INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS STUDIES

REPORT: RESEARCH METHODS ON COCA COLA

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Dr. Sulochana Ms. Anjali Minj
Contents:
Title:
Research methods in Coca cola

Abstract:
This is market research on the soft drink Coca-cola in Varanasi (U.P.) and can include
information on the executive summary, introduction about the Coca-Cola Company, in India
about the coca- cola business, and about the product, survey and the questionnaire related to
the Coca- Cola soft drinks.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PROJECT OBJECTIVE:
To study the service frequency and brand preference of retailer’s survey towards Coca
cola.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
RESEARCH TYPE : EXPLORATORY
The research work was done on
• Retailers
Sample size for this survey was
• Retailer size : 100
• Survey area : Varanasi
• Data type : Primary Data

Data collection was done through questionnaire and informal interviews.

Sample selection was done through stratified sampling and convenience sampling.
 BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF COCA-COLA COMPANY
In May 1886, Coca - Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton a pharmacist from Atlanta,
Georgia. John Pemberton concocted the Coca -Cola formula in a three - legged brass kettle in
his backyard. The name was suggestion given John Temberton's bookkeeper frank Robinson.
Being a bookkeeper Frank Robinson also had excellent penmanship it was he who first "coca
cola" into the flowing latter's which has become the famous logo of today.
The soft drink was first sold to the public at the soda fountain in Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta on
May 8, 1886.
About nine servings of the soft drink were each day. Sales for that first year added upto total of
$ 50. The funny thing was that it cost John Pemberton over $ 70 in expanses, so the first year of
sales was a loss.
Until 1905, the soft drink, marketed as a tonic contained extracts to cocaine as well as the
caffeine - rich kola nut
By the late 1890s, Coca - Cola was one of America's most popular fountain drinks. With another
Atlanta pharmacist, as a Griggs Candler, at the helm, the Coca - Cola Company increased syrup
sales by over 400 % between 1890 and 1900. Advertising was an important factor in Pemberton
and Candler's success and by the turn of the century, the drink was sold across the United
States and Canada. Around the same time, the company began selling syrup to independent
bottling companies licensed to sell the drink. Even today, the US soft drink industry is organized
on this principle.
Until the 1960s, both small town and big city dwellers enjoyed carbonated beverages at the
local soda fountain or ice-cream saloon. Often housed in the drug store, the soda fountain
counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages.
Often combined with lunch counters, the soda fountain declined in popularity as commercial
ice cream, bottled soft drinks, and fast food restaurants came to the fore.
On April 23, 1985, the trade secret "New Coke" formula was released. Today, products of the
Coca - Cola Company are consumed at the rate of more than one billion drinks per day.
Thumps-Up: Thumps-Up is a leading carbonated soft drink trusted brand in India. Originally,
introduced in 1977, Thumps-Up was acquired by the Coca-Cola Company in 1993.

THE COCA-COLA BUSINESS IN INDIA

While the Coca - Cola Company is a global company with some of the world's most widely
recognized brands, the Coca - Cola business in India, as an each country were we operate, is a
local business. Our beverages are produced locally, employing Indians citizens, our product
range and marketing reflect Indian tastes and life styles, and we are deeply involved in the life
of the local communities in which we operate.

FAST FACT

 Population : 1 billion
 Share of sales: The Company leads the CSD market with a nearly 60 percent share of
sales.
 Annual per capita
 Consumption: Nine (eight-ounce servings).
 System employment: Approximately 10,000 people.
 System investment: More than US$1 billion since 1993.

HISTORY
After a 16-year absence Coca - Cola returned to India in 1993. The company's presence in India
was commented in November that year in a deal that gave Coca - Cola ownership of the
nation's top soft drink brands and bottling network.

INVESTMENT, EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMICS IMPACT

Coca - Cola India has made significant investment to build and continually improve its business
in India, including new production facilities, waste water treatment plants, and distribution
systems and marketing equipment. Drugging the past decades, the Coca - Cola system has
invested more than US$ 1 billion in India. As such Coca - Cola is one of the country’s top
international investors. In 2003, Coca - Cola India pledged to invest further US $ 100 million in
its operations.
The Coca - Cola business system directly employees approximately 10,000 local people in India.
In addition, several independent studies have documented that, by providing opportunities for
local enterprises, the Coca -Cola business also generates a significant employment "multiplier
effect". In India, we indirectly create employment for more than 1,25,000 people in related
industries through our vast procurement, supply and distribution.

BOTTLING OPERATION
The Coca - Cola system in India comprises 27 wholly owned company -owned bottling
operations and another 17 franchises - owned bottling operations. A network of 29 contract-
packers also manufactures a range of products for the company.Almost all the goods and
services required to produce and market Coca -Cola in India are made locally, sometimes with
the help of technology and skills from the company. The complexity of the Indian market is
reflected in the distribution fleet, which includes 10-tonne trucks, open-bay trademarked
tricycles and pushcarts.

