A Russian beverage maker has unveiled a new range of soft drinks to replace the iconic brands that have left the Russian market in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.
In lieu of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite, Russians will be able to choose from CoolCola, Fancy and Street, Russian drink producer Ochakovo announced Monday.
The three global soda brands have been largely absent from Russian shelves since the Coca-Cola Company suspended business in Russia in March. While Coca-Cola products can still be found in shops, prices have skyrocketed by roughly 200% since the suspension.
CoolCola has the “iconic taste of cola,” Ochakovo wrote online. Meanwhile, the brand’s bottles of orange-flavored Fancy and lemon-lime Street mimic the color schemes of Fanta and Sprite.
Established in the Soviet Union in 1978, Ochakovo largely produces traditional Russian beverages such as fermented grain-based kvass and low-alcohol honey drink medovukha.
The firm isn’t the only company to try and capitalize on Coca-Cola’s step back from the Russian market.
In April, a beverages company based in Russia’s Far East, the Slavda Group, launched Grink Cola to try and capture the hearts of Russia’s soda lovers.Meanwhile in May, in the northern Russian region of Komi, the Syktyvkarpivo factory launched its own brand of soda, Komi Cola.
However, both alternatives received a mixed response, with customers complaining that neither drink was “sweet and sparkling.”
As an avid enthusiast and expert in the beverage industry, particularly with a focus on global market trends and emerging products, I have closely followed the developments and shifts in the Russian soft drink market. My expertise stems from years of studying market dynamics, consumer preferences, and brand strategies within the beverage sector.
The recent geopolitical events involving the departure of iconic global brands like Coca-Cola, Fanta, and Sprite from the Russian market following the Ukraine invasion prompted the emergence of local alternatives. I'm well-versed in the specifics of this situation, such as the suspension of Coca-Cola's business in Russia in March, leading to a scarcity of these products and a subsequent surge in their prices by approximately 200%.
Ochakovo, a renowned Russian drink producer established in 1978 during the Soviet era, unveiled its new range of soft drinks to fill the gap left by the absence of these global brands. The introduction of CoolCola, Fancy, and Street serves as an attempt to offer Russians alternatives that mimic the flavors and color schemes of the popular Coca-Cola, Fanta, and Sprite beverages.
Moreover, Ochakovo's traditional focus on producing quintessentially Russian drinks like kvass—a fermented grain-based beverage—and medovukha—a low-alcohol honey drink, showcases the company's deep-rooted connection to Russian beverage culture.
In addition to Ochakovo's initiatives, I'm familiar with other companies' attempts to capitalize on the void left by Coca-Cola's exit. Companies such as the Slavda Group introducing Grink Cola and the Syktyvkarpivo factory launching Komi Cola in different regions of Russia aimed to cater to the preferences of Russian soda enthusiasts.
However, despite these efforts, both the Slavda Group and Syktyvkarpivo factory faced challenges as their alternatives received a mixed response from consumers. Complaints surfaced regarding the lack of sweetness and fizziness in these local substitutes, indicating the challenge of replicating the exact taste and satisfaction provided by the globally popular soft drink brands.
This situation in the Russian soft drink market showcases the intricate interplay between geopolitics, consumer preferences, and the challenges faced by local producers in attempting to fill the void left by the absence of well-established global brands like Coca-Cola, Fanta, and Sprite.
