GUWAHATI, Aug 21 � Even as natural fruit juices are struggling to survive largely due to fluctuating weather conditions, blended soft beverages in the form of cold drinks continue to rule the roost in Guwahati market.
Some attribute the free run of the soft drinks to the impressive marketing policy of the multi-national companies to woo the customers, others credit the growing westernization of the society for the cold drinks� enduring appeal.
An insight into the market trend shows that top brands like Coca Cola does a business of whopping Rs 7 crore (approx) every year only in Guwahati and the business has been on the rise for the last many years.
Asked whether the company is facing any problem in catching up with market demands this season due to the unpredictable nature of the weather, Ramesh Saraf of Swasti distribution which deals in Coca Cola products, said: �We have not witnessed any such problem. In fact, we have been able to reach the target set at the beginning of the season.�
He further informed that the brand, specially with its popularity among youths, has the biggest market share in the State.
Another official of Pepsi, who did not want to be named, informed that the soft drinks produced by it are getting greater acceptability in the region and this year too, the trend has been no different.
�Today�s generation is inclined to style and at the same time they are conscious about their sorroundings too and this is where top MNCs like us excel. The research and development wing is on constant lookout for improvement keeping in mind the taste of our customers, and the North East, especially the Guwahati market, is of prime importance for us,� he stated.
An employee of the newly-opened ice-cream parlour of Amul in Christianbasti area, when asked, informed that so far the parlour has received warm response from the customers who like the wide range of ice-cream flavour on offer.
�The reasonable prices of the stuffs could be another reason behind the positive response,� he pointed out.
However, all does not seem to be going well with the local-made ice-creams.
Ranging between Rs 2 to Rs 5, these �ice-cream wallas� are losing their ground in the existing stiff competition in Guwahati.
If the version of a GMC official is to be believed, already many ice-cream factories located in and around the city has closed down and a few more are on the verge of calling it a day.