PRODUCTS
Leading Indian brands Thums-Up, Limca, Maaza, Citra and Gold Spot join the company's
international family of brands, including Coca - Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta, plus the
Schweppes product range. Our Kinley water brand was launched in 2000 and, in 2001, our
energy drink shook and our first powdered concentrate, sun fill, hit the market. Annual per
capita consumption of soft drinks in India is nine 8-ounce.

MARKETINGS
While broad direction and themes for our global brands are created at a global level, specific
marketing programs for our product are determined locally. in early 2003, Coca - Cola India
collected advertiser of the year and campaign of the year awards for the Thanda Matlab Coca -
Cola all media campaign. Innovation has been the hallmark of other marketing campaigns, with
the company racking up "first" in the introduction of canned and PET soft drink, vending
machines and backpack dispensers for crowds of cricket supporters.

QUALITY
We consider the consistent high quality of our beverages to be one of our business primary
assets. In India, as in each country where we produce our beverages, the Coca - Cola system
adheres not only to national laws on food processing and labeling, but also to our own strict
standards for exceptional quality. In everything we do, from the selection of ingredients to the
production of our beverages and their delivery to the market place, we use our specialized
quality management system, the Coca - Cola quality system, to ensure that we are offering
consumers only the highest quality products. We monitor our success through our customer
and consumer feedback and us in-trade monitoring programs, and this information enables us
to continuously improve our already demanding system.

COCA-COLA AND THE COMMUNITY

At Coca - Cola we have a long standing belief that everyone who touches our business should
benefit. That basic proposition that our business should bring benefit and refreshment is
central to the way we operate in Communities around the world. Coca - Cola India provides
extensive support for community programs across the country, with a focus on education,
health and rainwater harvesting, all key priorities of the Indian government which has
recognized the company's efforts with a several awards.

Education: Coca - Cola India is supporting community - based primary education project setup
to provide educational opportunities to marginalized children in slums and villages. To data, the
projects has benefited 50 schools, 1000 of students, over 5,00,000 villagers and over 10,000
slum dwellers, as well as several villages near Coca - Cola bottling.

Environment: Coca - Cola India is supporting community - based rainwater harvesting projects
in rural and urban areas to help restore water levels and promote community education in
ways to conserve natural resources. These initiatives have a benefited over 10,000 Delhi
residents, as well as local community members, both in areas surrounding Coca - Cola bottling
plants and elsewhere.

Healthcare: Coca - Cola India is partnering with NGO’s as well as St. John's Ambulance Brigade
(Red Cross) to provide free medical facilities and information to poor people who cannot afford
to visit hospital facilities. These efforts are helping tens of thousands of under privileged people
in seven states in India, as well as several villages near Coca - Cola bottling plants.

The company has also supported a range of other national initiatives, such as a major polio-
eradication drive and drought-relief program, in addition to support towards the national
cricket championship for the blind, and national athletics meetings for the physically
challenged.
 INTRODUCTON TO SURVEY

Segmented Market: Geographical Segmentation Region Wise

Target Market: East Market According to the Situation of Coca – Cola Plant, Rajatalab, Varanasi

Targeted Area: Orderly Bazar, Shivpur, Police Line, Sader Bazar, Basai, paramanandpur

Targeted Agencies: R. K. Enterprises

SALES AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL IN VARANASI

The basic goal of these departments is matching the supply and demand Sales Network.
Sales Network Coca – Cola may be represented by the following rings.

SALES FORCE
Distributors Salesman Retailer
(Coca – Cola marketing by company Varanasi)
At present the Coca – Cola produced in the plant (Rajatalab) and its transferred to various to
distributor according to demand and company target.

MARKETING CHANNEL
Three level channel and four level channels:
Manufacturer Distributors Retailer Consumer

Manufacturer Distributors Retailer

Consumer
PRODUCT PROFILE
Product Available in Varanasi Market and Rates, Volume, Profit, Cost As on May 2008.
Coca – Cola has a wide range of products at different volumes.
PRODUCT LINE

• Coca – Cola

• Thumps – Up
• Sprite
• Fanta
• Limca
• Maaza (RGB)
• Maaza Tetra
• Kinley Soda
• Kinley Water
• Bonaqua water
● Minute maid

PRODUCT VOLUMES AVAILABLE

• 200 ML

• 250 ML
• 300 ML
• 330 ML
• 400ML
• 600 ML
• 1 LT.
• 1.2 LT.
• 1.25LT

• 2 Litres.
Prices per bottle on different volumes
SOFT DRINK
VOLUME COST
200 ML & 250 ML 08
300 ML 10
600 ML 20
2 LT. 48
330 ML 25
400 ML 25
1 LT. 60

Price of empty crate 280 Rs.

