Minute Maid is a brand that sells beverages in the form of fruit juices and is available in a variety of flavors. The most popular flavors are lemon and orange. Minute Maid is sole under the name Cappy in Central Europe and Fruitopia in Norway. The brand is owned by Coca-Cola and is differentiated by its texture which comprises of the fruit pulp and not just the juice.
The company is headquartered in Houston Texas and is one of the top brands in the fruit juices segment. The fruit juice recorded a sale of 142 million USD and is the market leader in India. The popular flavors sold in the region include lemon, apple, mango, and orange. The closest rival for Minute Maid is Tropicana from Pepsi foods. There is a close competition between the two brands and both are on par with each other with respect to market share.
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Strengths in the SWOT analysis of Minute Maid :
Strengths are defined as what each business does best in its gamut of operations which can give it an upper hand over its competitors. The following are the strengths of Minute Maid:
- Differentiation: Minute Maid has a clear differentiation from its competitors since it has more pulp than juice. This reinforces the fact that is it made from fresh fruits and also gives the drink a nice fruity texture and flavor.
- The backing of Coca-Cola: Minute Maid is owned by Coca-Cola Limited and is one of their flagship brands in the juice category.
- Multiple variants: The juice is available in a variety of flavors such as apple, orange mango, lemon, pomegranate, grape, and guava. They also have mixed fruit and mixed vegetable pulpy drinks.
- Top Brand: Minute Maid is amongst the top-selling brands in the juice category.In India, it is the market leader followed by Tropicana. In the US it is ranked second to Tropicana while in Europe it is leading in market share. Currently, globally Minute Maid accounts for 13 percent of the market share and is the world leader in juice category.
- Global yet local advertising: The advertising strategy of the brand promoted a global image but gave the viewer a local feel to the product. This made them capture the minds of the people and gave the brand a sense of belongingness.
- Family approval: Quite contrary to aerated drinks which have always been the focal point of Coca-Cola, Minute Maid because of its pulpy feel is assumed to be made of fresh fruit and is perceived as healthy.This has made the drink immensely popular amongst family audiences.
Weaknesses in the SWOT analysis of Minute Maid :
Weaknesses are used to refer to areas where the business or the brand needs improvement. Some of the key weaknesses of Minute Maid are:
- Weak flavoring: Minute Maid focuses more on the pulpy feel than the flavor of the fruit and thus in comparison to its competitors the flavor might seem a bit watered down.
- Weak advertising: In comparison to other brands that compete with it, you may find it difficult to get information on Minute Maid. The advertisements are weak and there is almost no presence of the brand in social media or Internet.
- Internal competition: Minute Maid find a lot of competition from internal brands of Coca-Cola like Maaza, Sprite, Fanta, and Coca-Cola. The company which has always been known for aerated drinks tries to push them more than Minute Maid.
- Lower shelf coverage: Any juice brand is sold through retail outlets and in the case of Minute Maid their shelf coverage is very poor in comparison to Tropicana. This drastically affects its visibility.
Opportunities in the SWOT analysis of Minute Maid :
Opportunities refer to those avenues in the environment that surrounds the business on which it can capitalize to increase its returns. Some of the opportunities include:
- Growing demand for fresh juices: As people become more and more focused on health fruit juices are growing in popularity.Minute Maid gives a feeling of fresh fruit and the sugar content is also lesser.Thus it is preferred by a lot of families.
- Juice and Breakfast: Many modern-day couples and families are now choosing to replace tea or coffee which were breakfast beverages with juice since it is healthier. Minute maid pet bottles are available in all sizes and they are easy to carry.This makes it an ideal choice for people on the move.
- Tie-ups with cafes and bars: Minute Maid has tie-ups with cafes and bars where it is sold as part of various combos. This helps the brand to grab a significant share of the limelight.
Threats in the SWOT analysis of Minute Maid :
Threats are those factors in the environment that can be detrimental to the growth of the business. Some of the threats include:
- Competition: With lowered barriers to entry, the juice segment is one of the most competitive markets.The rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi is making it increasingly difficult for both companies to survive and the story trickles down to their brands Minute Maid and Tropicana.
- Growing concerns about health: Today there is negative imagery of store-bought juices and people perceive them to be high on sugar and calories. This is making them eat fruit than drink juice a trend which can emerge as a threat to Minute Maid.
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