The Coca-Cola Co. is the world’s largest soft drink company, leading Food & Drug Packaging’s Top 200 listing in the beverage category.
The company is no stranger to being at the top of lists. Coca-Cola snagged the No. 3 spot, behind Sony and Dell, in the annual “best brands” poll conducted by Harris Interactive, a leading market research firm.
In addition to Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, the company markets four of the world’s top five soft drink brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite.
With carbonated soft drink sales flat in the U.S. because of the focus on health and wellness, the company stays profitable by diversifying. It also sells a range of other beverages, including diet and light soft drinks, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees and sports drinks.
Its latest introductions and acquisitions include the Diet Coke Plus vitamin-enhanced soft drink, Fuze energy drink and Glacéau vitamin water.
Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the company’s products at a rate exceeding 1.3 billion servings each day.
In an announcement saluting the “green” revolution, Coca-Cola said that it will direct its global beverage operations, including those of its franchise bottlers, to replace the water used in its beverages and their production.
This commitment from Coca-Cola, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, will be used to help conserve seven of the world’s most important freshwater river basins. It will also support more efficient water management in its operations and global supply chain and reduce the company’s carbon footprint.
“We are focusing on water because this is where The Coca-Cola Co. can have a real and positive impact,” E. Neville Isdell, company chairman and CEO, said in a statement.
With the pledge to “Make Every Drop Count,” Coca-Cola signals that it understands that its customers’ needs have changed and tastes have changed.
When it comes to meeting the needs and the expectations of parents, educators, government, and, of course, the people who enjoy Coca-Cola products every day, the company says it’s listening.
As one example, Coca-Cola follows company-wide sustainable packaging programs. These incorporate a vision in which packaging is not considered waste but is seen as a valuable resource for the future.
Coca-Cola is seeking to lower the environmental impact of its packaging while maintaining product protection, says Scott Vitters, the company’s director of sustainable packaging. Distribution and transportation implications must also be taken into account.
As an example of reducing environmental impact through source reduction, Coca-Cola plans to alter the shape of the bottle and closure for its Dasani water. The changes will save 7% in materials, the company estimates.