PRODUCT PROFILE
Coca – Cola has a wide range of products at different volumes

PRODUCT LINE

• Coca – Cola

• Thums – Up
• Sprite
• Fanta
• Limca
• Maaza (RGB)
• Maaza Tetra
• Minute maid

• Kinley Soda
• Kinley Water

• Bonaqua water

PRODUCT VOLUMES AVAILABLE

• 200 ML

• 250 ML
• 300 ML
• 330 ML
• 400ML
• 600 ML
• 1LT
• 1.2 LT.
• 1.25LT
• 2 LT.

The world's favorite drink. The world's most valuable brand. The most recognizable word across
the world after OK.
Coca - Cola has a truly remarkable heritage. From a humble beginning in 1886, it is now the
flagship brand of the largest manufacturer, marketer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages
in the world.
In India, Coca-Cola was the leading soft-drink till 1977 when govt. policies necessitated its
departure. Coca-Cola made its return to the country in 1993 and made significant investments
to ensure that the beverage is available to more and more people, even in the remote and
inaccessible parts of the nation.
Coca-Cola returned to India in 1993 and over the past ten years has captured the imagination of
the nation, building strong associations with cricket, the thriving cinema industry, music etc.
Coca-Cola has been very strongly associated with cricket, sponsoring the World Cup in 1996 and
various other tournaments, including the Coca-Cola Cup in Sharjah in the late nineties. Coca-
Cola's advertising campaigns “Jo Chaho Ho Jaye” and “Life Ho To Aisi” were very popular and
had entered the youth's vocabulary. In 2002, Coca - Cola launched the campaign "Thanda
Matlab Coca-Cola" which sky-rocketed the brand to make it India's favorite soft-drink brand. In
2003, Coke was available for just Rs. 5 across the country and this pricing initiative together
with improved distribution ensured that all brands in the portfolio grew leaps and bounds.
Coca-Cola had signed on various celebrities including movie stars such as Karishma Kapoor,
cricketers such as Srinath, Sourav Ganguly, southern celebrities like Vijay in the past and today,
its brand ambassadors are Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Vivek Oberoi and cricketer Virendra
Sehwag.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR CONSUMER SURVEY

RESEARCH PURPOSE
1. To analyze the consumer-buying behavior.
2. To identify the consumer segment that consumes Coca - Cola products.
3. To identify the consumer satisfaction level regarding various attributes of milk
products.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Sample Serve: Retailer = 100
Area of Survey: Varanasi
Duration: 2 Months

DATA TYPE
Primary data
Sample Selection:
Stratified and Convenience
Data Collection Method:

Data was collected through direct Survey Method.

LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH
1. There could be bias on part of retailers while providing the information regarding the
product and company.

2. Scope of research is confined to 100.

3. Shortage of time on part of retailers.

FINDINGS
R. K. Enterprises:
• Position of SGA
Total No. of SGA : 86 (Coke) + 30 (Pepsi) = 116
Coke SGA:
o VC 65
o CC 15
o EBC 6

• Position of Outlet
Total No. of Outlet : 150 (Coke) + 60 (Pepsi) + 50 (Mix) = 260

o Coke 150
o Pepsi 80 60
o Mix 281 50
o Nw 4 (Not Worked)
• Loading Vehicles

Total No. of Vehicles: 3

o Vikram 2
o Tempo 1
 CONCLUSION

There are some important conclusions about brand preferences:

o Coca - Cola brand is most famous among retailers and consumers at Varanasi.

o Under Coca - Cola Thums Up is most famous brand which is recognized for its
strong taste.

o There are also a large no. of unbranded customers, who are totally retailer
oriented. We should try to convert them into coke branded customers by good
supply to retailers.

o According to survey 28 % retail outlets were captured by Coca - Cola only where
as only 12 % was captured by Pepsi. This is a major advantage to us. We can
increase this no. by converting mix outlets into our monopoly outlets by giving
them some extra benefits.

o Thunda Matlab Coca - Cola is the most famous add.

o Due to brand name taste and quality all the retailers prefer coke.
Questionnaires used
Name of respondent
Age
Sex
Outlet name
Address

Ques-1 Which companies’ cold drink is consumed more from your shoes?
(a) Pepsi
(B) Coke
(c) Both

Ques-2 How much crat is consumed weekly from your shop?

(a) 5 crat
(b) 10 crat
(c) 20 crat

Ques-3 Who provides better service?

(a) Pepsi
(b) Coke

Ques-4 Which companies gives more discount and facilities?

(a) Coke
(b) Pepsi
Ques-5 Do they provide you marketing element?
(a) Yes (b) No

Ques-6 Which company marketing element is attracting and

have?
(a) Coke
(b) Pepsi

Ques-7 Is coke companies van comes daily to your shops?

(a) Yes
(b) No

Ques-8 How many times coke’s van comes to your shops?

(a) Ones
(b) Twice