China Cola

China Cola, or Future Cola

A can of Future Cola. The phrase "Future will be better" is visible on the left.
Type	Soft drink
Manufacturer	Hangzhou Wahaha Group Reed's, Inc.
Country of origin	China
Introduced	1998
Flavour	Cola
Variants	Cherry Cola

Future Cola is a cola-flavoured carbonated beverage manufactured by Hangzhou Wahaha Group of China, where it holds a 7% market share, making it the third-largest manufacturer of soft drinks in China behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola. It is distributed by Reed's, Inc., in the United States as China Cola.

In China it is sold under the English name Future Cola (Chinese: 非常可乐; pinyin: fēicháng kĕle), the patriotic by-line "The Chinese people's own cola", and the slogan "the future will be better".

Markets

China

Wahaha started making its own cola in 1998. Feichang Kele (translated as Extreme Cola or, more commonly, Future Cola, for its sound) tastes like a cross between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, but bears a red and white label. Through Wahaha's extensive distribution network, Future Cola dominates rural China and its second- and third-line cities. Sales in 2003 amounted to 620 million litres, approximately 35% and 70% of the volumes of Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola respectively.

In China, Wahaha adopted three main marketing techniques. First, its advertisements adopt a nationalistic tone. Copy promotes Future Cola as "Chinese people’s own cola" and incites consumers to select it over Coke or Pepsi. Future Cola’s focus on rural areas gave the product high penetration at lower costs. It also uses celebrity advertising. Its penetration pricing made it an affordable alternative to its rivals, particularly in the more price-sensitive rural areas.^[1]

International markets

Wahaha works with a trading and distribution company in Taiwan and completed a factory for its cola products in Indonesia. Cola has joined other Wahaha products to be exported to France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States.^[1]

In 2003 Future Cola became the first mainland Chinese cola to enter America, selling through small convenience outlets in New York and Los Angeles as 'China Cola'. Since then, China Cola has been sold and manufactured in the United States by Reed's, Inc but it boasts a low market share.

Ingredients

Purified carbonated water, raw cane sugar, szechuan peony root, cassia bark, Malaysian vanilla, oils of lemon, lime and orange, nutmeg, cloves, licorice, cardamom, caramel color, citric and phosphoric acids.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} GCB_China, "Danone Dump could mean Chance for Chinese Cola Brand", Goldenchinabrands.com, May 25, 2008, Retrieved 2008-07-03

External links

• Future Cola (simplified Chinese)