The Coca‑Cola Company in South Africa continues to offer consumers choice

With seven low calorie/low kilojoule carbonated cold drinks in its stable, The Coca‑Cola Company (TCCC), continues to offer consumers choice despite recent changes to its product portfolio. 

Two years ago, TCCC announced that it would retire select products in various markets around the world as part of a global portfolio refresh.

According to Silke Bucker, Senior Marketing Director at Coca‑Cola in South Africa, this portfolio is the largest offered by a beverage company in the country and provides a clear indication to consumers that the company’s staggered portfolio refresh announced in 2020 was driven by a desire to continue to satisfy the consumer’s needs. 

According to Bucker: “This refresh was not about paring down TCCC’s portfolio but taking a consumer-centric approach by continuing to follow the consumer which led to a refocus in investments”. 

“The strength of our low calorie or low kilojoule products affirms that the refresh is meeting the objective of putting our consumers first,” she said.

As part of the refresh, TCCC announced that it would discontinue TaB® worldwide, including South Africa. However, the company that pioneered the diet beverage option in the early 1990s, continues to trailblaze in the category to provide consumers with low calorie or low kilojoule options that are unmatched.

Four of these innovative options are bottled under the Coca‑Cola® brand, which was voted as South Africa’s “coolest cold beverage” according to the 2021 Sunday Times GenNext Survey. 

They are Coca‑Cola® No Sugar, Coca‑Cola® Light, Coca‑Cola® Original Taste, and Coca‑Cola® No Sugar No Caffeine. The others are Fanta® No Sugar, Sprite® No Sugar, and Stoney® Ginger Beer No Sugar. 

“We’re grateful to TaB for paving the way for our low calorie or low kilojoule stable, and to the legion of TaB lovers who have embraced the brand for nearly six decades. Included in this stable is Coca‑Cola No Sugar No Caffeine. Largely regarded as the TaB brand’s successor, it certainly delivers the same product benefits without compromising on taste and quality,” concluded Bucker.

The global product refresh has challenged TCCC to think differently about its brands to accelerate its transformation to a total beverage company. New product offerings like Coca‑Cola No Sugar No Caffeine are part of the company’s commitment to making consumers conscious about their choices and giving them autonomy and variety in their consumption choices.

To remain relevant, TCCC will continue to listen and respond to consumer demand by providing consumers with beverages they desire.