Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Meal Deal Campaign Supports Special Olympics GB
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Co-op and Special Olympics Great Britain relaunched 'Meals That Matter' in Co-op stores through September 1. Each qualifying lunchtime meal deal with a 500ml Coca-Cola Original Taste, Zero Sugar or Diet Coke triggers a 5p donation to fund year-round programs for over 12,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities. CCEP said the partnership, which began in 2025, raised more than £200,000 for the charity so far.
Coca-Cola Expands China Portfolio With New Gut-Health Sodas
Coca-Cola is expanding its beverage portfolio in China as interest grows in gut-health products, aligning with the government's Healthy China 2030 initiative. A revamped prebiotic soft drink range now includes Coca-Cola's Prebiotic Soda, providing over 5,000mg of prebiotics per bottle and containing no sugar or calories. Sprite + Tea grew out of ideas gathered from social media and Pure Delight introduced an electrolyte soda water with a pH above 9.0. Coca-Cola also built a FIFA World Cup campaign around shared viewing occasions.
Coca-Cola Group Settles Hungarian PET Recycling Probe
Coca-Cola Group agreed to run a nationwide Hungarian campaign encouraging PET bottle recycling, closing a Hungarian Competition Authority investigation opened in 2024. Regulators examined environmental claims on Naturaqua mineral water, concluding that labeling the bottles '100 percent recyclable' could have made the product seem greener than it actually was. Coca-Cola HBC Magyarorszag, Coca-Cola Magyarorszag Szolgaltato, The Coca-Cola Company and affiliate SA Coca-Cola Services NV agreed to stop using the phrase for Naturaqua for a set period.
Danone
Danone Survey Finds Support For UK Deposit Scheme
A Danone survey found that 68% of UK shoppers expect to hand back drinks containers when grocery shopping once the country's Deposit Return Scheme takes effect next year. Just over half said they would likely spend a refunded deposit voucher in the same store visit; 61% said their opinion of a retailer improves when it offers recycling facilities. Nearly two-thirds believe a single UK-wide approach would boost recycling and 64% expect to use return points on an ongoing basis.
Nestle
Nestlé Philippines Calls For Science-Based Sugar Tax Policy
Nestlé Philippines is asking policymakers to weigh scientific data and consult affected industries before raising taxes on sugary beverages. Nutrition advocacy lead Ivy Sicat said officials should first check whether the categories being targeted actually drive most of Filipinos' sugar intake, pointing instead to low protein and fiber consumption, heavy reliance on refined carbohydrates and sedentary habits tied to digitalization as broader nutrition problems.
Other Companies
Want Want Faces Growing Pressure To Cut Sugar
Want Want China Holdings' chairman, Tsai Eng-men, described the snack and beverage maker's recent performance as a 'major operational crisis' in an internal letter that spread widely on social media. Tsai said quarterly results missed expectations and pushed staff to confront deep-seated problems, such as sluggish product development and an aging distribution network. Consumers responded online, with the hashtag 'Want Want's biggest rival turns out to be sugar' trending on Weibo. Its official 'Want Want Club' account highlighted existing reduced-sugar and no-sugar products. Want Want, founded in 1962, has been listed on the Hong Kong exchange since 2008.
Premium Segment Drives Growth In Thai Juice Market
Thailand's market for RTD fruit and vegetable juices grew 4.5% year over year for the 12 months to June 2026. Growth was concentrated in the premium tier, which holds a 38% market share and expanded 24%, while the economy, medium and concentrated segments all lost ground as lifestyles shift and shoppers pay closer attention to health. Analysts expect premium positioning and product innovation to remain the main drivers of growth ahead.
Cawston Press Acquires Premium Kombucha Brand LA Brewery
Cawston Press, known for its pressed fruit soft drinks, acquired the remaining shares of kombucha maker LA Brewery for an undisclosed sum, having first invested earlier this year. LA Brewery, founded in 2017, is marketed as an alcohol-free wine alternative and is stocked at Ocado, Booths, Amazon and The Wine Society. Cawston Press MD Steve Kearns highlights rising demand for well-made alcohol-free drinks. Last year was challenging for LA Brewery as it closed its Suffolk factory and outsourced production despite a £1 million shareholder raise. It dropped single-serve glass bottles for a can range alongside 750ml 'champagne-style' bottles.
Chinese Tea Brands Expand Overseas For Higher Prices
Chinese brands selling tea-based drinks are expanding overseas after years of domestic price wars, benefiting from a 'scarcity dividend'. Some Heytea products sell for less than CNY7 in China, while the same brand charges nearly CNY40 more per item in the US; Mixue prices lemonade in the US well above home-market prices. Over 44 brands have opened nearly 15,000 outlets abroad, and Chagee's overseas sales volume grew more than 75% for three straight quarters despite running only 345 overseas stores.
Indian Beverage Makers Bet On Protein Milk Drinks
Beverage companies in India are building protein content and other functional add-ons into milk-based drinks as health-conscious shoppers favor on-the-go products. Hindustan Unilever and Varun Beverages are among firms to introduce milk-based beverages during the past two months, with quick-commerce platforms helping newer brands and formats reach customers. Varun Beverages executive vice-chairman Varun Jaipuria told an earnings call that its dairy business is growing at more than 40%, far outpacing the rest of the company.
Joker Adds Focus Drink To Vitamin Water Range
French brand Joker expanded its Vitamin Water & Fruit lineup, adding Focus, a functional drink blending blackcurrant and elderflower, with 20% fruit content and no added sugar. It also contains vitamins C, B6, and B12. Joker links the two B vitamins, which support normal psychological function, to a concentration theme. Focus comes in 75cl supermarket bottles priced at a recommended €1.79, alongside a smaller 50cl format aimed at travelers and takeaway purchases. Citing Nielsen figures, Joker said the wider Vitamin Water & Fruit lineup, launched in 2025, is projected to hold a 30.5% volume share of its segment in 2026. Joker described the launch as part of its push to move fruit juices into the functional drinks category.
ThaiBev
ThaiBev Reports 9M Revenue Decline With EBITDA Growth
Thai Beverage posted a 1.8% drop in revenues for the nine-month period ended June 30, driven mainly by a 5.3% fall in beer sales. Non-alcoholic beverage revenue slipped 3%, blamed on a weaker product mix and border tensions with Cambodia. Overall EBITDA improved 7.2% on lower raw material costs, including in its non-alcoholic beverages segment.
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