US prebiotic soda brand Poppi looks set to be launched in the UK early next year. Carlsberg Britvic, the UK arm of the brewing giant and PepsiCo’s partner in the country, has signed an exclusive deal with an undisclosed retailer and received interest from potential on-trade customers. Speaking at The Beverage Forum 2025 conference in London yesterday (7 October), Nick Hunter, head of new business at Carlsberg Britvic, said Poppi would be launched in the UK “probably in the next four months”. “We’ve got ...

Core Insights - Coca-Cola's two major operators in China, China Foods and Swire Coca-Cola, reported disappointing performances in the past year, with Swire Coca-Cola's revenue declining by 4.02% to 11.546 billion yuan and China Foods' revenue down by 9% to 11.335 billion yuan in the first half of 2024 [1] - The overall beverage market in China grew by 6.2%, but carbonated drinks are losing popularity, with a notable shift towards healthier alternatives like ready-to-drink tea and functional beverages [2][4] - The trend towards health consciousness is evident, with 68% of consumers expressing a desire to reduce sugar intake, leading to a decline in carbonated drink consumption [4][5] Industry Performance - Swire Coca-Cola's total sales in mainland China fell by 1% year-on-year, and the number of active retail outlets also decreased by 1% [2] - PepsiCo's second-quarter revenue reached $22.5 billion, with a mere 0.8% year-on-year growth, and global sales of Pepsi declined by 3%, marking the eighth consecutive quarter of sales decline [2] - The beverage industry in China saw a production increase of 7.5% in 2024, with total revenue growing by 4.8% to 534.8 billion yuan [12] Market Trends - The market share of carbonated drinks in convenience stores has dropped from 50% to 25%, replaced by various tea drinks and sugar-free beverages [4] - The sales of sugar-free Coca-Cola grew by 11% in 2022, but the market share of sugar-free soda in convenience stores has decreased from 6.25% in Q3 2022 to 4.13% in Q2 2024 [6][7] - The sugar-free beverage market is becoming saturated, with growth rates slowing down significantly from 40% (2014-2019) to an expected 12% by 2025 [6] Consumer Behavior - Consumers are increasingly scrutinizing food labels, with 46% regularly checking ingredient lists, and the preference for sugar-free options is particularly strong among younger demographics [6] - The rise of new brands in the sugar-free segment, such as Yuanqi Forest, has led to a significant market share shift away from traditional carbonated drink giants [7][10] - The popularity of new beverage categories, including functional drinks and traditional Chinese health drinks, is on the rise, with sales of Chinese herbal drinks expected to grow by over 182% in 2024 [6] Strategic Responses - Coca-Cola is attempting to pivot from being solely a carbonated drink company to a diversified beverage brand, launching products like Simply Pop, a prebiotic soda series, and expanding into tea and coffee markets [13][10] - The company is also focusing on enhancing its presence in the food service sector, with over 25,000 new sales points and nearly 600,000 refrigeration units planned for 2024 [9] - The competitive landscape is shifting, with new brands leveraging social media and e-commerce to capture market share, particularly among younger consumers [14][15]