Rural Folks Like Their Fizzy Drinks Just As Much As The City Slickers

It’s no big surprise that in the hot summer months, we all enjoy a nice cold Coca-Cola to cool us down, and it turns out that feeling is universal. Rural consumers enjoy their fizzy drinks just as much as their city counterparts and actually contribute equally in sales for some brands.

Appy Fizz, a product of Parle Agro actually draws 45% of its sales from rural areas. Parle Agro joint MD and chief marketing officer Nadia Chauhan attributes this to an acceptance of brand which is targeted mostly at the youth. She said, “Appy Fizz is growing equally well in urban and rural markets,” in fact, Parle Agro have launched a new Rs. 10 bottle in a bid to push the brand further.

Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia senior VP (operations) Shehnaz Gill said, “Consumers in rural markets are becoming more discerning and have personal preferences while selecting their choice of beverages. We have, therefore, started out on a journey to broaden our beverage portfolio and offer choices to our consumers across segments in urban, semi-urban and rural markets, which suit their palate and wallet.”

PepsiCo India VP and GM — Po1 (power of one) sales Harsh Rai said, “We find that consumer uptake for pack sizes and price points are similar across rural and urban markets, and multi-serve packs comprise over 40% of sales. We have also put together a relevant portfolio mix for consumers in these markets.” Looks like, no matter where you live, we all enjoy a cool soft drink.