Coca-Cola expects more brands to join billion-dollar club, says its COO Henrique Braun
Global beverages major The Coca-Cola company expects more brands to join the billion-dollar club from markets including India, said its EVP and Chief Operating Officer, Henrique Braun, on Thursday.
The Coca-Cola Company has 3 billion-dollar brands from the India market - ThumsUp, Maaza and Sprite, which shows the "vibrance" of the business here, he said.
"We have today 30 billion-dollar brands (globally) of which 15 were built organically and 15 we acquired and built into billion-dollar brands over the years," Braun said.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Knee pain prices might surprise you
Knee pain | search ads
Find Now
Undo
He expects that more brands from India will also join the billion-dollar club in future and the company will take the lesson learned here to its other global markets.
According to industry insiders, Coke is also expected to join the billion-dollar brand club in the Indian market soon."I have no doubt that we will have another one coming in the future because we believe in the vibrance of the country and the industry."
Live Events
About the India market, Braun said it is still a developing country for the beverages industry, hence an opportunity to grow here.
When asked whether he expects India to climb in its global rankings, Braun said it all depends on several factors, which include growth from other markets in the challenging geo-political situation.
"India is very important. It's our fifth growth market in terms of volume. And we are building, we believe that we're building the right foundations to have sustainable growth for the future.
The company, which has seven out of top ten brands in the India beverage market, will continue to develop more brands here.
About the current demand situation in India, Braun said:" We continue to see resilience in the demand. It's never a straight line, but if you compare year on year, in a bigger time frame, it continues to be resilient. There might be variations, but it's a market with growing demand."
When asked about introduction of more global brands to Coca-Cola's India portfolio, he said it depends on the sequencing of the right stage of the development of the market.
India is one of the markets where carbonated beverages are taxed the highest. It attracts GST of 28 per cent along with a cess of 12 per cent.
When asked whether the government should reduce the tax burdens for the growth of the category, Braun said: "We have learned in 139 years that we have to deal with the local framework. We focus more on what we can control."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
14 minutes ago
- Hans India
Indian economy poised to remain fastest-growing one in FY26: SBI report
The Indian economy is poised to remain the fastest-growing major economy in FY26 by leveraging its sound macroeconomic fundamentals, robust financial sector and commitment towards sustainable growth, according to a State Bank of India (SBI) report. With higher anticipated saving based on latest RBI annual report, the domestic finances will be sufficient to finance the anticipated growth and 'we do not expect demand induced pressure on prices in FY26,' said Dr Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Adviser, SBI. The downside to growth emanate from external and geopolitical factors, Ghosh added. From the expenditure side, the GDP growth of 7.4 per cent in Q4 was supported by strong uptick in the capital formation which registered a 9.4 per cent annual growth. The recovery in capital formation was on account of revival in core sector in Q4 as evident from high frequency indicators. The overall growth in capital formation for FY25 now stands 7.1 per cent. India's economy grew by 7.4 per cent in Q4 FY25 as against 8.4 per cent growth in same quarter last fiscal. Riding on Q4 numbers, the annual FY25 growth is estimated at 6.5 per cent. Almost all sectors exhibited better growth numbers in Q4 FY25. While industry grew by 6.5 per cent, the services sector grew by 7.3 per cent in Q4. Within industry during Q4, construction sector grew by whopping 10.8 per cent (6-quarters high) and manufacturing sector increased by 4.8 per cent. The private consumption maintained its health run in Q4 although there was sequential slow rate of growth in Q4. Overall, the private consumption registered a growth of 7.2 per cent for FY25. The export demand was healthy for whole year, registering a growth of 6.3 per cent, while the imports contracted for the whole year by 3.7 per cent. According to the SBI report, this growth was front-loaded because of export push amidst US tariffs uncertainty. The highest contraction in imports happened in Q4 at 12.7 per cent was another factor in pulling the overall GDP growth to 7.2 per cent in Q4.
