At the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Iron Curtain, the road for "Western products" to the market of post-Soviet countries was opened. As it soon turned out, the Russian market became extremely receptive to news and innovations from the West.

Russia is, however, a country of contrasts: while many Russians quickly fell in love with foreign products, many of them woke up with "Russian patriotism" expressed in their love of native products and traditions.

The dispute between the 'Russian and the Western' covered many areas of life - including the food industry, and more precisely the soft drinks industry. The war is fought between two powerful players: the world-famous Coca-Cola and - no less cult (in the post-Soviet world) - the national Russian drink with over 1000 years of tradition: kvass.

What exactly is this kvass

Kvass is a naturally carbonated drink that is produced by alcoholic fermentation of bread. A drink known throughout the former Soviet Union, considered by the Russians themselves as a national specialty. No wonder: it refreshes, perfectly quenches thirst and is known for its pro-health properties (e.g. strengthens immunity, regulates digestion).

At some point in history, however, it went aside when the American Coca-Cola entered the Russian market, which very quickly established a solid position. But what do we have Russian patriotism for?

Russian Food War

The Russian fight to defend kvass began more or less at the beginning of the 21st century and continues to this day. Discussions, scientific comparisons of the properties of both drinks, references to tradition, marketing campaigns, countless discussions on forums ... As it happens in war: all tricks are allowed, because only the stronger one will survive.

The efforts of the Russians began to bear fruit: in 2008, kvass again sold better in Russia than Cola, and the value of the acid market was estimated at $ 40 million. Nevertheless, it was not long before Coca-Cola reacted. They decided not to fight trends, but to adapt to them! And so, Coca-Cola started to produce kvass in Russia with the familiar name "Krużka i Backa" (Cup and barrel).

Interestingly, the acid produced by the Coca-Cola concern began to enjoy considerable popularity and good opinions in Russia: many described it as "a real Russian drink" or "a taste known from childhood", it was appreciated for its reasonable price and good-quality composition.

However, the thought that the acid produced by the Western concern was getting better rated than the domestic drinks was unbearable for Russian producers. It didn't take long for an answer: the largest Russian producers began their campaigns soon. The "Deka" concern can be considered the leader here, as it was ready to sell as much as 25% of its shares in order to raise funds for "fighting Western concerns" on the Russian market.

The weapon in the fight against Coke and Kruzka and Bacon acid was supposed to be kvass called "Nikola" - as the producer revealed, its name refers to both the male name popular in Russia and ... Coca-Cola!

The current situation on the Russian carbonated drinks market

A consumer survey conducted in Russia at the end of 2019 showed that the Russian dispute over refreshing drinks has not been resolved and the fight continues, especially during the summer season when the demand for soft drinks is increasing.

According to statistics, about 32% of Russian consumers most often drink Coca-Cola, although it can be noticed that Russians do not like to limit themselves to one brand and tend to alternate between different products (Pepsi, Fanta and Sprite are also popular drinks).

The kvass market is considered as a separate category. Interestingly, in 2019 three brands of kvass dominated: the aforementioned "Nikola" acid, "Ochakowo" acid (also a Russian product) and "Russkij Dar" acid belonging to ... PepsiCo! Were new players entering the fight?

The kvass market itself in Russia is characterized by an upward trend: in 2015-2019 it increased by 5.3%, and total sales reached 608 million liters per year. Therefore, it is not surprising that the large concerns operating on the Russian market adjust their offer to the needs of consumers.

However, as statistical data show, despite the success of the Russian "patriotic" food campaign, the Coca-Cola concern does not have to worry about its position in the world's largest country yet. The company produces not only its flagship drink in Russia, but also other products (including mineral water, kvass, juices), which together gives the company a huge amount of sales. In 2018, consumers purchased a total of 2 billion liters of beverages produced by Coca-Cola, which accounted for as much as 29.7% of sales of non-alcoholic beverages in the Russian Federation.

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