Gerolsteiner Cola range complements the longneck range
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The longneck bottle is an integral part of a young drinking culture. For Gerolsteiner, this was the impetus to expand the Gerolsteiner portfolio in 2022 to include innovative drinks in this container. Since then, the product range has been expanded to include important key segments. "Discover our dark side" is the invitation with which Gerolsteiner presents the latest addition to the longneck range to its sales partners and consumers: The mineral water company from the Vulkaneifel region is entering the growth segment of cola drinks from February. Gerolsteiner is thus expanding its range of beverages in the 0.33-litre longneck glass returnable bottle in a 24-bottle crate with a range of three varieties. In addition to Gerolsteiner Cola, this also includes the Cola Zero Sugar and Cola Mix variants. "Gerolsteiner is a brand with heritage that stands for quality. However, our new products also show the innovative potential of this brand," says Marcus Macioszek, Head of Marketing at Gerolsteiner, with conviction. "We are rounding off our longneck portfolio with our cola drinks. This will be particularly exciting for the catering trade, but also for food retailers and specialist drinks markets," says Macioszek. The Gerolsteiner cola drinks will be presented in parallel to the market launch at the beginning of February in Stuttgart at Intergastra (3 to 7 February 2024) in Hall 9, Stand B41.
Cola trend category
Colas are a strategically important addition to Gerolsteiner's portfolio, as cola drinks are the second strongest AfG segment after water and also appeal to younger target groups. According to the Nielsen retail panel, cola drinks recorded a 2.4 per cent increase in sales in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year, with turnover rising by 10.2 per cent. Two out of three households buy cola drinks. Zero products in particular are proving to be growth drivers. They already account for 27.6 per cent of sales of cola drinks.
Convincing taste test
Gerolsteiner had the products Gerolsteiner Cola and Cola-Mix tested as part of a flavour market research. In a blind test carried out by an independent market research institute, both drinks successfully beat the competition. Very good ratings were given in particular for the items "tastes just right like cola", "has a pleasantly tart flavour", is "a refreshing thirst quencher" and "tastes high quality". In further market research, consumers recognised that the three new soft drinks were a good fit with the Gerolsteiner brand. Depending on the variety, purchase interest was between 70 and 88 per cent, which is well above the benchmark for new products. The cola drinks are made with Gerolsteiner mineral water from the Volcanic Eifel region. Gerolsteiner Cola Mix contains two per cent orange juice and one per cent lemon juice. Gerolsteiner Cola Zero Zucker is sweetened with the sweeteners acesulfame K and sucralose. The three drinks are certified vegan.
Gerolsteiner Longnecks cover important AfG segments
The longneck range now comprises ten varieties, including mineral water, classic apple spritzer and attractive lemonade varieties in addition to the new colas. "Gerolsteiner is not just mineral water. We have the clear goal of covering all high-turnover segments of the AfG market and demonstrating the strength of our soft drinks business."