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Indian-American Congressman criticises Trump administration's freeze on student visa interviews
Live Events Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has criticized the Trump administration 's decision to freeze student visa interviews and consider strict social media screening for international students . He called it a "reckless decision" that could damage the country's economy and national security, as per a report by The Times of also said that shutting international students out is a "strategic blunder" that weakens US global competitiveness. "I strongly oppose the Trump Administration's reckless decision to freeze new student visa interviews and consider sweeping, undefined social media vetting for international students. International students help drive cutting-edge research, fuel our universities, and build the industries of tomorrow," said Krishnamoorthi to TOI."These young people are not only scholars and innovators—they are vital to America's economic strength and national security. By developing the next generation of technologies and the good-paying jobs that come with them, they help ensure the United States remains a global leader," he remarks came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered embassies and consulates to stop scheduling new visa interviews for student applicants. The Trump administration is also considering requiring students to undergo expanded vetting of their social media activity.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)In a separate move, Trump suggested that Harvard University should cap the number of foreign students it admits at 15 percent. He claimed that the current figure, around 31 percent, includes students from "very radicalised" regions.(With inputs from TOI)
Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
India Air Chief's comments on delays in major defence projects call for introspection on issues plaguing manufacturing
Speaking on May 29 at the CII's Annual Business Summit in his first public interaction post-Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh made several pertinent points about the Indian defence industry. Pointing at perennial delays in every major defence project, he questioned why those involved in developing military hardware, particularly fighter jets, 'promise something which can't be achieved'. Admitting that, although the Indian Air Force (IAF) had been reliant on imported aerial platforms, 'atmanirbharta' was now an imperative. Pointing at the cruciality of air power in contemporary warfare and expeditionary missions, he called upon the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the private sector to take up the challenge. Quoting Winston Churchill, he asked the private sector '…to do a very special thing…(in what could be) their finest hour', invest at least 10 per cent of earnings in R&D, start designing and developing in India, and importantly, honour the contractual commitments given to the Armed Forces. There are a number of reasons why we have lagged in fielding hi-tech weapon systems. First, modern fighter aircraft are complex platforms and require seamless integration and smooth, synergistic functioning of a number of high-performance, cutting-edge technologies. These include incredibly efficient, strong, lightweight, modern jet engines capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, giving high power, great speed, as well as manoeuvrability. This requires advanced metallurgy (including single crystal technology, which just a few nations possess) and tight advanced manufacturing processes. The aircraft must also incorporate 'stealth' to some extent or the other, meaning it should present as small a radar cross-section as possible. This is achieved through an intricate blend of various materials, shapes, and radar-absorbing technologies. The airframe must be strong, manoeuvrable, yet stable. Its avionics, computing, navigation and flight control systems must maximise assistance to the pilot in his mission, while the systems on board should be fully integrated with the various weapons (missiles, guns, guided bombs, etc) for precision delivery. Thereafter, the entire platform must perform flawlessly in an environment replete with radars and anti-aircraft weapons of diverse types. In sum, the complexity of a modern fighter aircraft cannot be overstated, and its indigenous production is directly contingent not only on the availability of cutting-edge/emergent technologies but also on an advanced military-industrial complex. There are four requisites for developing and/or obtaining cutting-edge, future-ready technologies. First, obtain technology through transfer. No original equipment manufacturer/country will transfer technology in which it invested decades of R&D efforts and tons of money to rectify flaws and to finally derive that refined, efficient military platform unless paid huge offsetting amounts. Yet, rather than start R&D from scratch, some cutting-edge technologies should be bought, imbibed and assimilated internally, and then utilised as a threshold point from where to take off. Second, institutions of higher education that produce innovation as well as cerebral, highly-skilled alumni. For this, these institutions should be liberal and free-thinking, not weighed down by political/religious ideologies, and staffed with good faculty. Speaking at the Delhi School of Economics' Diamond Jubilee in August 2014, Gita Gopinath, First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, had, inter