Thums Up is going places!

India’s most loved beverage is taking wings, outside the shores of India for the first time.

Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives markets are set to give their ‘Thums Up’ to the beverage that has been the most preferred choice for India over the last four decades.

Bangladesh will be the first country where it is expected to be launched by the end of March, when both the versions of the brand will be on the shelves. A study conducted in these target markets found that consumers in these countries had a similar taste for strong foods and beverages. With similar palates, Coca-Cola is hoping Thums Up can become the beverage of choice for these countries as well.

Once launched, these five will be the only countries where Coca-Cola will have two cola brands, apart from India. The strong taste of the cola, which has always been loved by the consumers in India, is expected to be popular in the new markets too.  

T. Krishnakumar, President, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia said that it will be manufactured and marketed in the local markets. Coca-Cola has manufacturing capabilities in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

He said that the company intends to take Thums Up global “step by step”, starting with the neighbouring markets.

Coca-Cola’s expansion to new market follows the recent launch of its first variant in 40 years – Thums Up Charged. At the time of its launch, Coca-Cola had also said that it expects Thums Up to become a billion dollar brand in the next two years, the first homegrown beverage brand to achieve the feat.

For 16 years after it was launched in 1977, Parle nurtured the brand in the country. Coca-Cola bought Thums Up from Ramesh Chauhan’s Parle in 1993, when it had launched its operations again in India. Maaza, Limca, Citra and Gold Spot were also bought out by Coca-Cola. Citra and Gold Spot were discontinued while Maaza, Limca and Thums Up continued to be part of its portfolio.