The success of the brand follows the firms’ three-year USD$2bn investment plan in China.
Mike Hughes, analyst at Datamonitor told BeverageDaily.com said that in the future the importance of established western markets and developing economies will become increasingly blurred for Coca-Cola.
“While the brand is said to offer a unique sensory experience, there is nothing in its product formulation that suggests that the brand caters specifically to consumer taste buds in the Far East,” said Hughes.
Widely available
He said the success is likely to be due to a premium, western brand becoming more widely available in cities with these regions seeing a significant relocation of younger consumers from rural to urban areas.
“These younger consumers are increasingly looking for premium brands that suggest good taste and sophistication, and Minute Maid Pulpy has managed to successfully capitalize on this trend,” he said.
“Major FMCG manufacturers will increasingly look to launch more products exclusively in developing and emerging markets, where a younger consumer base demonstrates demand for these brands, especially if there is a lack of alternative western brands competing in the market,” Hughes added.
Juice drink Minute Maid Pulpy joins Minute Maid and Simply beverages as the third billion dollar brand within the company's juice and juice drink portfolio.
The Coca-Cola Company now has 14 USD$1bn brands in its portfolio, with the addition of Minute Maid Pulpy.
Joseph Tripodi, chief marketing and commercial leadership officer of The Coca-Cola Company said, "The development in China of the Pulpy brand, one that is now growing share in many other markets, is a testament to the ability of our system to rapidly scale innovation from any part of the world."
Minute Maid Pulpy was launched nationally in China in 2005, and is now available in 18 markets across three continents including Indonesia, Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand and India.
The company said the brand is poised for further global expansion in 2011.