Here is a ranking of the top 10 soft drink companies in the world based on various factors, including sales, revenue, and market leadership.
1. PepsiCo
Who is the largest soft drink company in the world? PepsiCo ranks number 1 on our list of the top 10 soft drink companies in the world in 2022. PepsiCo is the largest soft drink company in the world. It is a multinational food and beverage corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York. The company was founded by Caleb Bradham in 1898 as “Brad’s Drink.” Bradham renamed his business Pepsi-Cola on August 28, 1902, after the digestive enzyme pepsin and kola nuts were used in the recipe of the product. The product’s name was shortened to Pepsi in 1903.
In 2016, PepsiCo had 31% of total global sales among soft drinks companies. It has 11 brands that each generates over $1 billion in annual revenue: Gatorade, Aquafina, Lipton (tea), Tropicana (juice), Quaker Oats, Frito-Lay (snacks), Doritos, Cheetos (snacks), Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist.
PepsiCo’s products include potato chips under the Frito-Lay brand name; baked goods under the Tostitos brand; Quaker oatmeal products; Tropicana juices and beverages made with 100% pure squeezed orange juice; Gatorade sports drinks; SoBe beverages and Zone Perfect nutrition bars.
- Headquarters: New York, USA
- Revenue: USD 79.47 billion
2. Unilever
Unilever ranks 2nd on this list top 10 largest soft drink brands in the world in 2022. Unilever is a Dutch-British transnational consumer goods company co-headquartered in Rotterdam and London, with its primary listing on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange and secondary listings on the London Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. Its products include food, beverages, cleaning agents, and personal care products. It is the world’s third-largest consumer goods company measured by revenue. Unilever has operations in around 190 countries worldwide with certain brands such as Dove or Vaseline being very well known around the world.
Unilever soft drink brands include 7Up, Lipton Ice Tea, Mott’s Apple Juice, Schweppes Ginger Ale, Sun Drop Citrus Soda, and many more.
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- Revenue: USD 52.92 billion
3. The Coca-Cola Company
Coca-Cola ranks 3rd on this list of the top 10 soft drink companies in the world in 2022. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it manufactures and distributes more than 500 brands of soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, water products, and teas.
The Coca-Cola Company was founded by Asa Candler in 1892 as The Coca-Cola Company. It was incorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1919. The company has operated a franchised distribution system since 1889 where The Coca-Cola Company only produces syrup concentrate which is then sold to various bottlers throughout the world who hold exclusive territories. The Coca-Cola Company owns its anchor bottler in North America, Coca-Cola Refreshments (formerly Coca-Cola Enterprises), and a 16% stake in Keurig Green Mountain. The company’s stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is part of indexes including the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500.
The Coca-Cola Company markets and sells its products in more than 200 countries. The company has been in business for over 130 years and is one of the most valuable brands in the world. It has a market cap of $250 billion, with annual sales of $35 billion. The company employs over 200,000 people worldwide and operates more than 500 factories worldwide. Coca-Cola drink brands include Coca-Cola Classic (the original formula), Diet Coke (introduced 1982), Caffeine Free Diet Coke (introduced 1985), Sprite (introduced 1960 as a lemon-flavored soda with no caffeine), and Fanta Orange/Lemon Fanta.
- Headquarters: Georgia, USA
- Revenue: USD 37.27 billion
4. Asahi Group Holdings
Ranking 4th on this list of soft drinks manufacturers is Asahi Group Holdings. Asahi Group Holdings, Inc. is a Japanese brewing and soft drinks company headquartered in Tokyo. It is the world’s fifth largest beer producer and second-largest brewery by revenue, after Anheuser-Busch InBev. Asahi’s most popular products are “Super Dry” beer and “Zero” non-alcoholic beer. The company also produces soft drinks and bottled water, as well as other beverages such as coffee, tea, and juice.
In addition to its flagship brand Super Dry beer, Asahi also brews premium brands including Asahi Gold Dry Pale Ale, Nama Genshu (unpasteurized) Sake, Kirin Ichiban Shibori (seasonal), Yebisu (seasonal), Sapporo Premium Malt’s Mild Ale, and Hitachino Nest Beer. The company also produces soft drinks under the labels Pop Water, Aloe Water, Calpis Water, Melon Soda, and Oronamin C Drink.
Asahi was founded in Tokyo on 16 February 1892 by Shinjiro Torii as the “Tsukuru Shuzo” distillery; later renamed the “Asahi Shuzo” distillery which distills shochu liquor from rice or barley; originally sold sake to restaurants
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
- Revenue: USD 19.73 billion
5. Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Dr. Pepper Snapple Group ranks 5th on this list of the top 10 largest soft drink companies in the world in 2022. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with a revenue of USD 19.73 billion (estimated).
