Under the brand name of Topo Chico, Coca-Cola began to commercialize in the Costa Rican market a carbonated drink with alcohol, which belongs to the category known as "hard seltzer" or "spiked seltzer."
For now, the drink will be imported from Mexico, but Coca-Cola does not rule out producing it locally in the future.
In Costa Rica, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer will compete directly with "Adam & Eve", a product of the same category that is marketed since 2019 by Florida Ice, Farm & Co (Fifco).
A bill is being considered in Costa Rica that proposes to identify each container of this type of beverage with a device, label or sticker in order to prevent smuggling, a measure that, according to business people, would not be effective.
The transformation of purchasing habits caused by the boom in e-commerce at a regional level, forced companies to accelerate the process of implementing their plans, because now they must enhance their digital strategies and change their business culture.
While a group of manufacturing companies decided to reduce their operations in Costa Rica, arguing that local production costs are high, another group of companies in the sector decided to increase their investments.
According to the most recent official data, during August 2019 the growth of economic activity in the manufacturing sector was 2.5%, explained by increased external demand for products from special regimes companies, particularly medical implements and steel products such as bars and sheets. This contrasts with the decline in manufacturing activities for the domestic market. See report of the Central Bank of Costa Rica.
In a context where consumers demand that products be manufactured in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, purpose-built brands will be the most likely to increase sales.
The tendency to consume products that belong to a brand with purpose is becoming increasingly important in markets, as consumers look to companies to manufacture goods in a responsible and sustainable way.
Last year, bottled water sales in Costa Rica were estimated at $89 million and they are expected to increase up to $106 million in 2023, a behavior explained by the downward trend in the consumption of carbonated beverages.
Although companies such as Florida Ice & Farm Co (Fifco) and Coca Cola Femsa have the opportunity to grow in the Costa Rican market, they will also face competition from new entrants such as Premium Brands.
Seven years after entering the market with the commercialization of milk under the Mú! brand, Florida Ice & Farm decided to sell the brand to Grupo Lala.
In early October 2012, the announcement was made that after purchasing a dairy cooperative, Florida Ice & Farm Co. (Fifco) was launching its Mú! milk brand, which would also compete in custard, ice cream, yogurt and cream.
The W Costa Rica hotel, which will offer a total of 151 rooms and is located in Guanacaste, reported that it plans to start operations in November of this year.
Florida Ice and Farm's new plant in Costa Rica has capacity to produce up to 74 thousand cans of beer per hour.
The new facilities required an investment of $15 million in machinery and infrastructure, and will allow the company to increase its production capacity of beer and other alcoholic beverages by 40%.
In Costa Rica, changes in consumer trends have led beverage companies to expand their product portfolios with juices and soft drinks with low calorie content.
Companies such as Florida Bebidas, Coca Cola and Dos Pinos have started to expand their range of carbonated and non-carbonated beverages to include low-calorie products, with the aim of meeting a demand that has been growing in recent years.
With the entry of a new brand produced by Florida Ice and Farm in the US, there will be an increase in the supply of beer in a competitive and growing market.
Florida Ice and Farm has started selling the Genesee beer brand in the country, which is produced in the US by its subsidiary North American Breweries (NAB).
The Costa Rican company increased its sales by 2% compared to 2014, thanks to the dynamism of flavored alcoholic beverages in the US, foods in Guatemala, and beers, wines and spirits in Costa Rica.
Flavored alcoholic beverages, especially in America, and increased profitability in beer, wine and distilled drinks in Costa Rica and food in Guatemala, boosted Costa Rica Florida Ice & Farm's operating income in 2015, reaching $179 million, 13% more than in the previous fiscal year.
Sugary soda sales continue to exceed those of low sugar content, but in the last five years the consumption of the latter group has grown more than the first.
By volume and value sales of sugary carbonated drinks continue to dominate the Costa Rican market, both at the retail and wholesale level. In 2014, 191.3 million liters were distributed, generating $574.3 million in revenue.
An increase in the consumption of craft beer has led the Florida Ice and Farm corporation to enter this niche market, where it is expected that the upward trend will continue.
Gisela Sánchez, director of corporate relations at Florida Ice and Farm, told Elfinancierocr.com that the company "... has decided to invest in creating a small craft beer business, completely independent of Cervecería Costa Rica."
In 2013 the sale of ice tea generated revenue of $78.5 million, 10.4% more than in the previous year, while sales of juices rose by 9.9% in the same period.
In 2013, 36.2 million gallons of iced tea were sold, 6.1% more than in 2012, according to data from the firm Euromonitor. "... Iced tea has evolved the most in terms of generating money in five years.
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