Coca-Cola to now target India's non-alcoholic malt-drink market with 'Barbican'

Coca-Cola has launched its global brand Barbican in India, foraying into the country’s niche but potentially high-volume non-alcoholic malt drinks market.

With this product, the beverage major is focusing on the youth. The company started pilot project six months back. A non-alcoholic malt-drink is a high energy beverage, brewed in the same fashion as beer or ale. 

A senior company official said, "We introduced Barbican, a non-alcoholic malt-based beverage, in select Indian markets."

Under the pilot, Barbican is imported and made available at around 3,000 select outlets across metropolitan cities.

The entry into this new segment is in line with Coca-Cola's plan to launch more healthier options in the F&B segment in India.

Currently, the company is offering a range of beverages, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Fanta, Limca and Sprite.

Kingfisher, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Heineken have already ventured into this market segment in order to target the vast untapped market of non-alcohol drinkers in the country.