Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi

Essentially, the soft-drink industry is largest beverage industry. It gross millions a year, and has different distribution channels. For example, these soft-drinks are sold in supermarket, Vending Machines, Gas stations, etc. The cost is incomparable to the amount of consumer we currently have in America. If Americans consumer on average 50 gallons in a year. The cost of 2.00 is not missed by the average person. With that said, there is a least likely chance that a person would attempt to duplicate the process at home. The soda making process is too time consuming, and inconvenient when a person can simply can go to the store to purchase. Consumers can either be very loyal to the brand or fickle. Influx in prices can make consumers switch very quickly. However, there are typically incentives associated with loyalty. There are giveaways and contest that entices the customers to keep purchasing. For example, Snapple does this with a real fact on every lid. I personally know people that will buy the product just to read the facts.

The soft drink industry is one of the most highly profitable industries in the USA. Also, the competitive market is a very large market. Americans consumed about 53 gallons of soft drinks per person a year in 2000 by $ 60.3 billion!! Comparing with the market in 1990, since it was 47 gallons. In recent years, the market growth has slowed.

The existing concentrate business is largely controlled by Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola) and PepsiCo (Pepsi), together claiming a combined 72% of the U.S. carbonated soft drink (CSD) market sales volume in 2009. Refer to Exhibit 1 for an illustration of the CSD industry value chain. For more than a century, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have maintained growth and large market shares through mastering five competitive forces, shown in Exhibit 2, that drive profitability and shape the industry structure.

The competition between Coke and Pepsi reached its peak to become a real war battle by the year 1980. This war had affected the industry profit for both concentrate producers and bottlers, while the effect of bottlers was much higher. After the successful “Pepsi Challenge” (blind taste tests: sales shot up) in 1974, Coke countered with rebates, retail price cuts and significant concentrate price increases. Pepsi followed of a 15% price increase of its own. During the early 1990’s bottlers of Coke and Pepsi employed low price strategies in the supermarket channel in order to compete with store brands. The concentrate producers were always able to increase their profits by increasing the concentrate price, while the bottlers, especially the

Customers have bargain power in the market since soft drink is an elastic product which is not necessary for daily life.

For more than a century, Coca Cola and PepsiCo have been the major competitors within the soft drink market. By employing various advertising tactics, strategies such as blind taste tests, and reward initiatives for the consumer, they have grown to become oligopolistic rivals. In the soft-drink business, “The Coca-Cola Company” and “PepsiCo, Incorporated” hold most of the market shares in virtually every region of the world. They have brands that the consumers want, whether it be soft-drink brands or in PepsioCo’s case, snacks. With only one soft-drink market, the two competitors have no choice but to increase sales by stealing the other competitor’s clients. This led to the term, the “cola wars” which was first used

The soft drink industry in the United States is a highly profitably, but competitive market. In 2000 alone, consumers on average drank 53 gallons of soft drinks per person a year. There are three major companies that hold the majority of sales in the carbonated soft drink industry in the United States. They are the Coca Cola Company with 44.1% market share, followed by The Pepsi-Cola Company with 31.4% market share, and Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. with 14.7% market share. Each company respectively has numerous brands that it sales. These top brands account for almost 73% of soft drink sales in the United States. Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. owns two of the top ten

power. While these stores did carry both Coke and Pepsi products, they could negotiate more effectively due

Since there are a wide range of products available, the pricing for both Coca Cola and Pepsi is done according to the Market demands and the geographic segment and thus both the products pricing are set around the same level. Neither of the brands can win if they enter into a price war, simply because the cost of manufacturing and transportation is huge. The advantage to either of the companies was if they enter into a brand war. Since, Coca Cola always had competitors constantly driving them to be smarter, better and faster and since they were successfully been existing for more than a century, they have had to remain consistent with their pricing strategy. Throughout the years, Coca Cola has made many pricing decisions, but eventually the ultimate goal is to maximize the shareholder value. Coca Cola uses lower price point to penetrate new markets to face competition and also to raise brand awareness. This strategy is strongly implemented till it repositions itself as the Premium beverage as compared to its competitors.

But as the pop fight has topped out the industry’s giant have began relying in new product flavor and looking noncarbonated beverage for growth.” (strategic management in global context feb 22, 2006).

The Concentrate Producer industry can be classified as a Duopoly with Pepsi and Coke as the firms competing. The market share of the rest of the competition is too small to cause any upheaval of pricing or industry structure. Pepsi and Coke mainly over the years competed on differentiation and advertising rather than on pricing except for a period in the 1990’s. This prevented a huge dent in profits. Pricing wars are however a feature in their international expansion strategies.

Consumers around the world bought more snacks and beverages than ever before. They have gained market share in both snacks and beverages in the United States, their biggest market. Internationally snack and beverage units both posted healthy volume growth, even amid economic turbulence.

There are more than 900 registered brand names in the US. The top 10 brands are marketed by the 3 leading US soft drinks companies which are Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Dr. Pepper/7up. The cola flavor is the most popular of carbonated soft drinks in the US with 65.7% of the market share. The orange flavor comes in 3rd with only 3.9% of the market share. As far as market segments are concerned there are only two segments; the regular carbonated soft drink and the diet carbonated soft drink (Kerin & Peterson, 2007).

Despite the headwinds, both companies stock are gaining steadily over a longer time frame. The consumption of soda in the

The industry of Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD) is highly concentrated. The three major companies, Coca Cola, PepsiCo, and Cadbury Schweppes accounted in 1998 for more than 90% of market share by case volume –Exhibit 1-.