Reliance Industries group’s FMCG unit today announced the relaunch of Campa Cola, alongwith two other flavours, almost 23 years after the iconic soft drink brand stopped selling in India. Reliance Industries had acquired the Campa business earlier last year, in 2022, for Rs 22 crore. Campa is being launched by Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd’s FMCG arm and wholly-owned subsidiary Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL). The initial launch will consist of flavours including Campa Cola, Campa Lemon and Campa Orange in the sparkling beverage category.
The launch is in line with Reliance’s strategy to promote homegrown brands with rich heritage and also deep-rooted connect with consumers due to their taste and flavours. “By presenting Campa in its new avatar, we hope to inspire consumers across generations to embrace this truly iconic brand and trigger a new excitement in the beverage segment,” said RCPL spokesperson.
Campa’s pack sizes will range from 200ml immediate consumption pack, 500ml and 600ml on-the-go sharing packs and 1,000ml and 2,000ml home packs, the company said. Reliance Consumer Products has rolled out its cold beverage portfolio across India in line with its vision of offering “value and choice to Indian consumers through high-quality products at affordable price points”.
The rise and fall of Campa Cola
Campa Cola emerged in the Indian market after Coca Cola was ousted from the country around Emergency, due to regulatory issues with the government. In the years that followed and through the rest of ‘70s and ‘80s, Campa Cola rose to the top with its three flavours – coal, lime and orange. It was when India started opening up to international markets and brands like Pepsi made inroads in 1989 and later Coca Cola too returned in 1991, that Campa started losing its ground.
In 2000-2001, Campa Cola’s bottling plant and offices in Delhi were shut and later in 2022, it was acquired by Reliance. Reliance’s acquisition of Campa Cola is in line with its renewed focus on the FMCG sector. The conglomerate had, in its 45th annual general meeting in August 2022, announced that the company will foray into the FMCG space. “The objective of this business is to develop and deliver products that solve every Indian’s daily needs with high quality products at affordable pricing,” Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd Director Isha Ambani had said. In FY22, Reliance Retail strengthened the presence of its own brands by launching several new products across the categories as staples, home, personal care and general merchandise, Isha Ambani had said. Reliance Consumer Products, in December, had launched its consumer packaged goods brand, Independence, in Gujarat.