Who are Coca-Cola's main competitors in the global market? What is the history of their competition?

When it comes to Coca-Cola's rivals, PepsiCo must be the first one that comes to mind. These two have been locked in a love-hate rivalry for over a hundred years, and their story is more dramatic than many TV series.

Simply put, you can see Coca-Cola as the "big brother" from a prestigious background, always sailing smoothly, while PepsiCo is like the energetic "little brother," always eager to challenge authority.

Early Competition:

In the beginning, Coca-Cola was the undisputed king, with a very stable market position. PepsiCo appeared later, initially had little fame, and even went bankrupt several times. To survive, Pepsi came up with a strategy: it sold larger bottles of cola for the same price as Coca-Cola. This was very effective during the economic downturn, attracting many value-conscious customers, and Pepsi used this move to establish itself.

The "Pepsi Challenge" and "New Coke" Incident:

By the 1970s and 80s, the competition intensified. Pepsi launched a very famous marketing campaign called the "Pepsi Challenge." They poured both colas into cups, without telling passersby which was which, and had them blind taste test. The result was that most people preferred Pepsi. This campaign put immense pressure on Coca-Cola.

Cornered, Coca-Cola made a decision that shocked everyone: in 1985, they announced they would abandon their century-old classic formula and launch "New Coke." The result was a disaster. American consumers completely rejected it, feeling "betrayed," and protested en masse, demanding the original taste back. Just three months later, Coca-Cola sheepishly announced the return of the old formula, renaming the original cola "Coca-Cola Classic." While this was a marketing failure, from another perspective, it made Coca-Cola realize the profound emotional value its brand held in people's hearts.

Current Competitive Landscape:

Today, the competition between these two is no longer just cola versus cola; it has expanded to the entire beverage and food sector.

• Coca-Cola focuses more on "drinks." Besides Coca-Cola, familiar brands like Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid juices, Ice Dew bottled water, etc., all belong to them.
• PepsiCo has a larger portfolio. It not only has Pepsi-Cola, 7 Up, and Mirinda, but also snacks like Lay's potato chips, Doritos, Quaker Oats, and Gatorade sports drinks. So, strictly speaking, PepsiCo today is a massive food and beverage conglomerate.

In summary, the rivalry between Coca-Cola and PepsiCo is like two martial arts masters sparring, evolving from initial hand-to-hand combat (the cola itself), to weapon duels (marketing and advertising), and now to a contest of internal strength (overall corporate power and brand portfolio). It is precisely because of such a formidable opponent that neither side dares to slack off, constantly innovating, ultimately providing consumers with more choices.