Coca Cola Challenges

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Coca-Cola has faced many strategic challenges during the past decade. They face challenges like competition from PepsiCo, new consciousness about healthier lifestyles, missed opportunities and weak foreign exchange rates (Mourdoukoutas, 2013). Many accuse Coca-Cola of missing opportunities to grow and enter markets that would bring them success. One such instance is the rural Chinese market. Mourdoukoutas (2013) refers to these markets as” either too small in terms of revenue potential or too costly in terms of the operating expenses required to tap into them” and references that this is the reason that Coca-Cola has failed to capitalize on their potential. Now, that market may be lost forever since a company called Future Cola has set up …show more content…

Coca-Cola has previously been resistant to change but since public figures, like First Lady Michelle Obama, are campaigning to bring obesity and unhealthy lifestyles to the national forefront and to encourage increased consumption of water and healthier alternatives than sugary carbonated beverages, the company has been forced to reevaluate (Stewart, 2014). Consumers are looking for healthier alternatives and Coca-Cola and other beverage companies have had a hard time keeping up with and meeting those needs. According to Stewart (2014), Coca-Cola holds the largest market share of the beverage industry, with over 60% of its sales coming from the sale of soft drinks; therefore, they are obviously taking the biggest hit with all of the scrutiny and criticism. There is also the potential levy of a “fat tax”, “soda tax” or “sugar tax” in some countries which will also pose a huge challenge for Coca-Cola if implemented (Coca-Cola Co., 2013). To combat this problem, Coca-Cola is working diligently to find innovative ways to sweeten their products with healthier options. They have introduced a number of different products with reduced calorie and sugar content or with alternative sweetener content. In 2013, they began testing their most recent product in Argentina and Chile; Coca-Cola Life which is a …show more content…

Each of the two companies was fighting to have the biggest market share of the beverage industry and to be the consumers drink of choice. The competition has waxed and waned throughout the years; heating up at times and allowing things to be calm at others. Parnell (2014) stated that the benefits of company growth do not always outweigh the cost. Approximately 40 years ago, the big thing was the blind taste tests to determine which cola consumers liked best. Both companies spent millions of dollars attempting to secure the largest market share without realizing that they were doing nothing for their bottom line (Parnell, 2014). Today, the challenge has been revamped and taken to new heights. According to Ember & Steel (2015), Pepsi has recruited celebrities, including Usher, Serena Williams and Usain Bolt, to recruit consumers to participate in a series of challenges meant for the social media generation. During this challenge, the so called Pepsi Ambassadors will take to social media monthly and challenge consumers to something that blends social responsibility with pop

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