market share is of
these 2 brands – be it any country.

We love the rivalry between Coke and Pepsi so much, that we wrote an article on the top ads
showing the rivalry between Coke and Pepsi
2) Red Bull

Red Bull gives you wings, quite literally!! Red Bull is one of the strongest growing energy
drink/sports drink and is amongst the strongest direct coca cola competitors in terms of brand
valuation. The popularity of Red Bull is because of a wide adoption in the pub culture where Red
Bull can be mixed in various drinks. Its taste is stronger and loved by Red Bull drinkers.

Red Bull is another brand which is known for its strong distribution channel. It was one of the first
entrants to popularize energy drinks to such a massive audience (Gatorade is targeted towards
sports whereas Red bull is targeted towards the masses). Interestingly, amongst the top 6 direct
competitors of Coca-cola, Red bull is the only one not manufactured by Coca-cola or Pepsi. It is
owned by an Australian company Red Bull GmbH.
3) Diet Coke / Diet Pepsi

The diet soft drink market is fast rising, especially with at least a 1000 videos and blog articles
bombarding people about the sugar content in traditional soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
As a result, Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi both are being replaced and being consumed instead of
regular coke and Pepsi.

If we had to rank further, Diet coke will rank much higher then Diet Pepsi in terms of market
penetration and in terms of Brand valuation as well.
4) Fanta

Again a sub-brand of the Coca-Cola company and one of the most widely loved fruit-flavored
carbonated drink. If you want a break from cola’s which are black colored, you would do well with
the various tastes of Fanta. In fact, Fanta has close to 100 flavors being used across various
countries.

Fanta is also known for a differentiated marketing message in each of the countries which it
operates in. But the target message is always towards “freshness”
5) Sprite

Sprite originally started as a competitor to 7 up but it has ended up being a large market share
holder of soft drinks market and although it is from the house of Coca-Cola, it is one of the strong
coca cola competitors in the market. Sprite’s clear formula has helped the brand amass an excellent
fan following and it has captured the market which previously belonged to Limca or 7 Up.

There are at least 20 variations of sprite and the soft drink is a hit with the teenagers. Sprite majorly
targets the youth and talks of being a brand with a no bullshit – clear message. This is obviously a
pun because Sprite is a soft drink which is clear in color and is transparent in nature. It is the
5th strongest direct coca cola, competitor
6) Gatorade

Gatorade uses Science to come up with its various formulae and targets mainly sports and athletes
for its drink. It has various nutrients, each of which can be applied to different sports activities –
such as drinking before the game, drinking within the game or drinking after it. Calories, proteins,
and various nutritional value facts are included in the packaging of the product so that the athlete
has a complete knowledge of what he is drinking.

Gatorade is the 6th highest ranked brand in the soft drink market and hence is a competitor for coca
cola especially in the calorie conscious and energy desiring sports market. If you want to be lean
and fit, it is much more likely that you will opt for Gatorade instead of something like Coke or Pepsi.
7) Dr Pepper (Dr Pepper Snapple)

The 7th coca cola competitor is another one in this list which is not from the house of Coca-Cola or
Pepsi. Dr Pepper Snapple Group has a combination of some well-known brands such as 7 up and RC
Cola. Amongst these, the flagship product which is the strongest coca cola competitor is Dr Pepper
itself.

Dr Pepper comes in various flavors and in fact, is known and loved for its unique taste. The brand is
distributed in many countries but has a major market penetration in the US, from where it derives its
brand valuation. It is also known for its smart marketing and use of slogans, due to which it has
survived and thrived for long against the likes of Coca-cola and Pepsi.
8) Mountain dew

Mountain dew is a clear carbonated drink from the house of Pepsico. Mountain dew is known for its
clear beverage worldwide but it also has a lineup known as Kickstart.

Between mountain dew and kickstart, the brand has 40 flavors in the market, all of them lined up
for competition against the standard colas. Mountain dew lags behind Sprite because of the
massive distribution advantage which sprite has being from the house of coca cola

There are many other direct competitors of coca cola and the list is endless. There are
many regional players as well. However, besides the direct coca cola competitors, we would
also like to include 3 indirect and equally strong coca cola competitors. They are as follows
Indirect coca cola competitors.

