Coca-Cola Reports Sales Volume Impact In India Due To Heavy Monsoons

Soft drinks major the Coca-Cola Company on Wednesday said its sales volume in India during the July-September quarter was impacted due to heavy monsoons in several states. However, in states which received normal rains, it has a mid-single-digit volume growth, said the Coca-Cola company Chairman and CEO James Quincey in an earnings call.

However, in states which received normal rains, it has a mid-single-digit volume growth, said the Coca-Cola company Chairman and CEO James Quincey in an earnings call.

"In India, volume declined in states impacted by higher-than-normal monsoons. In geographic areas that were unaffected, volume grew mid-single digits," he said.

However, Quincey, also expressed optimism terming it as a 'temporary factor' and expected India to return to growth next year.

"... heavy monsoons tend to be a good predictor of agricultural yield, which would be then better next year," he said.

Several other FMCG companies, which operate in the food & beverages segment have reported a decline in volume in the September quarter on account of reason as higher than expected normal monsoons, disturbing the market.

India is the fifth largest market for Coca-Cola. Its brands include Sprite, Thumps-up, Kinley, Limca, Fanta and Maaza.

The Atlanta-headquartered beverage major reported 1% decline in its net revenues to $11.9 billion in the September quarter.

Its Global Unit Case Volume declined 1% in the quarter.

Unit case volume means the number of unit cases of company beverages directly or indirectly sold by the company and its bottling partners to customers.

Earlier in January this year, HCCB, Coca-Cola's bottling arm in India, divested some of the company-owned bottling plants in three territories to its existing bottling partners.

“During the nine months ended Sept. 27, 2024, the company recorded a net gain of $290 million related to the refranchising of our bottling operations in certain territories in India, including the impact of post-closing adjustments,” said Coca-Cola in its earnings statement.