Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola's Marketing Chief Discusses Digital Transformation
Coca-Cola's CMO, Manolo Arroyo, outlined the company's marketing transformation, which reduced agency partners from 6,000 to a consolidated model with WPP and shifted media spending from 75% traditional TV in 2019 to 70% digital in 2025. Coca-Cola's global ad spend reached $5.146 billion in 2024 and the company created Open X, a bespoke unit with nine studios globally housing over 4,000 Coca-Cola and WPP employees. Arroyo described a "modern media" approach combining consumer, retailer and creator data for ultra-segmented campaigns. The company uses AI extensively, with 85% of its 2,000 marketers regularly using ChatGPT for marketing tasks.
Coca-Cola's Costa Coffee Sale Faces Challenges
Coca-Cola's proposed sale of Costa Coffee to private equity firm TDR Capital faces potential collapse, with talks being held to salvage the deal. TDR was selected as the preferred bidder, but negotiations stalled over pricing. The deal includes Coca-Cola retaining a minority stake in the British coffee chain. Coca-Cola has been working with investment bank Lazard since August to review options for the chain it acquired in 2018 for an enterprise value of $5.1 billion. Neither Coca-Cola nor TDR provided immediate comment on the status of negotiations.
Swire Coca-Cola Building Colorado Production Facility
Swire Coca-Cola will construct a new production facility in Colorado Springs to replace its 90-year-old Denver plant. The $475 million investment, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026, will deliver a 620,000-square-foot facility to manufacture products sold under more than 60 brands, including soft drinks, teas and juices. Swire Coca-Cola's US operations generate over $3 billion in revenue and distribute products across 13 western states. The company also has franchises in Greater China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos.
Henrique Braun To Replace James Quincey As Coca-Cola CEO Next Year
Coca-Cola announced that Chief Operating Officer Henrique Braun will become CEO on March 31, 2026, succeeding James Quincey after nine years in the role. Quincey will transition to Executive Chairman. Braun has served as COO since January 2025 and previously led multiple operating units including Latin America, Brazil and Greater China. He joined Coca-Cola in 1996 and worked across supply chain, marketing and bottling operations. Braun plans to focus on growth opportunities, consumer needs and technology enablement.
Other Companies
C4 Energy Introduces Performance Shots
A global snapshot of beverage innovation highlights C4 Energy’s entry to the energy shot category with pocket-sized shots containing 200mg caffeine, CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine and zero sugar. The shots launch in three flavors and target gym-goers who prefer smaller servings, busy consumers seeking portable energy and existing shot users wanting an improved taste. Other new beverage launches include Spraga kombucha entering the UK market with four functional flavors, Keurig Coffee Collective's first branded coffee line, Hoist's Watermelon and Tropical Orange powder sticks, and Yeo's White Peach Tea in Singapore.
M-150 Launches Matcha Orange Energy Drink
Thailand's Osotspa introduced a sugar-free M-150 Matcha Orange sparkling energy drink combining matcha, naturally rich in caffeine, with citrus orange flavors. The company aims to position carbonated energy drinks as both functional beverages and refreshing drinks for broader consumer appeal, leveraging the matcha trend.
Cha Jing Brings Pu'er Tea Innovation
Thailand's General Beverage launched Cha Jing, a ready-to-drink pu'er tea line priced at 30 baht per bottle and offering two variants: Osmanthus Blossom (zero sugar) and Lemon & Kumquat. Cha Jing positions itself as a modern interpretation of traditional Chinese tea, bringing ancient tea culture into contemporary flavors, as a ready-to-drink alternative to modern Chinese-inspired tea shops growing across Southeast Asia. It highlights pu'er tea's fermentation process, which develops compounds like theabrownin and gallic acid. General Beverage markets the tea as offering weight management benefits through reduced fat absorption and improved digestion.
Loonen Launches Premium Bottled Water
Loonen debuted as a purified spring water brand packaged exclusively in glass bottles after securing $6 million in funding led by Brand Foundry Ventures. Loonen sources water from California mountain springs, transports it in stainless steel and filters it through chemical-free physical membrane filtration. The water is mineralized with trace magnesium and Celtic sea salt and is available on Amazon nationwide and in select California retailers, with broader distribution planned for 2026. Co-founders Clara Sieg and David Kimmell created the brand to address concerns about water purity and plastic contamination.
Nutrabolt Signs Up Partner For India Manufacturing
Nutrabolt signed an agreement with Nutraprep India for exclusive manufacturing and distribution of select products in India. Nutraprep will produce C4 Original Pre-Workout, XTEND Original and Cellucor COR-Performance Creatine locally. Distribution will be led by Bright Performance Nutrition, headed by Parag Bhatia. The facility uses advanced processing with over 300 quality tests covering microbiology, heavy metals, allergens and pesticides. Products include dual-QR authentication systems for consumer trust. XTEND Original launched in October 2025, with C4 Original and Cellucor Creatine expected in early 2026. Distribution will begin in major metros before expanding across India through retail and e-commerce channels.
Boost Launches Electrolyte Water Range
Boost introduced three zero-sugar waters with electrolytes at a £1 price point. The range includes Cherry, Citrus and Strawberry & Peach flavors, each containing vitamins and electrolytes. The launch targets the healthy January period with an influencer campaign aimed at 18-34 year-olds. Owner AG Barr positions the product to bridge the gap between flavored and functional water, offering benefits typically found in supplements in a ready-to-drink format.
Trip Builds Calming Beverages Category
Trip, a UK brand that evolved from CBD to broader mental wellness positioning focused on calm, is the sixth largest carbonated drinks company in Britain and the top-selling drink on TikTok. Trip's portfolio includes CBD drinks (15mg), magnesium drinks, powders and gummies. Mindful Blend, launched in 2024, contains Lion's Mane, magnesium and ashwagandha without CBD. Trip partnered with meditation app Calm and positions itself at the intersection of better-for-you beverages and alcohol reduction trends. It has 176,000 Instagram followers and is stocked in major UK retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.
More...
Copyright 2025 Business360, Inc.