'Muslim' cola brand heads for Indonesia
profits to support the Palestinian cause, has grown rapidly over
the last few years, building on anti-US sentiment across the globe.
The latest country targeted by the brand is Indonesia, the world's
biggest Muslim nation, but Muslims are by no means the only
drinkers of the 'ethical' cola, writes Chris Jones.
According to reports in the local press, Mecca Cola will set up eight bottling plants in Indonesia by 2008 as part of its continued international expansion strategy. It is already available in 64 countries, and last year produced more than 1 billion litres.
Mecca Cola was created in France as a protest brand at the start of the Palestinian intifada in 2001, and was designed to offer drinkers, both Muslim and non-Muslim alike, an alternative to the ubiquitous US brands Coke and Pepsi.
With 20 per cent of net profits going to support charities, including 10 per cent for Palestinian organisations, the brand has proven to be hugely popular among consumers the world.
Muslim drinkers have clearly been seduced by the company's social and ethical stance, but they are by no means the only ones drinking the cola brand - indeed, according to an interview with the Bernama news agency, the company claims that its biggest markets are in countries without a particularly large Muslim population - places such as Mexico or Brazil where consumers are more concerned about what they perceive as US 'colonialism' and the growing power and influence of the US government and its corporations.
Indeed, the company's blend of anti-American marketing and charitable donations to Palestinians has proved so successful with Muslim and non-Muslim consumers alike athat it has spawned at least one copycat brand - Britain's Qibla Cola - and many counterfeit brands, in particular in countries such as Pakistan and Kenya.
Having moved its HQ from France to Dubai in 2004, the company is now keen to exploit other potential markets in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia high up its list, according to the report - although the Saudi government are yet to approve the product's launch there.
