Cold drinks have become an integral part of the diet of Indians. In just a few years, the demand of cold drinks has grown significantly. The reason behind this can be the different food joints that have been launched or the hot and humid climate. It is safe to say that the cold drink industry has been reaping huge profits from the Indian audience.
Here are the top cold drink brands in India:
Pepsi
Pepsi is undoubtedly one of the best selling cold drinks in India. It was launched for the Indian market in 1990. The brand has changed its name from Brad’s drink to Pepsi Cola to Pepsi.
However, over the years, the taste of the cold drink has remained the same. Since then, it has become so popular in the country that it has started cosponsoring different major sports tournaments in the country.
An example of this is the Indian Premier League cricket. You can see its famous red-blue-white logo on the jerseys of the different Indian sports teams. The company has been popularizing its brand on these sports fixtures using catchy ad themes.
To cater to different audiences, Pepsi is also available in the low-calorie version known as the Diet Pepsi. In this drink, artificial sweeteners are used, instead of sugar. There is another upmarket variant known as the Pepsi Black that is sold in selected urban markers in the country.
Pepsi is also the main competitor of Coca Cola, another top cold drink brand in India. Reports have shown that Pepsi and Cola have a market share of 30.% and 40% respectively. These numbers show that this drink from Pepsico is loved by all.
CocaCola
When it comes to the cold drink industry, Coca Cola has been dominating the market since forever. Ever since its creation in 1888 by John Pemberton, the company has been using a secret recipe for getting its unique flavor.
Till date, the company uses the same formula which is only known to a handful of anonymous employees of the company. Coca Cola was the first cola-based drink to be launched in India. However, in the mid-1970s, it was forced to leave the Indian market because of government policies and some other reasons.
A decade later, the cold drink returned to the country. Today, it has found applications as a mixer with rum-based cocktails or just plain rum. There is a low-calorie version of coca-cola named Coca Cola Zero that is quite popular among the weight watchers in the country. The mineral water, Kinsley, is also the product of the Coca Cola company.
When it comes to the cola-based drinks, Coca Cola is a leader. In India, it is competing neck-to-neck with other cola-based drinks like Pepsi. However, almost everyone can agree that when it comes to soft drinks, nothing tastes better than coca-cola. It goes perfectly with a whole range of junk foods including pizza and samosa.
Sprite
This lemony tasted and sparkly cold drink has won the hearts of many Indians. The drink is perfect for after heavy meals. No matter the time of the day, you can use a chilled glass of sprite for quenching your thirst.
Even though it faces competition from other lemon-based drinks like 7 Up and Limca, Sprite has been able to maintain dominance in the soft drink market.
It is definitely the country’s undisputed leader in the lime and lemony carbonated cold drinks market. Owned by the Coca Cola India, Sprite has launched in the Indian market about two decades ago. Since then, it has been able to continue retaining its leading position by capturing a sizeable share of the cold drinks market.
Sprite is a clear cold drink with a clear and crisp taste of lime and lemony flavor. This is what makes it popular among people of different ages. For people who prefer sugar-free drinks, Sprite launched Sprite Zero a couple of years back.
In 2009, Sprite took over Pepsi to become the second most popular drink consumed in India. It might be possible that in the coming years, Sprite will take over the soft drink market in the country.
Thums Up
This cold drink is similar in color to Coca Cola and Pepsi. However, it has a slightly different taste. This is a home-grown brand that was introduced by the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company in India.
This is the company that was manufacturing food and beverages for Parle products. Launched in the Indian Market in the year 1977, this brand was later owned by Coca Cola, another popular cold drinks brand.
You will be surprised to learn that originally, Thums Up was launched in India to withdraw Coca Cola from the country. However, Coca Cola bought the company for fighting against Pepsi, their no. 1 rival.
The most striking feature of Thums Up has to be ints intense and fizzy carbonated flavor. The cold drink was dominating the Indian market until 2013. This was the year when the SPrite took over its place.
However, among the country’s younger generation, Thums Up is still a prominent brand. The company has an attractive advertising campaign, ‘Taste the Thunder’. This has been capturing the attention of the young and adventure-seeking generation. Thums Up has different variants including the Thums Up charged and the diet version Thums Up Charged – No Sugar. However, they are available in only select markets.
Limca
This is lime and lemony cold drink that has a separate audience. It is artificially flavored and so doesn’t contain any fruit. Drinking this will give you instant satisfaction in the first gulp itself. It is also known to be consumed for hastening the digestion after a heavy meal.
This is a white, slightly opaque, lime and lemony flavored cold drink launched in the mid-1970s by the Parle Beverages. The brand was owned by Bisleri, a food and mineral water company from Italy. However, it was acquired by an Indian company. Today, this famous cold drink is owned by none other than Coca Cola.
When it comes to citrus-flavored cold drinks, Limca is definitely among the top. Even though it doesn’t have any real juice, its flavor replicates lemonade exactly. There is a popular story of how Ramesh Chauhan from Parle went to Duke’s Lemonade. He wanted to know what their formula was. And even though he promised that he won’t apply it, he as turned down. Later, he came up with the formula by himself and launched Limca. Today, Limca is also used as a mixer for vodka and gin-based cocktails.
Also, the Limca Book of World Records has immortalized the brand. This is an Indian encyclopedia containing a goldmine of general knowledge and other information.
