Think of soft drinks and two brand names will pop up in your mind- Coca Cola and Pepsi! Who can ever forget the famous rivalry i.e. Coca Cola vs Pepsi in the soft-drink market…
Don’t you wonder who is more popular in the drinks industry? If yes, then stick to this article because we will be decoding the same here!
(A) Coca Cola vs Pepsi: Comparing the Profiles
Let’s begin the discussion by comparing the profiles of Coca Cola and Pepsi-
Particulars | Coca Cola | Pepsi |
Type of Drink | Cola | Cola |
Manufacturer | The Coca-Cola Company | PepsiCo |
Country of Origin | United States | United States |
Region of Origin | Atlanta, Georgia | New Bern, North Carolina |
Introduction | May 8, 1886 | 1893 |
Color | Caramel E-150d | Caramel E-150d |
Variants | Diet Coke, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Vanilla, Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla, Coca-Cola Citra, Coca-Cola Lime, Coca-Cola Mango, Coca-Cola Spiced | Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Twist, Pepsi Lime, Pepsi Wild Cherry, Crystal Pepsi, Caffeine-Free Pepsi, Pepsi-Cola Made with Real Sugar, Pepsi Vanilla, Pepsi Zero Sugar, Pepsi Max, Nitro Pepsi |
Competitors | Pepsi, Sr. Pepper, Nestle, Monster Beverage | Coca Cola, Pepsi, Red Bull, Unilever |
From the next section onwards, we will look at the details.
(B) Coca Cola
The bubbly, cola-flavored drink known as Coca-Cola or Coke was made by Coca-Cola Company, which is pretty famous. People all over the world love it – in fact, they gulp down over 1.8 billion servings of it every single day!
But did you know that Coca-Cola has a fascinating history? Back in the late 1800s, a man named John Stith Pemberton created it as a medicine and a drink for people who didn’t want alcohol. He sold the recipe to a businessman named Asa Griggs Candler, who turned it into a global sensation through clever marketing.
Coca-Cola’s recipe is a well-guarded secret. Only a few mysterious employees know it, adding to the curiosity. Despite many imitators, nothing quite matches the original taste.
The Coca-Cola Company doesn’t make the drinks themselves. Instead, they make a special syrup, which they sell to bottling companies worldwide. These bottlers mix the syrup with water and sweeteners to create the fizzy drink we all know. You can find Coca-Cola in cans, bottles, and even in soda fountains at restaurants.
And there’s more than just regular Coca-Cola – there’s Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and other flavors like cherry and vanilla. It’s been around for so long that it even had a name change back in the ’80s.
We have already explained the success story of Coca-Cola. You can check it out for detailed information.
(C) Pepsi
Now, let’s talk about Pepsi – it’s like Coca-Cola’s friendly rival in the world of fizzy drinks! Made by a company called PepsiCo, it’s the second most valuable soda brand globally, right behind Coca-Cola. These two have been locked in the soft drink battle for ages, often called the “cola wars.”
Pepsi wasn’t always called Pepsi. Back in 1893, a guy named Caleb Bradham made it and named it “Brad’s Drink.” Then, in 1898, he changed the name to Pepsi-Cola, thinking it could help with digestion. But get this – there wasn’t actually any Pepsin (a type of protein) in it, despite what the name suggests!
Over time, Pepsi had its ups and downs, even going bankrupt in 1923. But it got a new lease on life when Charles Guth stepped in, changed the recipe, and made it a hit.
During the Great Depression, Pepsi got really smart with marketing, introducing a bigger bottle and catchy ads that doubled its sales. It also started targeting the African American community, which was a big deal back then and got some famous people to endorse it.
Pepsi and Coca-Cola kept trying to outdo each other, leading to fun stuff like taste tests and even a whole new Coke! Pepsi’s also gone global, with some cool moves like trading soda for stuff in the Soviet Union.
Today, Pepsi’s still shaking things up with new flavors and ads, staying a big player in the soda world!