The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group was established in 1992 as a merger between the Dr. Pepper Company and Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (formerly known as Plano-based Royal Crown Company). The company owns over 50 brands including 7UP, A&W Root Beer, Mott’s apple juice, and Sunkist orange soda. It also owns or licenses more than 500 non-carbonated beverage brands worldwide, including TABASCO hot sauce, Clamato juice drinks, and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters coffee products.
The company markets its products through a wide range of distribution channels including grocery stores, convenience stores, and mass merchandisers. It also sells directly to food service customers such as restaurants, hotels, and hospitals through its network of independent distributors and its direct sales force around the world.”
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
- Revenue: USD 19.73 billion
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6. Kofola
Kofola ranks 6th on this list of the top 10 largest soft drink companies in the world in 2022. Kofola is a brand of soft drink produced by the Kofola Company, a.s., an East-Central European soft drinks company based in the Czech Republic. It is available in several variations, with and without caffeine.
The Kofola Company was founded in 1992 by three entrepreneurs: Jan Kofol, Václav Kubů and Petr Hruška. It began as a producer of mineral water and carbonated drinks. In 1993, it opened its first bottling plant in Ostrava-Mariánské Hory, which is currently its corporate headquarters. In 1995, it began production at its second plant in Ostrava-Lhotka.
Kofola’s main product lines are: Kofola Original (caffeine free), Kofola Citrus (caffeine free), Kofola Orange (caffeine free), Kofola Red Bull (with caffeine)
- Headquarters: Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Revenue: USD 6.99 billion
7. Monster Beverage
Monster Beverage ranks 7th on this list of the top 10 soft drink companies in the world in 2022. Monster Beverage Corporation is a multinational beverage company based in Corona, California. The company manufactures and distributes energy drinks, sports drinks, and ready-to-drink teas. It is an independent licensee of the Monster Energy brand.
Monster Beverage’s headquarters are located in Corona, California. The company also has offices in Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; Dallas, Texas; Jacksonville, Florida; New York City; London; Sydney; Toronto; and Sao Paulo.
In addition to its corporate headquarters, Monster Beverage operates a manufacturing plant in nearby Riverside County that produces Monster Energy drinks as well as other beverages such as Hansen’s Natural Sodas and Peace Tea (a brand of Lipton). Monster Beverages produces more than 5 billion cans of energy drinks annually at this facility.
- Headquarters: California, USA
- Revenue: USD 5.54 billion
8. Arizona Beverage Company
Arizona Beverage Company ranks 8th on this list of the top 10 largest soft drink companies in the world in 2022. Arizona Beverage Company is a beverage producer based in New York City. The company was started by John Ferolito and Don Vultaggio in 1987. The company produces energy drinks, iced teas, juice drinks, and sports drinks. It also sells coffee, hot chocolate mix, and tea bags under the Arizona brand name.
- Headquarters: New York, USA
- Revenue: USD 3 billion
9. Primo Water
Primo Water ranks 9th on this list of the top 10 soft drink companies in the world. In addition to water, Primo also produces flavored sparkling waters and fruit juices. The company was founded by Frank Pannam in 1987 and is now owned by Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA). NWNA is a subsidiary of Nestlé SA, a Swiss multinational food and beverage company headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland.
- Headquarters: Florida, USA
- Revenue: USD 2.1 billion
10. Britvic
Britvic ranks 10th on this list of the top 10 soft drink companies in the world in 2022. Britvic is a soft drink company that is headquartered in Herefordshire, United Kingdom. The company was established in 1926 and operates as a subsidiary of Britvic Soft Drinks Limited.
The company is one of the largest producers of soft drinks in the world with a market share of around 5%. The company produces over 1,600 products including Ribena, Robinsons, and J2O.
The company’s revenues have been on an upward trend over the last few years. The total revenue for FY19 was USD 1.9 billion compared to USD 1.8 billion for FY18. The operating profit for FY19 was USD 543 million compared to USD 512 million for FY18.
- Headquarters: Herefordshire, United Kingdom
- Revenue: USD 1.9 billion
This is BizVibe’s list of the top 10 soft drink companies in the world. Various market trends affect the soft drink industry. The soft drink industry is a global industry with excellent growth potential. The rising purchasing power of Asia Pacific and Latin American consumers coupled with the focus on healthy lifestyles will aid further innovations by a large number of manufacturers in the market. It is expected that the flow of investment will be towards more premium drinks, including energy drinks and functional beverages.
It is the combination of experience, the creation of new products, and integrated marketing initiatives that determine global soft drink company rankings. So, if big brands like PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company know how to tap into this market with the right strategies, you should too. Research how these companies approach soft drinks.