Coca-Cola launches a low sugar ready-to-drink, Costa

Coca-Cola is launching into the market a low sugar ready-to-drink Costa product in its first move since the soft drinks giant bought the coffee brand.

Costa Coffee Ready-To-Drink includes three of the brand’s most popular variants – Classic Latte, Caramel Latte and Black Americano.

The range, which will be sold in 250ml cans that are 100% recyclable, will launch in countries where Costa has a strong presence and will be supported by a marketing campaign which includes; out-of-home(OOH), digital, PR and sampling.

And also, the drinks will come to the UK later this month, followed closely by launches in Poland and China, with further roll-outs planned for later in the year.

In a statement by Jennifer Mann, senior vice president and also the president of Global Ventures for Coca-Cola, said, “Our teams at Coca-Cola and Costa Coffee have been working around the clock to make our shared vision of Costa Coffee ready-to-drink coffee a reality”.

“This demonstrates the power of our partnership. It combines the marketing expertise, global scale and distribution credentials of the Coca-Cola system with Costa Coffee’s expertise and capabilities in coffee.”

The ready-to-drink chilled canned coffee promises 30% less sugar than most other ready-to-drink coffees in the UK, with between 95 and 120 calories and 4.3g and 9.8g of sugar per can. Each drink also contains the equivalent of a double shot of espresso.

In contrast, Starbucks’s Coffee 200ml Double Shot Espresso contains 142 calories and 17g of sugar per can.

Coca-Cola paid £3.9bn for Costa Coffee last year to tap into the coffee market – primarily with the aim of launching new products.

Also speaking, Dominic Paul, CEO of Costa Coffee, says: “Through this collaboration we’ve been able to work together to offer consumers the great taste of Costa Coffee in a can for the first time.

“We’re really proud to have brought this product to market at such speed whilst still ensuring the range has proper coffee at its heart.”

Under the leadership of Jmes Quincy, the drinks company has been bolstering its portfolio through non-carbonated drinks such as coffee, flavoured waters and smoothies. Typically, It looks to become a ‘total beverage company’. Quincy hinted at the launch in an investor recently was quoted to have said: “Costa is our platform in coffee. Overall this requires more and better connectivity than ever before”.