September 12, 2022

Russians Get "Good Cola"


Russians Get "Good Cola"
Coca-Cola and Dobry Juice sold in a Russian market. Zamir Usmanov, Lenta.ru

After stopping sales of Coca-Cola Company brands in Russia in March, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (Coca-Cola HBC) has begun marketing Dobry Cola, meaning "Good Cola" or "Nice Cola" in Russian. The renamed beverage will be sold through the Teremok fast food chain. 

In early August, Zoran Bogdanovich, CEO of Coca-Cola HBC, reiterated to employees that the company was changing production in Russia in response to Putin's war in Ukraine: "In close cooperation with The Coca-Cola Company, we have ceased all production and sales of the company's brands in Russia. There are no plans to reintroduce the Coca-Cola Company's brands or products in any format." 

Instead, Coca-Cola HBC Eurasia has renamed the company's Russia division Multon Partners LLC, and is marketing Dobry Cola and Dobry Juice to interested sellers. The company owns 10 factories in Russia.

Dobry Cola will compete with Russian companies who began producing their own "cola drinks" after Coca-Cola HBC exited Russia earlier this year. 

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