9) Lipton

Most prominently known for its green tea and various flavors of tea, Lipton is the number
one competitor for coca cola brand especially in tea drinking nations like UK, India, China,
and others. As people are getting more health conscious, they are turning towards the tea
providers which are brands such as Lipton. Lipton has its own café’s as well to fulfill
the demand of its target markets.
10) Nescafe

Some people love tea and others love Coffee. The USA itself is a major coffee drinking
nation and so are many others. And in Coffee, the one brand which has the top mindshare
is Nescafe. Nescafe is without a doubt a very strong coca cola competitor because of its
superb taste and fantastic distribution.

Nescafe is a product from the brand Nestle. Nestle is known for various brands like Maggi,
cerelac, various breakfast cereals and whatnot. As a result, Nescafe has a distribution setup
which is even larger then Coca-cola because of the simple reason that Nescafe is also sold
in medical shops besides being sold in groceries or other markets.
11) Tropicana

Would you like to replace your carbonated beverage with Juice so that you can be healthier
and have a drink which is far less in sugar and has a lot of natural elements to  boost your
immune system? I am sure you would prefer one above the other. This is what is happening
in the market and hence Tropicana’s range of natural juices is strong rising as a go-to drink
for people who don’t want caffeinated or carbonated beverages.

Although preservatives are used in Tropicana as well, the marketing has been done
beautifully and many of their drinks actually taste like the fruit they stand for. In fact, this
author favorite beverage is the mixed fruit drink from Tropicana. Because it is unique and
has such a large flavor base, Tropicana is one of the strongest indirect coca cola
competitors in the market.
Some random questions asked

Q. Does the sugar in Coca–Cola cause obesity and diabetes?

A. The cornerstone of good nutrition and dietary habits is

balance, variety and moderation. That is why we subscribe
to the nutrition principle that all foods and beverages can
have a place in a sensible, balanced diet when combined
with regular physical activity.
There is widespread consensus that weight gain is primarily
the result of an imbalance of energy – specifically too many
calories consumed versus expended. People consume many
different foods and beverages, so no one single food or
beverage alone is responsible for people being overweight
or obese. But all calories count, whatever food or beverage
they come from, including those from our caloric beverages.
Once consumed, sugar is broken down into glucose
and fructose molecules before being absorbed into the
bloodstream. After being absorbed, the body has no way
of knowing whether a molecule of fructose and glucose
came from sucrose, honey or fruit. Therefore it is the amount
of sugar consumed in any single food or beverage that
contributes to a person’s total energy intake.

Q. Can drinking Diet Coke/Light Coke/Zero make me gain weight?

A. No. Drinking beverages sweetened with low and no-calorie sweeteners will not stimulate your
appetite or make you gain weight. Research has shown that foods and beverages containing low and no-
calorie sweeteners can help you manage your calorie intake and, if used consistently to reduce calories,
can help you manage your weigh

Q. What is Coca-Cola’s policy on nutrition labeling?

A. The Coca-Cola Company is committed to providing factual,

meaningful and understandable nutrition information about

all our products. We believe in the importance and power

of informed choice and continue to support fact-based

nutrition labeling, education and initiatives that encourage

people to live active, healthy lifestyles. As a result of industry

self-regulation announced in 2007, our products in Europe

now carry Guideline Daily Amounts helping consumers

understand the exact contribution of a specific drink to their

daily intake of energy (calories) and sugars. In 2009, we

became the first company in the beverage industry to make

front-of-package energy labeling (as calories, kilocalories or

kilojoules) a global commitment for nearly all of our products

by the end of 2011

Q. Can sparkling beverages cause kidney disease

or kidney stones?

A. Sparkling beverages do not cause kidney disease or kidney

stones. It is not known what causes a kidney stone to form

or why some people develop them and others do not.

Drinking plenty of water and other fluids is recommended

as a simple and most important way to help prevent the

formation of kidney stones. For certain types of kidney stones

and for specific stages of chronic kidney disease, some

health authorities may recommend that people with these

conditions avoid cola-type sparkling beverages or “dark

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