Seizing the moment

By Vitaliy Novikov, Group Customer and Commercial Director, Coca-Cola HBC

If you think of any moment during the day, it is likely connected to a beverage. As normal life was turned upside down in 2020, everything – and nothing – about drinking moments changed. People continued to enjoy their favourite drinks, just differently. It was a year when consumers and customers adapted to a new reality. As this has become the norm in 2021, we’ve adapted to seize the moment.

Tapping into emerging drinking moments

Our role in these daily moments is to ensure there is an extra special sparkle. From a business standpoint, this means shifting gears to make sure our portfolio fits the bill.

For example, as many more people enjoy virtual gatherings and recreating the bar experience at home by mixing their own cocktails, we make sure that premium adult sparkling brands are available in multi-pack single serves to enable this. As coffee enthusiasts invest in replicating a close-to-barista experience, precision, and expertise in their own kitchens, we offer them Roast & Ground and beans, pods, and Ready To Drink Coffee, with decaf options too. The focus on home fitness has also created an opportunity for functional water, enhanced with minerals, such as our new Aquarius brand which is now in 7 of our markets.

Unlocking value for our customers

Our customers in retail also need support as they adapt to new consumer behaviours. Many have streamlined their orders, focusing on brands that consumers feel most comfortable with. For us this meant helping them explore new routes to market and flexing our portfolio to make sure they have the right products and packs to sell.

Much of this responsiveness and tailored service for customers has been made possible by our investments in Big Data and Advanced Analytics, allowing us to identify customer needs in different locations and by type of outlet.

There is no doubt that this has been made possible by the willingness and ability of our people to adapt so that we can continue to be competitive in a fast-changing and unpredictable market to stay ahead of dynamic social trends. It’s a continuous challenge, but that’s also the beauty of our industry.