Business
Beverage Giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi Fight for Myanmar Domination
RANGOON – Myanmar is becoming the new battle ground for Coca-Cola and Pepsi for share of the carbonated soft-drink market currently worth US$100 million a year.
With Coke and Pepsi back in the fray, Myanmar’s soft drinks market is set to heat up with the approaching summer.
The hottest season of the year in Southeast Asia is approaching. The return of two giant global players – Coca-Cola and Pepsi – to the last business frontier versus existing local brands is expected to make Myanmar’s soft-drinks market the hottest battleground in Asean.
After making its presence felt in Myanmar for about six decades, Coca-Cola pulled its products out of the market in 1988 following the military junta’s crackdown on protesters and US sanctions. Likewise, Pepsi also left due to the investment ban and most of its employees moved to work with a famous local soft-drink company, Myanmar Golden Star, that produced Star Cola, which had a Pepsi-like taste.
With the comeback, Coca-Cola plans to invest about US$90 million to set up a factory to produce non-alcoholic beverages and purified drinking water. Pepsi will also bring with it 7-Up, Mirinda, Lays and Quaker Oats.
Their brands will then compete head to head with local brands like Star Cola, Blue Mountain, Crusher and many more.
Dr Sai Sam Htun, chairman of Loi Hein Group of companies, one of Myanmar’s leading beverage manufacturers and distributors, regards the arrival of the two multinational brands as a “big storm” in the carbonated soft-drink market for the company. Competing in advertisement spending alone is seen as difficult. The company has come up with several strategies to fight this fierce competition.
“One option is to partner with somebody. The second thing is we come up with an advertising budget of about $3 million for a lucky-draw campaign and other money for promotion, advertisement activities and marketing,” he said.
The competition will heat up due to the small size of the soft-drink market, worth only $100 million a year against $1.2 billion in Thailand. Loi Hein Group now controls about 30 per cent of that, with brands like Blue Mountain, Green Spot, Fantasy, and Lemon Sparkling. It also produces energy drinks and wine. Other local manufacturers are Myanmar Golden Star, Pinya Manufacturing, and Happy Soft Drink company.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi spent a large amount of money on promotion and advertisements. Billboards, big and small, of these two were put up everywhere in Yangon.
Loi Hein’s focus is the rural market, which accounts for 70 per cent of the population. “We get the money from the people so we go by the people, for the people, and actually that’s why we go for lucky draw and other social responsibility activities,” he said.
Another strategy is to find alterna?tives such as green tea drink or other options. It is believed that the Myanmar market for soft drinks is gradually changing for two main reasons – international players and the rise of the lower-income class.
Soe Moe Thu, managing director of Premium Distribution and director of City Mart Holdings, one of the major distributors in the country, revealed that people in big cities of Myanmar have higher purchasing power than before. “Their spending power can be quite high at around $20-$80/basket/shopping trip. That class is growing rapidly. We do see big potential. I think it can double in the next three years with the development we are seeing now,” he said.
Moreover, consumers are not limited to local people only but also foreign visitors who flocked to the country. In 2012, more than 550,000 people landed at Yangon International Airport which is the main airport of Myanmar. It was 54 per cent higher compared to the previous year.
Supporting the huge growth is also the development of the retail sector.
Frederic Etienbled, CEO of HyperTrade Consulting, said Myanmar’s retail sector is a very dynamic and soaring market. The sector, estimated to be worth $13 billion to $15 billion, is predominantly traditional with about 150,000 stores around the country. Modern trade now controls only 10 per cent of that.
Foreign beverage-makers are now looking for ways to enter the last frontier. One option for them is to appoint a distributor in Myanmar, to take care of import permits, shipment and distribution. Some are opting to establish offices and handle imports. Some of them are expected to set up manufacturing plants in the country. For all products, they must win approval from the local Food and Drug Administration.
Even though Myanmar is a land of opportunity and the soft-drink market is very vibrant, from the experience of one of the leading carbonated soft-drink manufacturers in Myanmar, doing business in Myanmar especially in beverage is quite challenging.
“The most difficult thing we are facing is the financial crisis. The lack of investment is a major problem. I have to pay people a lot of money and yet my cash flow is out,” said Dr Sai Sam Htun, a medical practitioner-turned-entrepreneur. This problem is mostly due to under-regulated finance and banking system. The system is currently being reformed. Investors may need to follow every update of Myanmar’s law, rules and regulations that can be found in local newspapers.
He added that another major problem is the changing of the minister of Industry. It resulted in a new set of regulations being implemented. Loi Hein itself has had to adjust to many changes during the past 18 years.
Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.
(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.
This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.
Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.
Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.
The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.
Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.
Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.
The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.
Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.
Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.
Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.
Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.
Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”
Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.
The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.
Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.
The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.
Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”
Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.
The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.
Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.
The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:
SOURCE: CNBC
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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
Business
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.
This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.
For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.
This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.
Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”
This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.
This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.
Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.
Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.
Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.
This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.
It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.
Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”
This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.
We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.
Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.
SOURCE: THBL
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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children
Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight
Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.
According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
SOURCE | AP
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