Coca-Cola is investing more than £9m in non-Coke product launches as it continues to consolidate its position in categories such as juice, sports and energy drinks.
A still juice range will join the existing Fanta portfolio, a 50% juice drink joins energy brand Relentless and sports drink Powerade gets a new orange flavour.
Fanta Still will hit shelves at the end of February in Orange Citrus, Tropical and Tropical Zero flavours. The new variants are aimed at lapsed Fanta fans who have moved into still drinks as well as teenagers, who are still very much an untapped market.
"Capri Sun targets younger drinkers and Oasis and Ribena are aimed at older consumers of still drinks," said Kieran Hemsworth, operational marketing director. "So we formulated a product mothers would like under a brand that would appeal to teens."
The launch would be supported by a £3.75m media campaign, he added.
Coke said it hoped to double the size of its two-year-old Relentless brand with innovations such as the new 50% juice drink.
It is planning to plough nearly £4m into marketing the brand over the next year, he added. The new drink tasted more natural than traditional energy drinks, Coca-Cola claimed, and should therefore grow the market by appealing to new consumers.
"Most energy drinks are consumed late in the afternoon or in the evening," said Hemsworth.
"This 50% juice drink perfectly suits mornings or people who are looking to get a boost from a drink throughout the day."
It is also hoping to boost its presence in the sports drink category by adding a mainstream orange flavour under its Powerade banner.
The company will run a £1.5m launch campaign early next year, offering consumers the chance to try the brand for free throughout February and March in order to encourage trial of the brand.
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