Brands
Coca-Cola India identifies West Bengal as one of its key growth markets
MUMBAI: Taking forward its vision to become a ‘Total Beverage Company with strong local roots’, Coca-Cola India announced West Bengal as its key growth market and unveiled strategic plans to showcase commitment to the state. West Bengal is the first Indian state where the entire portfolio and marketing initiatives of Coca-Cola’s brands have been hyper-localized to resonate with local language and suit consumer preferences. The initiative begins with West Bengal and would extend nationally with local execution in other states. The company also announced its partnership with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to turn up the excitement of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for fans in Bengal.
Coca-Cola India is deeply intertwined with the vibrancy of West Bengal through its relationship with music, sports, food, festival and culture. Consumers in West Bengal have a special love for Coca-Cola beverages, making it a priority market for the company. The initiative has been developed in line with local affinity and preferences of consumers in West Bengal and their strong emotional connect with their culture.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia President T Krishnakumar said, “West Bengal is a vital part of our India story, and we will continue to build for the state by customizing our brand and product propositions with an improved understanding of the local consumers’ consumption patterns and desires. West Bengal has and always will remain close to our hearts and with this initiative, we aim to showcase our gratitude by celebrating the unique, diverse culture of Bengal with our differentiated offerings and continued investment. We are initiating this as a pilot in West Bengal and plan to extend this nationally with local execution in other states”
To kickstart the initiative, Coca-Cola has rolled out Bengali packaging labels for all beverages across its portfolio, which includes Coke, Sprite, Thums Up, Maaza, Fanta, Limca, Kinley, and Minute Maid. Each brand will devise a hyperlocal campaign to deepen connect and bring on-ground experience alive for consumers in Bengal.
> Coca-Cola India senior VP Shehnaz Gill added “The initiative is built on the premise of creating joyful moments that are of true cultural significance in West Bengal. We will engage with consumers across multiple touchpoints using three key pillars: Language & Culture, Festivals, and Passion Points such as Cricket, Food, Music etc. Coca-Cola India’s hyper-local strategy will reflect in the marketing mix, packaging, advertising, social media activations and a range of on-ground events across portfolio. This will be further anchored in a strong marketing framework to create an edge while keeping the consumers’ sensibilities at the forefront of all decisions.”
As part of the initiative, Coca-Cola is tapping consumer passion moments such as Language and Cricket to build a strong emotional connect and cultural relevance. The pride for Bengali language is ubiquitous across West Bengal and Coca-Cola fueled the excitement by rekindling the love for storytelling during International Mother Language Day. Consumers were invited to participate in the contest by sharing their love for the language through short poems, tiny tales, and haikus. The winning entries were shared on Coca-Cola’s social media handles and also featured on Radio Mirchi by RJ Somak. Brand Coca-Cola will be the official beverage partner with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to turn up the excitement of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for fans in Bengal. A host of activities are planned both in stadium, as well as across the state to engage consumers and create unique experiences.
Brands
Tata Consumer Products faces Rs 98 crore tax demand
Income tax authorities raise significant demand for the 2022-23 financial year
MUMBAI: Tata Consumer Products Limited has received an assessment order from the income tax department involving a substantial financial demand. The order, issued by the assistant commissioner of income tax in Kolkata, was received by the company on 13 March 2026. It follows an audit of the income tax returns filed for the 2022-23 financial year, during which the assessing officer made specific additions and disallowances to the company’s reported income.
The total demand raised by the authorities amounts to Rs 98,03,33,930, a figure that includes both the principal tax amount and accrued interest. This disclosure was made by the company’s company secretary & compliance officer, delnaz dara harda, in a formal filing to the National Stock Exchange and BSE Limited on 14 March 2026. The filing was made pursuant to Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
In response to the order, Tata Consumer Products has stated that it believes the demand is not maintainable under current law. The management has confirmed that the company is currently in the process of filing an appeal against the assessment. Furthermore, the company clarified that there is no immediate impact on its current financial standing, operations, or other corporate activities resulting from this specific order.
