Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Backs Philippine Micro-Retailer Recovery Push
Coca-Cola pledged 157 million pesos to help sari-sari stores across the Philippines, some 15,000 of them, get back on their feet through a program called ReSTART, run jointly with the country's trade department. Vendors taking part receive cash aid, digital training and retail guidance, while Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines eases credit terms for distributors and, alongside a disaster-relief charity, gives starter inventory packs to 400 store owners. A separate initiative, run with labor officials and training body TESDA, offers business coaching and wholesale rights to repatriated overseas workers.
Coca-Cola Plans Fall Test Of Prebiotic Sodas
Coca-Cola intends to trial a prebiotic soda line built on its best-known flavors this fall, extending Coca-Cola Zero into the prebiotic category. “We really want to see if consumers want this product offering from us,” said Stacy Jackson, a company vice president. Jackson added that the company must accept some “courageous” moves don’t work, but that Coca-Cola has “also taken really big swings that did work — Coke Zero.”
Coca-Cola India Expands Its Festive Season Activations
Coca-Cola India is broadening its festive-season push across Maharashtra and nearby Indian states, putting several brands directly in front of shoppers at pandals, on-the-go spots and housing societies. Maaza's Society Anandotsav program is engaging local communities, with winners able to meet ambassadors Riteish and Genelia. Coke On Wheels delivers chilled drinks to busy transit spots. Sprite's X Spicy Pandal Trail lets consumers collect stamps toward merchandise and a chance to win a Korea trip. Kinley water went to on-duty traffic police and Minute Maid is sampling its Apple, Mixed Fruit and Nimbu Fresh varieties at high-traffic locations.
Coca-Cola Philippines Turns To Indonesian Imports
Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines began importing finished Coke products made in Indonesia to top up local supply. CCEAP said the shipments help keep products available while most stock sold domestically stays locally made. Trade sources called it the distributor's first such move in roughly 10 years, and sugar producers said the shift could cut demand for refined sugar, a concern CCEAP rejected.
Keurig Dr Pepper
KDP Leaders Outline Strategy At Investor Conference
Keurig Dr Pepper leaders Tim Cofer and Anthony DiSilvestro laid out priorities at a September fireside chat hosted by Barclays at its Boston consumer staples conference. CEO Cofer cited continued strength in carbonated soft drinks alongside expansion into premium water, sports hydration and energy through brands including Electrolit, C4, Bloom and GHOST, plus a repositioned 7UP and roughly $6 billion in Dr Pepper retail sales. He said the direct store delivery network completed over 25 distribution deals since formation, with energy share climbing past 10% in four years. Following the JDE Peet's deal, the coffee unit is combining its US sales operations, with executives citing progress toward splitting KDP in two.
Nestle
Experts Weigh Fallout From Nestlé Russia Move
Analysts are gauging the fallout after Russia's government seized control of Nestlé's local unit by presidential decree. Nestlé said it is “assessing the situation and its options,” while a Swiss government office pushes for reversal. Future Market Insights consultant Nandini Roy Choudhury said the pattern mirrors Danone and Carlsberg, which lost roughly €1.2 billion and 7 billion kroner respectively after comparable 2023 interventions, and warned temporary control can precede a forced, discounted sale. Nestlé runs six Russian plants making pet care, infant nutrition and coffee goods, after paring activity back to “essential products” since the Ukraine invasion. Choudhury said rivals such as PepsiCo, Mondelez, Mars and Ferrero now face similar exposure.
Nestlé Joins Rivals In Paper Packaging Group
Six consumer goods companies, including Nestlé and PepsiCo, formed the PaperFlex Consortium to accelerate paper-based substitutes for flexible plastic packaging. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation brought the group together, with (RE)SET handling operations, targeting markets where flexible plastic use is heavy but recycling infrastructure is weak. Nestlé's Gilles Demaurex said the group should speed deployment at lower cost.
Nongfu Spring
Havas Malaysia Wins Nongfu Spring Social Mandate
Nongfu Spring named Havas Malaysia its agency for social and influencer work for a Malaysia market entry, focusing on RTD tea brand Cha Pai and spanning a launch campaign, a multicultural creator program aimed at young Malaysian consumers, and community management to 2027. Havas will also produce content for the company's bottled water and its unsweetened jasmine green tea, East Leaf. A prior debut came during early 2025 in Hong Kong, followed by Singapore late last year. “Malaysia is a pivotal market for Nongfu Spring's international expansion,” said regional marketing director Lynn Lai.
Other Companies
Saudi Brand Kinza Sets Sights On Southeast Asia
Kinza, a fast-growing Saudi soft-drink brand, is attending a Kuala Lumpur halal trade show to seek manufacturing and distribution partners for Malaysia and Indonesia. Made in Jeddah, the brand sells across five continents and sponsors FIBA's West Asia Super League alongside Spain's and France's national super cups. Bandar Okrin, who leads parent firm Al Jameel International, said “Our products have reached 75 markets across five continents.” Its carbonated lineup spans pomegranate, blackcurrant, citrus, orange, lemon and cola flavors, plus zero-sugar variants, energy drinks and soda water. Kinza has already begun selling in Malaysia via e-commerce and select retail channels while it searches for a local manufacturing partner.
C4 Debuts Beer-Style Nonalcoholic Energy Drink
C4 rolled out All Hopped Up, an energy drink styled after a light beer with an orange twist. In place of alcohol, each can delivers 200mg and added vitamin B12. This launch puts C4 into both the energy category and the nonalcoholic beer market as drinkers cut alcohol and favor more wellness-focused options. Sales began through TikTok Shop and an online retailer; C4's site will add the products during September.
Walovi Builds Southeast Asia Base In Singapore
Chinese beverage maker Walovi opened a Singapore headquarters and introduced its X-Hero energy electrolyte drink beyond China for the first time. Chairman Fang Dafeng said the aim is to become “the world's leading natural plant-based beverage brand.” X-Hero blends ginseng with coffee bean extract and skips synthetic taurine or caffeine. Regional exports roughly doubled year over year in the first half of this year, the company said, making it Walovi's fastest-growing market abroad. Walovi also rolled out localized can packaging on September 1 and named Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland as its worldwide ambassador.
Castel Debuts FEROX Energy Drink In Cameroon
Boissons du Cameroun, part of Castel Group, rolled out FEROX, a new energy drink sold in 50cl cans and plastic bottles. Cameroon is the opening market for the brand, with former UFC heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou named as ambassador through 2029. Rollouts in other countries in the region will follow. Gregory Clerc, the Castel Group chief executive, said the launch targets a region shaped by a young population and shifting habits. The bottler already sells the XXL brand, also produced by fellow Castel units in Congo, Katanga, Chad, Guinea and Senegal.
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