Pepsi test-markets Slice in Canada to tap diaspora market
February 11th, 2012 - 8:15 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Fast moving consumer goods major PepsiCo has started test marketing its mango-based drink Slice in Canada to tap the Indian diaspora consumers there.
“We have started it in Canada in certain super markets there. We believe there is a lot of multicultural attractions associated with products from India, especially in the food side like Nimbus and Kurkure,” Homi Battiwalla, director, juices and juice drinks, PepsiCo India, said here Saturday.
“There is also a large Indian community there, and even consumers who are not Indian will also like it.”
Battiwalla did not divulge the company’s plans to test-market the product in other countries that have sizeable population of Indian origin.
“It is the decision of the (management) in those countries. If they wish to test market, it is their call. For us, India is such a large market that we see a lot of opportunity here.”
The company said it had scaled up production for 2012 and that it planned for further expansion in 2013.
Pepsi said it did not plan for an immediate price hike as the cost of mango pulp is stable.
“We are not concerned about inflation affecting pricing. Yes there is inflation, but its been a good year for mango pulp pricing and there has been a good crop. So the prices would be stable rather than going up,” said Battiwalla.
He added that the pack size could be tinkered with to give value to consumers.
“There is much more that can be done in terms of pricing the pack. I think now there is no need to go with conventional pack sizes. There is an opportunity there to upsize, downsize and give a value pack.”
The company will start its biggest advertising campaign for Slice on the Valentines Day, which will show brand endorser Katrina Kaif inside a Slice bottle with the tagline “Katrina ka Number, Crown Ke Under”.
“This one of our biggest campaign in brand Slice. We are taking it to not just big cities, but to about 40 towns.”
Mango-based drinks in India have registered double digit growth in recent years.
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Tags: advertising campaign, consumers, good year, homi, indian origin, inflation, juice drinks, juices, katrina kaif, moving consumer goods, New Delhi, nimbus, pepsi, pepsico, price hike, pulp, sizeable population, tagline, test markets, valentines day