The Guardian and the Moscow Times are reporting that Coke is in negotiations with Russian bottlers to make kvas, the murky drink that has been a muzhik favorite for hundreds of years. According to Kommersant, which initially broke the story:
Several market participants informed Kommersant of Coca-Cola’s plans to set up kvas production. The company is in talks with beer and kvas producers to bottle kvas at their plants as Coca-Cola’s Russian plants do not have the necessary equipment, sources of Kommersant say. The American company is reputed to negotiate the deal with Efes, Sun Interbrew, Borodino and Polyustrovo. If the venture is a success, Coca-Cola may set up its own kvas production.
Efes did not confirm the news Thursday, saying they had been discussing the kvas production with Coca-Cola late last year. The talks have not brought any results, Efes Russia’s PR manager Kirill Ustinov told Kommersant. Coca-Cola would not comment on the reports.
Although some experts say that Russians will only laugh at the name of “Coca-Cola’s kvas”, the market of the traditional bread drink is more than promising – 46-percent growth last year, the largest in the soft drink market. The kvas market reached $215 million in money terms in 2006, and analysts predict this upward trend to continue.
All I can say is . . . yuck!
