Brands
Coca-Cola aims $2.5 bn target in India by 2020
MUMBAI: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) has announced its plan to become a $2.5 billion FMCG company by 2020. The company’s plan includes manufacturing and selling a wide range of beverages and modifications to its operating structure. It is also apportioning more resources to its frontline and field, both financial and human. This includes setting up of the premium division to service customer requirements around niche and premium beverages – smartwater, frozen fruit desserts, mixers and tonic water etc. and amalgamating the existing alternate beverages division to the mainstream distribution system.
HCCB has achieved significant scale in the sale and distribution of an extensive range of juices under the Minute Maid and Maaza brands and also sparkling and dairy products. As a part of its growth plan, the company aims to open 1 million new outlets by 2020. It currently distributes its products in 2 million outlets across 25 states.
The 2020 plan focuses on being consumer and customer centric, driving revenue growth, building a strong and agile system that has efficiency as its core and digitising the enterprise and unlocking the power of associates (employees).
In order to better flex and respond to changing consumer demands, HCCB will now operate under seven zones instead of the current five and will also reorganise its corporate centre resources to serve in the zones and factories. The company will have a leaner corporate office and a much-strengthened sales and supply chain organisation, thereby creating several hundred new jobs.
HCCB expects to fill most of these new jobs from within. The re-organisation will, however, make a few existing jobs redundant, the incumbents of which will be encouraged to apply for the new jobs that have been created.
“In my time as CEO, I have focused on listening to our employee base,” says Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages CEO Christina Ruggiero. “It was very clear from our research, conversations and market data that today we are not structured in a way that allows us to fully leverage our scale and market capabilities. Changes of this nature take time to seep in, but our associates are committed to ensuring that HCCB is key fixture in India’s consumer landscape and delivering the growth that we know is possible in India.”
By refining the operating structure and simplifying processes, HCCB solidifies its investment in India’s future with an infrastructure capable of favourable long-term impacts.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
