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Adopts '5-Pillar' growth strategy, focuses ahead on People, Planet, Portfolio, Partners & Performance ~ Coca-Cola Little Drops of Joy, communication initiative to connect with diverse stakeholders
Hyderabad, August 17, 2007- Coca-Cola India today unveiled its '5-Pillar' growth strategy to further strengthen its bonds with India. The strategy focuses on People, Planet, Portfolio, Partners and Performance. The Company announced a range of initiatives under each of the 5 pillars and also unveiled its integrated communication initiative-"Little Drops of Joy" which aims to reinforce the Company's 'connect' with stakeholders in India using a single platform.
Announcing the Company's 5 Pillar growth strategy, Atul Singh, President and CEO, Coca-Cola India, said, " It gives me great Joy to announce the 5 Pillar strategic framework which focuses on Portfolio, People, Planet, Partners and Performance. Each initiative that we are announcing today are drops of a larger vision aimed at mutual growth and development. Over the last few years, we have continuously engaged with a large number of stakeholders and have incorporated their learnings in refining our strategy for India. The integrated communication platform of "Little Drops of Joy" is a tribute to their valuable inputs and truly depicts what the Company has always stood for."
According to, Venkatesh Kini, Vice President- Marketing, Coca-Cola India "Coca-Cola in India, through its diverse portfolio, which includes both sparkling and still beverages like juice drinks, packaged water, tea and coffee, is committed towards refreshing its consumers on an everyday, all day basis. As part of the same endeavor, we are exploring opportunities to further expand our portfolio. This includes launching new beverage solutions in a wide variety of categories ranging from energy drinks, sports drinks, flavored water and juices. With most of these beverages being developed in India."
Detailing out the new communication initiative, acclaimed advertising guru & Bollywood songwriter, Prasoon Joshi, Executive Chairman & Regional Creative Director-South & South East Asia, McCann-Erickson, "Little Drops of Joy reaffirms what Coca-Cola in India has always stood for -being part of little moments of joy in the daily lives of consumers. The entire communication in a very humble and engaging manner reminds us all, that the best things in life can only be experienced. Take for instance, when you take a sip of a soft drink- it is the moment of truth, a second of satisfaction, an instant of happiness and a bubble of hope. Hence Coca-Cola in India just doesn't quench thirst; it recharges one's soul, for a moment, one drop at a time." Prasoon further added "We at Coca-Cola are not saying that we cause miracles. What is very Coca-Cola and real about it is that we don't claim to transform lives but simply envelop one moment with joy. And on hindsight - isn't life an ensemble of small moments that we cherish and hold dear?
Coca-Cola's 5 P Strategic Framework for India:
People
The Coca-Cola System to turn to India to provide global services in areas such as Engineering, Finance, Marketing & Technical R & D
Setting up Coca-Cola University in India- a global corporate university, representing a one-stop shop for all learning and capability building activities across The Coca-Cola Company to be set up in the country. The vision of the Coca-Cola University is 'to become the "Number One" global benchmark in "learning to enhance business performance" by providing experiences that equip people with practical skills and knowledge to win in the market. In India, the Coca-Cola University will stretch across the traditional boundaries of building employee capability and also work on building capability for the company bottlers and key customers. The entire initiative has been designed to contribute to the economic opportunity in the country.
Coca-Cola to set up an equipment testing facility at Hyderabad. This facility being set up, will test and certify coolers to ensure that they conform to the company's stringent quality standards. The facility will test coolers from India and also from Asia pacific region.
Planet
Coca-Cola in India to reach zero water balance with respect to ground water usage by 2009- The Company continues to find efficiencies in all areas through an approach to water management that involves reducing, reusing, recycling, and recharging (4R program). Some examples include:
In 2006, the Coca-Cola system in India saved more than 100,000 kilolitres (0.1 MCM) of water through its water conservation efforts i.e. - the first 3R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Over the last seven years, Coca-Cola has improved its water use efficiency by more than 30% in its operations in India. It is the direct result of large investments in the efficiency of company operations.
On the Recharge front i.e. (the 4th R) at both the plant level and the community level, the company has installed over 300 rainwater harvesting structures spread across 17 states, including locations at schools and farms. Plan is to have 320 rainwater harvesting systems operational in India this year. During the year 2006, the Company added RWH potential of 0.5 MCM, taking the overall design RWH potential to more than 2 MCM in 2006.
Provide Drinking water solutions in 1000 schools by 2010- Coca-Cola India has partnered with Rotary International to launch the path-breaking Elixir of Life project in Chennai, covering nearly 30,000 students in the first phase to provide potable water to underprivileged children.
Commission Study on 10 watersheds by 2009 and implement interventions accordingly
The Coca-Cola Foundation partnered with CII and ICRISAT on two watershed projects in five villages in Dungarpur, Rajasthan and two villages in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu in order to improve rural livelihoods and contribute to poverty alleviation.
Portfolio
Coca-Cola in India is exploring a wide variety of beverage opportunities like energy drinks, sports drinks, flavored water and juices.
The company is planning to further expand its portfolio in the country in due course of time, most of which would be developed in India. The launch of bolder tasting Fanta in South India is a prime example of the same strategy.
The second example being the phased launch of Minute Maid Pulpy Orange, a refreshing juice drink with natural orange pulp. The orange juice drink has already been launched in South India (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka) followed by its launch in select markets in North (Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh). The company is now planning to "nationally" launch the juice drink, best explained by its tagline- "Refreshingly Orange, Surprisingly Pulpy".
Partners
Coca-Cola to set up Retail University to train Indian retailers to compete in the fast changing retail environment- With the changing face of the retail trade in India, the objective of setting up the Coca-Cola Retail University would be to expose the Indian retailers including their staff, sales team and distributors of Coca-Cola to the global best practices. This would include training them with the right techniques, tools and knowledge to operate in the new retail environment.
Performance
Coca-Cola system in India has invested over US$ 1.2 billion.
As part of its commitment, Coca-Cola in India has already announced an investment of US$ 250 million over the next 3 years. These investments would enable the Coca-Cola system to create bottling capacities for new product offerings, execute marketing strategies, devise innovation distribution models to meet consumer demand and also ensure value creation for all its business partners. This exercise will also result in the creation of new jobs for the entire value chain.
In India, unit case volume increased 12 % in the second quarter of 2007, cycling a decline of 12 % in the same quarter of the previous year. Continued investments in building organizational capabilities and focus on improved execution by the consolidated bottling operations resulted in four consecutive quarters of solid growth backed by share gains in sparkling and still beverages.
More About Coca-Cola Little Drops of Joy
The long drawn multi-year, 360 degree communication program, conceptualized with McCann- Erickson is based on insights generated through extensive research and is designed to connect with various stakeholders. The initiative leverages both above & below the line media including the online space - www.Coca-ColaIndia.com, now refreshed in a new Little Drops of Joy look.
About Coca-Cola India: Coca-Cola India refreshes millions of consumers throughout the country with an exciting range of beverages including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Maaza, Minute Maid Pulpy Orange, Georgia, Georgia Gold, Kinley and Kinley Club Soda through a network of more than one million outlets. The company has invested more than US$ 1 billion in its Indian operations, emerging as one of the country's top international investors. In-addition the company's business operations also engages approximately 1, 50,000 people in India. For further queries please contact Perfect Relations. Reena Varghese at 9910234004
Vikas Kochhar, Coca-Cola India @ 99850 14667
Satya Pamula, Integral PR @ 2776 8854 / 772
Integral PR