Coca-Cola is planning to take the home-grown carbonated cola brand Thums Up to South Asia possibly by March 2018, before launching it globally and is hoping India to emerge as its fifth largest market soon.
Thums Up will be launched in markets like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Thums Up is a 40-year-old brand which is with the US beverage major for the past 26 years.
Coca Cola India is hoping to surpass Japan in size from the sixth position now and aiming to emerge as the third-largest market over the next few years.
Coca-Cola India is also moving ahead with a few new initiatives. The company is ramping up its existing portfolio of juices made from fruits that have been locally grown in various regions of the country. Coca-Cola India is creating a new category of ‘frozen dessert’ under the brand name ‘Minute Maid Perfect Fruit’ due to be launched this summer.