Competitor strategies in hot drinks

An overview of key trends in the global hot drinks industry in 2022, which has seen strong growth despite the ramifications of the pandemic, troubled supply chains and war in Ukraine.
  • While Unilever’s sale of Ekaterra with has introduced a major new player in the tea category, Unilever remains the leading hot drinks brand; there is greater movement among lower-ranked companies that typically rely on unstable currencies in, for example, Brazil, Russia and Turkey.
  • Due to robust consumer habits, rising supply chain costs in the hot drink category have generally been passed to the customer instead of the SKU rationalisation and pack size manipulation seen in other sectors.
  • Developing regions are forecast to constitute two-thirds of projected coffee growth over 2021–26, and four-fifths of tea growth.
  • The major companies are all...

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