Coca-Cola looking to expand portfolio, plans to launch frozen desserts in India

Owing to the radical shift in consumer preference towards healthier food and drinks, Coca-Cola is looking forward to expanding its portfolio beyond carbonated drinks and venture into fruit-based drinks or other healthier choices.

Going forward, the US based company is planning to introduce frozen desserts in the Indian market.

"The new product will be available in the next three months, and initially sell in institutional formats such as movie theatres, and not as retail packs," two officials aware of the launch told ET. "The company will also put fruit chunks in Maaza and Minute Maid to make the drinks healthier."

The new product range would be made with fruit chunks and will be sold under the Minute Maid brand. It would be placed under direct competition with Hindustan Unilever and Amul, to compete for major share in the Rs 10,000 crore ice-cream industry.

The company's new chief T Krishnakumar has announced that it will be investing Rs 11,000 crore in creating an ecosystem focused on agriculture, which will help it introduce new and innovative products in the fruit-based categories in the coming five years.

"We are committed to creating a 'Virtuous Circular Economy' for sustainable agriculture and provide a forward linkage to the Indian farmer. This can be broadly put under four major initiatives - adding juice to our sparkling portfolio, enhancing local fruit variants within our existing juice portfolio, launching a new range of products, and exporting Indian fruits to our global systems," said Ishteyaque Amjad, VP (Public Affairs & Communications, Indian and South West Asia) at Coca-Cola.

(Image source The Nigerian Voice)