Consumers in the U.S. are holding back on soda purchases, influenced by the popularity of weight loss medications and non-alcoholic beverage options.
In the midst of these challenges, Coca-Cola reported strong earnings for the second quarter, which were bolstered by a global surge in demand for its beverage products. This performance allowed the company to raise its full-year revenue forecast.
Coca-Cola’s CEO, James Quincey, expressed optimism about the company’s second-quarter results, noting notable growth in revenue and operating income despite a shifting market landscape.
Nonetheless, Coca-Cola experienced a 1% drop in volume sales in North America during the quarter. Quincey attributed this decline to weaker sales in away-from-home channels, which encompass water, sports drinks, coffee, tea, and soda.
Despite this downturn, Coca-Cola’s Fairlife milk and its flagship soda, Coke, ranked first and second in retail sales growth, partially mitigating the overall decline. Quincey highlighted the company’s collaboration with food service chains to integrate Coca-Cola products into combo meals. Notably, the company is working with McDonald’s to enhance its $5 meal deal, which includes a soft drink.
Coca-Cola exceeded Wall Street expectations with a reported revenue of $12.4 billion for the second quarter, or approximately $0.84 per share, surpassing the anticipated $11.76 billion and $0.81 per share.
The company has raised its forecast for organic revenue growth to between 9% and 10%, an increase from its previous estimate of 8% to 9%.
Similarly, Pepsi is facing difficulties in capturing the U.S. market as consumers trend towards healthier products. In early July, Pepsi cited a series of product recalls as a factor in its less-than-ideal second quarter performance.