PEPSI PUSHES THAILAND TO MAX

BANGKOK: -- Pepsi is now pushing Pepsi Max after allowing the sugar-free drink to languish for more than 10 years, because it believes health beverages will take off now that the green-tea fever of the past few years has started to cool down.

Dhitivute Bulsook, marketing director of Serm Suk Plc, the local bottler, said yesterday that since Pepsi started building brand awareness of Pepsi Max in August it has enjoyed double-digit growth, compared to only single-digit growth before.

That has given Pepsi the confidence to continue strengthening the Pepsi Max brand next year, with a larger marketing budget matching the increase in sales, although Dhitivute did not disclose any figures.

Pepsi is on track to beat its overall growth targets this year. It has added a percentage point to last year's share of 63 percent of the cola market, more than its original forecast of a 0.50 point gain.

Pepsi's total sales are expected to end up 8 percent above last year, compared to its projection for 2 percent. The overall cola market this year is estimated to expand 5 per cent in line with the historical trend.

The domestic cola market still has room to grow as local consumption of carbonated drinks at 100 bottles per person per year still pales to the Philippines' 300 bottles and America's 600-700 bottles.

The duty of Pepsi, as the leader in the cola market, is to create innovative products and marketing campaigns to attract more consumers and encourage more frequent consumption, Dhitivute said.

Overall cola sales would reach Bt30 billion (US$762.9 million) this year, accounting for 75 percent of the total soft drink market.

Pepsi Fire and Pepsi Ice debuted yesterday with a unique colour and taste to appeal to younger consumers than classic Pepsi, which is targeted at teenagers.

Charlie Jitcharoongphorn, marketing director of Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Trading Ltd, said Pepsi would devote Bt90 million (US$2.3 million) to advertising and marketing the new beverages over the next four months.

They have been available only in 7-Eleven convenience stores for two weeks but will gradually appear in other modern trade outlets. The two products will be displayed together to tempt consumers to give them a try.

Free samples will be distributed to one million people at Tesco Lotus, Tops, Big C, some Skytrain stations, universities and schools, and places popular with teenagers.

-- AP/BeverageWorld 2004-12-02

Pepsi Max is Caffeine Free. It won't be a hit with bus drivers.........

It's kind of weird - Pepsi is by far better than Coke, which is too sickly.

However, Diet Coke knocks spots of Pepsi Max which is SHI*E!

Maybe it's just me...!!!

Pepsi Max is Caffeine Free. It won't be a hit with bus drivers.........

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I thought pepsi max was just sugarless, not caffeine free.

well they stopped selling Pepsi Lite/ Diet Pepsi

So of course Pepsi Max sales went up !

I want my Pepsi Lite back !

PS.....are there any other sugar free soft drinks in Thailand ?

Pepsi Max is Caffeine Free. It won't be a hit with bus drivers.........

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Your'e kidding ? I've been drinking Pepsi-Max to stay awake when driving...

Back to M-150 then

Hey at least it's better than those 2 new Pepsi drinks: Fire & Ice

Fire tastes like pepsi mixed with ginger beer (and tastes as bad as that sounds) and ice is equally yucksome

I blame those TV commercials with the divine Tata and next time I see her I'm going to ask for a refund from her

Pepsi Max is Caffeine Free. It won't be a hit with bus drivers.........

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I thought pepsi max was just sugarless, not caffeine free.

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It's got some caffeine in it

At least Pepsi Max has a longer shelf-life than the 1 month or so of Coke Light. You have to really be careful with that one; a couple of days over the expiry date and the whole thing went to ######; the sweet taste just turns bitter and the whole thing turns utterly gross. Pepsi Max (and Diet Pepsi, RIP) stay drinkable a lot longer. Never noticed any difference between Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max, by the way. At least Pepsi Max comes in big bottles too, unlik any other diet-soda.

Pepsi Max is Caffeine Free. It won't be a hit with bus drivers.........

I thought pepsi max was just sugarless, not caffeine free.

It's got some caffeine in it

Strangely enough both Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max have more caffeine in them than ordinary Pepsi....D.P and P.M have 44mg per 250ml compared to 40mg per 250ml for Pepsi............Red Bull comes in with 80mg per 250ml http://www.health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=21178

Really..! So a bottle of red bull contains a similar amount of even less cafeine than a can of Pepsi? (Because red bull bottles are quite a bit smaller than soda cans?)

Really..!  So a bottle of red bull contains a similar amount of even less cafeine than a can of Pepsi?  (Because red bull bottles are quite a bit smaller than soda cans?)

Ive just checked a bottle of M-150 that has 50mgs of Caffeine in a 150ml bottle(or 109mgs/330ml).....a Pepsi can contains 330ml (53mgs of caffeine).......so it looks like the actual caffeine content in a bottle of M-150 and a can of Pepsi are virtually the same, only the volumes differ.Coke has 64mgs per 330ml!

Pepsi Max here in the UK is both sugar and caffeine free. Could well be different in Thailand.

Personally I prefer a can of Birdy Milky for my caffeine hit!

Pepsi Max here in the UK is both sugar and caffeine free. Could well be different in Thailand.

Personally I prefer a can of Birdy Milky for my caffeine hit!

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Have a little search Professor. Popping Pepsi Max caffeine content into Google will reveal all

why dont we talk about pepsi fire and ice, which i tried recently.

I only have to say, awful they are both.

what do you guys think??