Maaza
Encyclopedia
Maaza is a Coca-Cola
fruit drink brand marketed in India and Bangladesh, the most popular drink being the mango
variety, so much that over the years, the Maaza brand has become synonymous with Mango. Initially Coca-Cola had also launched Maaza in orange and pineapple variants, but these variants were subsequently dropped. Coca-Cola has recently re-launched these variants again in the Indian market.
Mango drinks currently account for 90% of the fruit juice market in India. Maaza currently dominates the fruit drink category and competes with Pepsi's Slice brand of mango drink and Frooti
, manufactured by Parle Agro
.
While Frooti was sold in small cartons, Maaza and Slice were initially sold in returnable bottles. However, all brands are also now available in small cartons and large PET
bottles. Of late, the Indian market is witnessing the entry of a large number of small manufacturers producing only mango fruit drink.
Maaza has a distinct pulpy taste as compared to Frooti and tastes slightly sweeter than Slice. Maaza claims to contain mango pulp of the Alphonso
variety, which is known as the "King of Mangoes" in India.
. In India , Maaza was acquired by Coca-Cola India in 1993 from Parle-Bisleri along with other brands such as Limca
, Citra
, Thums Up
and Gold Spot
. Maaza was acquired by House of Spices in 2005 for the North American market. Finally in the year 2006 Infra Foodbrands acquired Maaza for the European, Caribean and West-African market and cooperates with House of Spices for the North American market.
Infra Foodbrands develops, designs, distributes and markets a range of beverages, all supported by marketing- and promotional support programmes. Until the appointment of Infra Foodbrands BV, as its European franchise, Maaza was a one-product brand (Maaza Mango) with limited appeal to ethnic consumers in geographical pockets. Since then Infra Foodbrands has turned Maaza into a recognised beverage brand, offering Maaza in 10 different flavours (f.e. Mango, Tropical, Guava, Lychee, Passion Fruit/Maracuja, Pineapple, Banana, Papaya, Fruit Punch and Guanabana) in 9 different packaging formats (f.e. PET bottles, cartons, glass bottles and cans) suitable for all segments of the market. The Maaza drinks are distributed to supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels, cafes and many other outlets.
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
fruit drink brand marketed in India and Bangladesh, the most popular drink being the mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
variety, so much that over the years, the Maaza brand has become synonymous with Mango. Initially Coca-Cola had also launched Maaza in orange and pineapple variants, but these variants were subsequently dropped. Coca-Cola has recently re-launched these variants again in the Indian market.
Mango drinks currently account for 90% of the fruit juice market in India. Maaza currently dominates the fruit drink category and competes with Pepsi's Slice brand of mango drink and Frooti
Frooti
Frooti, or Mango Frooti, as it is popularly called, is the largest-selling mango drink in India. It is the flagship product of and the most successful drink offered by Parle Agro India Pvt. Ltd. Frooti was launched in 1985 in TetraPak packages. It is also now available in PET bottles and...
, manufactured by Parle Agro
Parle Agro
Parle Agro is an Indian private limited company. It owns the brands like Frooti, Appy, LMN, Hippo and Bailley.- History :Parle Products was founded in 1929 in British India. It was owned by the Chauhan family of Vile Parle, Mumbai...
.
While Frooti was sold in small cartons, Maaza and Slice were initially sold in returnable bottles. However, all brands are also now available in small cartons and large PET
Polyethylene terephthalate
Polyethylene terephthalate , commonly abbreviated PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P, is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination...
bottles. Of late, the Indian market is witnessing the entry of a large number of small manufacturers producing only mango fruit drink.
Maaza has a distinct pulpy taste as compared to Frooti and tastes slightly sweeter than Slice. Maaza claims to contain mango pulp of the Alphonso
Alphonso (mango)
Alphonso is a mango cultivar that is considered by many to be one of the best in terms of sweetness, richness and flavor. It has considerable shelf life of a week after it is ripe making it exportable. It is also one of the most expensive kinds of mango and is grown mainly in Kokan region of...
variety, which is known as the "King of Mangoes" in India.
History
Maaza was launched in 1976 in India. The Union Beverages Factory, based in the UAE, began selling Maaza as a franchisee in the Middle East and Africa in 1976. By 1995, it had acquired rights to the Maaza brand in these countries through Maaza International Co LLC DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
. In India , Maaza was acquired by Coca-Cola India in 1993 from Parle-Bisleri along with other brands such as Limca
Limca
Limca is a lemon and lime flavoured carbonated soft drink made primarily in India and certain parts of the U.S.In 1992, when the Indian government allowed Coca-Cola to return for operations, at the same time as it admitted Pepsi for the first time, Coca-Cola bought local soft-drink brands, from...
, Citra
Citra (India)
Citra was a clear lemon and lime flavoured soda sold in India in the late 80s and early 90s. Citra was owned by Parle, and it was sold to Coca-Cola when they entered India in 1993. Other brands sold were Thums Up, Limca, Gold Spot and Maaza. Citra was phased out by the year 2000 to make way for...
, Thums Up
Thums Up
Thums Up is a best-selling brand of cola in India, where its bold, red thumbs up logo is common. Introduced in 1977 to offset the expulsion of The Coca-Cola Company and other foreign companies from India, Thums Up, Limca, and Campa Cola gained nationwide acceptance...
and Gold Spot
Gold Spot
Gold Spot was one of the three brands of aerated soft drink started in India by Parle under the initiative of its founder and CEO Mr. Ramesh Chauhan in 1977 after the exit of Coca-Cola and Fanta from the Indian market.It was artifically flavoured and coloured orange. Gold Spot was introduced along...
. Maaza was acquired by House of Spices in 2005 for the North American market. Finally in the year 2006 Infra Foodbrands acquired Maaza for the European, Caribean and West-African market and cooperates with House of Spices for the North American market.
Infra Foodbrands
Since 1998 Infra Foodbrands, located in The Netherlands, has started distribution in Europe, West-Africa, North America, Canada and the Caribbean, using frequent worldwide connections from Rotterdam Main Port. Since 2006 Infra Foodbrands is the owner of the Maaza brand and exports to 33 countries (and expanding) worldwide.Infra Foodbrands develops, designs, distributes and markets a range of beverages, all supported by marketing- and promotional support programmes. Until the appointment of Infra Foodbrands BV, as its European franchise, Maaza was a one-product brand (Maaza Mango) with limited appeal to ethnic consumers in geographical pockets. Since then Infra Foodbrands has turned Maaza into a recognised beverage brand, offering Maaza in 10 different flavours (f.e. Mango, Tropical, Guava, Lychee, Passion Fruit/Maracuja, Pineapple, Banana, Papaya, Fruit Punch and Guanabana) in 9 different packaging formats (f.e. PET bottles, cartons, glass bottles and cans) suitable for all segments of the market. The Maaza drinks are distributed to supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels, cafes and many other outlets.