Coca-Cola Studying Brazilian Soy-Based Juice Market

Coca-Cola's Brasil unit would be competing with soy-based juice companies such as Del Valle, which command a 26% market share nationwide.

06/07/07 Coca-Cola Brasil is looking at investing in the growing soy-based fruit juice market in Brazil, the local Estado newswire reported.

Coca-Cola Brasil's chief executive officer, Brian Smith, said the company was considering producing the new juice mixtures at their recently acquired juice company, Suco Mais, in Minas Gerais state, Dow reported. Coca-Cola Brasil closed a deal with majority stake holders of Suco Mais last August.

Coca-Cola's Brasil unit would be competing with soy-based juice companies such as Del Valle, which command a 26% market share nationwide. Other national brands include Unilever's (UN) Ades brand. Brazil supermarkets sell various types of fruit juices mixed with soy milk for as much as 3.80 Brazilian reals ($1.73) per quart of juice.

The segment has been growing annually by over 10%, the newswire reported.

Coca-Cola (KO) invested BRL750.00 million in Brazil so far in 2006, most of it to increase production capacity at the Suco Mais facility in Minas Gerais, the Estado newswire reported.

Coca-Cola Brasil sells boxed fruit drinks under the Kapo brand.