alia, advised that India's education system must be revamped. Yet, the NEP notwithstanding, our education system and curriculum remain archaic. The National Employability Report Engineers Annual Report 2019 stated that a large percentage of engineers did not possess enough skills to work in IT companies. The government's Economic Survey 2024 opines that only 51.25 per cent of India's graduates are deemed employable, pointing at a wide chasm in skills required for the 21st century. Third, provide adequate R&D funding. In 2023, the US spent approximately $784 billion on R&D, China $723 billion, Japan $184 billion, Germany $132 billion, the UK $88 billion, and India $71 billion. Companies like Huawei of China and Apple of US spend billions of dollars on research. In contrast, most Indian industries, operating on thin margins, are faced with a Hobson's choice of maximising profits, expanding into new fields or investing in R&D. They thus need credible R&D funding from the government. Fourth, an advanced, civil-military industrial base. While India has many islands of tech-industrial excellence, for indigenous production of a system as complex as a fighter aircraft, the derived innovations/technologies need to be further developed and then coalesced within an advanced military-industrial base comprising many disciplines with technological cross-overs within those industries. China's state-supported civil-military integration model merits a study in this regard. The critical role of educational institutions, R&D funding and an advanced industrial base in the development of emergent/future-ready technologies is evident from just two reports. One, the 2021 report by the Office of the US Under Secretary of Defence entitled 'A 21st Century Defence Industrial Strategy for America'. This outlines how the US's edge in innovation and manufacturing has declined since the end of the Cold War on account of decreasing innovation, a decline in educational institutions, a paucity of skilled workers, low R&D investments in high-tech, etc. This tends to validate the claim made to the South China Morning Post in October 2024 by Lu Yongxiang, former vice-chairman of the National People's Congress, former president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of expert advisory board for 'Made in China 2025', that China will overtake the US in hi-tech and advanced military manufacturing within a decade as 'overall, the decline of the US manufacturing industry ….become an irreversible trend.' The second is the July 2023 National Security Scorecard by commercial data company Govini. It evaluated 12 technologies critical to national security and found that in all 12, 'the USA is falling behind China in the core science.' Another reason is that militaries, being large, complex organisations and required to function in high-stakes environments with order, efficiency, and coordination, are often very bureaucratic. This stifles innovation and change by promoting a culture of conformity while emphasising adherence to established norms. General Mark Milley, former Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Eric Schmidt, chairman Special Competitive Studies Project, outline in Foreign Affairs (September/October 2024) 'America isn't Ready for Wars of the Future' because it persists with legacy structures, platforms and doctrines, but has yet to incorporate autonomous weapons, military AI, drones, etc. Nearer home, the US began using armed drones (for example, the Predator, Reaper) from 2002 onwards to kill militants/terrorists in Pakistan's west — yet, it took nearly 18 years, that is, the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan war, for us to truly appreciate and situate the role of UCAVs in modern warfare. While DRDO picks up some of the best technical brains from India's universities, merely knowing science doesn't automatically translate into advanced, military sub-systems/systems. To truly understand, develop and manufacture such systems, the DRDO also needs scientifically-qualified military personnel with immense combat experience. In contrast, the Indian Navy's in-house WESEE (Weapons & Electronic Systems Engineering Establishment) has achieved far greater technological success and self-reliance. Perhaps, the IAF too needs to look at a WESEE kind of set-up which cooperates comprehensively with the private sector. Presently, the IAF operates 31 combat squadrons against an authorised strength of 42 squadrons, with the 36 4.5-generation Rafale being the most advanced combat jets in its inventory. The air power deficit stands aggravated by an ageing fleet and delays in key indigenous projects, particularly the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-2, at a time when China already has two variants of fifth-generation fighters in service and is trialling two new sixth-generation fighters, and Pakistan is fast-tracking acquisition of 40 Chinese J-35 stealth fighters. Speaking at the same event as the Air Chief, the DRDO chief Samir Kamat stated that the first prototype of India's indigenous, fifth-generation AMCA will be rolled out by late 2029, with five out by 2031. The words of the Air Chief, therefore, merit attention. It remains to be seen how we refine our education system, inspire innovation, and develop a military-industrial base with coherent manufacturing strategies that function under an empowered bureaucracy with de facto policymaking capabilities, but bereft of political meddling. The writer is a retired Brigadier from the Indian Army