(D) Features Comparison of Coca Cola vs Pepsi
Let’s compare how they differ in terms of features-
Aspects | Coca Cola | Pepsi |
Ingredients | Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, caffeine, natural flavors, etc. | Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sugar, phosphoric acid, caffeine, citric acid, and natural flavors. |
Syrup Colouring | Caramel E-150d | Caramel E-150d |
Sodium | 50mg | 15mg |
Caffeine | 34mg/serving | 37.5mg’serving |
Taste | Sweet | Sweet |
Sugar Content | 39mg | 41mg |
Carbonation Content | 80.9% | Less |
Calories | 160 | 150 |
The price varies by flavor and size of the container. Did you notice one thing here? Just like Coca-Cola (coke) doesn’t contain cocaine (drug), Pepsi doesn’t contain pepsin (protein).
(E) Statistics Comparison: Which Brand is more popular?
In this section, we will compare the stats of various stats to determine which is brand is more popular in the battle of Coca-Cola vs Pepsi-
Statistics | Coca Cola | Pepsi |
Brand Value (2023) | $33 billion | $18 billion |
Market Share (2023) | 43.7% | 20.5% |
Revenue (2023) | $45.8 billion (Coca-Cola Company) | $91.47 billion (Pepsico) |
Sales (2020) | 418.4 billion litres | 310 billion litres |
Result of Blind test conducted by Malcolm Gladwell | Less than 50% | 57% |
Brand preferred by population (%) as per YouGov poll data | 50% | 42% |
Expenses (2023) | $34.443 billion | $79.485 billion |
Profits | $27.234 billion | $49.59 billion |
Followers on Twitter | 3.3 million | 3 million |
Followers on Instagram | 3 million | 2 million |
From the table, it’s clear that Coca-Cola is leading in several key areas compared to Pepsi. In terms of brand value, Coca-Cola stands at $33 billion, while Pepsi trails behind at $18 billion. Coca-Cola also dominates the market share with 43.7%, compared to Pepsi’s 20.5%. However, Pepsi surpasses Coca-Cola in revenue, with PepsiCo generating $91.47 billion compared to Coca-Cola Company’s $45.8 billion.
Interestingly, when it comes to blind taste tests conducted by Malcolm Gladwell, Pepsi emerges as the preferred choice, with 57% of participants choosing it over Coca-Cola. However, according to YouGov poll data, Coca-Cola is the preferred brand among 50% of the population, slightly edging out Pepsi at 42%.
Financially, Pepsi reports higher expenses and profits compared to Coca-Cola, with expenses at $79.485 billion and profits at $49.59 billion, while Coca-Cola’s expenses are $34.443 billion and profits are $27.234 billion.
In terms of social media presence, both brands have a significant following, with Coca-Cola having more followers on Twitter and Instagram compared to Pepsi. Overall, while Coca-Cola leads in some areas like market share and brand value, Pepsi shows strength in revenue and blind taste tests.
Both brands have their loyal fans, but the choice between Coca-Cola and Pepsi often comes down to personal preference!
(F) Which brand is more popular in the drinks industry?
When it comes to the drinks industry, Coca-Cola is the reigning champ in popularity! Think about it – you’ve probably sipped on a Coca-Cola at some point, right? That’s because it’s everywhere, loved by people all over the globe. In the Indian market, you will find Coca Cola more easily than Pepsi.
Globally, Coca-Cola has got a bigger share of the market, a higher value, and tons of followers on social media. Sure, Pepsi tries to shake things up with cool ads and taste test wins, but Coca-Cola’s just got that special something that keeps people coming back for more.
So, if you’re looking for the most popular drink, Coca-Cola’s the name you’ll see everywhere!
By the way, which one is your favourite in Coca Cola vs Pepsi? Share your choices in the comment section below!
Honestly Coca-Cola is the top choice and tastes better than any other drink!
Yeah these are two are popular names among the drinks in the market, but thums up is the most preferred one!