Fanta
This is another popular cold drink from the Coca Cola brand. Since its launch in the year 1993, this cold drink has become quite popular in the Indian market. The carbonated water combined with the tasty orange flavor makes it perfect to be consumed with any junk food at all times.
The cold drink comes in other flavors as well like Fanta Apple and Fanta Grape. Recently, for the health-conscious people, a sugar-free variety was launched. The brand is currently facing tough competition from Mirinda and other powdered soft drinks like Tang and Rasna.
Fanta gets its name from Fantasie, a German word meaning fantasy. The orange flavor that we have come to love so much, as a result of the German ingenuity and trade wars. During the second world war, there was a ban on importing cola syrup from the United States imposed by the Third Reich.
For catering to the demand for soft drinks, Max Keith, a German entrepreneur, came up with an idea of using local ingredients for cold drinks like cheese and apple fiber. When combined, these flavors gave an orange-like flavor. Soon, the cold drink became a huge hit in Germany. Even today, the cold drink has the same original orange flavor.
Mountain Dew
This is a famous American cold drink that has found popularity among the Indian audience as well. The main reason behind this is the stimulating taste. However, the taste of Mountain Dew is quite similar to 7 UP and Sprite. But, it varies in color (dark yellow color) and has an attractive package.
The best part about this cold drink is the citrus aftertaste left by the drink. It is believed to have a refreshing effect. There are several other variants of the Mountain Dew like Cherry Dew, Mountain Dew red, and caffeine-free Dew. However, these are available only in a few parts of the country.
The original flavor for the Mountain Dew was invented by the Tennessee beverage bottlers Ally and Barney Hartman in 1940. Introduced in the Indian market in 2003, this brand is owned by PepsiCo India. The cold drink has often been associated with adventure. Its advertising campaigns are aimed towards the fearless youngsters seeking thrilling experiences.
Its catchphrase ‘Darr Ke Aage Jeet Hai’, meaning victory lies beyond fear, has been the mantra for the adventure-seeking youth of the country. It has become a part of the vocabulary that encourages people to face any adverse circumstances.
This is a refreshing cold drink with a sparkly look and a lemon flavor. It has been known for instantly energizing and driving away all the laziness and indolence. The brand has two other popula
7 UP
r drinks named Revive and Nimbooz Masala Soda. These were launched recently in the market and have been becoming popular quickly. Nimbooz masala soda has the taste of a spiced up lime water.
With 5% lemon juice, Nimbooz masala has a flavor similar to the Indian masala soda. Revive is like an energy drink containing vitamins and electrolytes. Both the drinks can help you quench your thirst in the hot Indian summer.
There are 2 other variants of the 7 UP available. One of them is the Lemon Bite. This is best for people who love lemony cold drinks with an extra tangy lime flavor. There is another variant named Nimbooz. With 5% lemon juice, 7 UP Nimbooz is able to deliver that typical lemonade taste.
Owned by PepsiCo India, this brand was launched in 1990. It was popularized by Fido Dido, its mascot. Over the years, the cold drink has focused on its primary clientele, the youth. They have gotten top Bollywood celebrities to feature in their commercials. 7 UP is available in 4 astonishing variants.
Frooti
When it comes to soft drinks with mango pulp, Frooti has dominated the market for years. Owned by the Parle Agro, this was the first soft drink of the country to be sold in a disposable tetra back. This was 1985, a time where every cold drink was available in returnable glass bottles.
This cold drink is made from the pulp of different mangoes, including some top of the range Indian mangoes. The company knows how to deliver the right blend of flavor and nutrition. The cold drink is also manufactured in Nepal.
With this cold drink, you can enjoy the taste of mango all year, even during the offseason. It is one of the few soft drinks that are allowed by schools. Most of the artificially flavored and carbonated drinks are banned from the canteens. The cold drink is currently facing tough competition from other mango-flavored drinks like Slice and Maaza. And now that the mango flavor is also available in the powdered form drinks like Rasna, Tang, and Lipton, the competition has grown more fierce.
Mirinda
This cold drink from PepsiCo is a tough competition for the Coca Cola’s Fanta. However, compared to Fanta, Mirinda has been lagging behind in terms of popularity. The cold drink was originally created in Spain. It was launched by Pepsico in Indian in the year 1991. Since then, they have introduced new flavors like Mirinda Orange Masala and Orange Mango for uplifting their share in the market.
When it comes to the cold drink aficionados in the country, orange is a fan-favorite. It is especially preferred by kids who want a cold drink with a fruity flavor and taste. Mirinda has a real orange taste and flavor even though it does not have any fruit extract or juicy.
It still manages to get extra sweetness and a rich fruity taste that makes it one of the favorite orange-flavored cold drinks among the Indian audience. The fizz of the carbonated water along with the tangy taste of orange makes it the perfect cold drink for the hot weather.
Conclusion:
Apart from the above-mentioned list, there are a number of other soft drinks available in the Indian market. We have traditional carbonated water with sugar, flavor, and caffeine.
We also have fruit-based, exotic, and energy soft drinks. All of these drinks meet the international standards of food safety. Manufacturers like Coca Cola India, Pepsico India, and Parle Agro make sure that their products don’t have any carcinogens that could harm your health. So, you can safely enjoy these cold drinks.
