How Mukesh Ambani's Reliance revived Campa Cola which is set for a comeback after 12 years

Campa Cola, the homegrown soft drink brand, is making a comeback to supermarkets and retail stores across India, more than a decade after it vanished from the shelves. Now owned by Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail, Campa Cola has disrupted the beverage market with its Rs 10 pack in a PET bottle, forcing rival beverage makers to reduce their prices to retain market share and growth.

Campa Cola under Reliance

Campa Cola, which was founded in the 1970s, was acquired by the country's leading retailer, Reliance Retail, in August 2022 from the Delhi-based Pure Drinks Group, in a deal estimated to be around Rs 22 crore.

This acquisition has led to the entry of Ambani-led Reliance Industries into the fast-growing beverage market, aligning with its ambition to become a formidable FMCG player.

Campa Cola to increase market presence

According to reports, Reliance Retail is aggressively pushing Campa Cola into newer markets beyond the small pockets where it had retained its presence in recent times, including South and East India.

How Campa Cola lost to Coca-Cola, Pepsi

Once a market leader, Campa Cola lost out to Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in the 90s and could not find a footing. As its market share declined, Campa was forced to close its bottling plant and offices in Delhi, only retaining a small facility in Haryana.

From the brink of being largely forgotten, Campa Cola's fortunes changed in 2022 when it was acquired by Reliance. According to reports, the aggressive pricing of Campa Cola is expected to result in fierce competition with current market leaders, including Pepsi and Coca-Cola.