100Plus leads ThaiBev foray into 'soft drink'
THAI BEVERAGE Plc (ThaiBev) yesterday launched a new functional carbonated soft drink called 100Plus in its debut foray into a market segment worth Bt47 billion annually.
The product launch is in line with ThaiBev’s business vision of increasing the contribution of non-alcoholic beverages from the current 10 per cent of the group’s total revenue to 50 per cent by 2020.
Of its total sales, about 60 per cent is generated in Thailand and the rest in other Asean countries.
Under its 2020 business vision, ThaiBev wants to become a top-five beverage company in Asia, and the number one beverage firm in Asean.
ThaiBev’s non-alcoholic beverages achieved about Bt30 billion in total sales last year, mainly contributed by its major subsidiaries: Oishi, Sermsuk, Thai Drinks and Fraser & Neave (F&N).
ThaiBev expects its annual turnover to reach US$10 billion (Bt300 billion) by 2020.
It has launched 100Plus to tap Thailand’s lucrative carbonated soft drink market, which has enjoyed a healthy growth rate.
The launch was conducted by Thai Drinks, ThaiBev’s local marketing and brand-building arm.
Marut Buranasetkul, president and chief executive of Thai Drinks, said that 100Plus had been marketed by F&N for more than 30 years in Malaysia and was currently the number one brand in the country with a 15-per-cent market share.
Marut said the brand was available in many markets in Asean, including Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.
In Thailand, Thai Drinks expects sales of 100Plus to reach Bt2.5 billion within the next 12 months, and Bt15 billion in 2020, he said.
The company will spend about Bt700 million on marketing the drink in the first year, he said.
About 10 million sample products will be distributed throughout the Kingdom, he said, adding that 100Plus was targeted at consumers with an active lifestyle.
The product is being produced at Sermsuk’s bottling facilities in Pathum Thani and Chon Buri.
Marut said ThaiBev recently restructured its non-alcoholic beverage operation by pooling resources from major subsidiaries, including F&N, Oishi, Sermsuk and International Beverage.
