Coca-Cola plans to boost at-home consumption channels

In terms of distribution, it is 100 per cent operational for at-home channels. "Distribution away-from-home is being scaled up as and when the outlets open in various markets. The away from home channel is work-in-progress, scaling up as the away-from-home market is opening up," he said.

Beverage major Coca-Cola India is planning to boost 'at-home' consumption channels, as 'away-from-home' approach disrupted after the pandemic, a top company official said on Tuesday. However, it is optimistic about the 'away-from-home' consumption and expects this channel to bounce back to the pre-COVID level gradually, as the government lifts restrictions in phases, said Coca-Cola India and South West Asia President T Krishnakumar.

"The away-from-home’ has gone down in month of March and April and has slowly started reviving, and the resilience has heavily shifted towards at-home consumption," he said.      It will take some time to away-from-home consumption to come back, where it was, Krishnakumar added. "We are doing everything to support these customers after the market has opened up and get it back,” he said in a virtual media briefing.  Coca-Cola has also started taking some steps to help the acceleration of at-home consumption.

"We are creating some affordable versions of our products which are not new, but existing products in new packs and forms which are more affordable for consumers to pick up and take at home," Krishnakumar noted. Besides, it is also giving focus on the grocery channel as it has used this tradition trade channel quite a lot when most of the outlets were shut during the lockdown.

"So, we are really working towards ensuring that the grocery channel is not only expanded in a big way, but also activated in a big way," he said. Moreover, it is also providing marketing support to ensure access to its portfolio at more locations and systematically accelerate it.

On being asked about the production, Krishnakumar said, all 55 plants, owned by Coca-Cola, and its bottling partners are fully functional. However, on capacity utilisation, he said they are running - based on the local demand.

"All our plants are now operational so we have every plant now operational and we are running, based on the demand in that particular geographical area," he said. In terms of distribution, it is 100 per cent operational for at-home channels.

"Distribution away-from-home is being scaled up as and when the outlets open in various markets. The production is complete. At home grocery channel 100 per cent operational. The away from home channel is work-in-progress, scaling up as the away-from-home market is opening up," he said. Over expansion in other categories such as dairy, Krishnakumar said: "We are experimenting with various options. We have made some success with buttermilk. We are now trying to scale up this dairy option with a possibility".

"We would continue to keep experimenting and also find products which will work in this business." Besides, Coca-Cola on Tuesday also introduced two new products under the Minute Maid brand, looking towards consumers shifting preferences towards nutritioun and immunity-boosting products during the pandemic. It has introduced - Minute Maid Nutriforce and Minute Maid Vita Punch, which would be available for retail sales after August 15.

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