New Delhi, April 8: Cola companies are posing a threat to your neighbourhood juice maker — they are keen to have a bigger slice of the Rs 5,000-crore fruit juice market.

Even global biggies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi have smelled the opportunity in the packaged segment, which is growing at a rate of 40 per cent annually and makes up for 10 per cent of the fruit juice market.

Abhiram Seth, executive director, exports, Pepsi, said, “In the next three to five years, our stress will not be on carbonated drinks but fruit juices. They will become the more important part of our product portfolio.”

As more health-conscious Indians take to fruit juices, the cola companies, bugged by the pesticide debate, find the market a juicy proposition.

The segment, which includes juices, nectars and fruit-based drinks, is estimated at Rs 5,000 crore.

In terms of volumes, it is about 500 million cases (one case contains 24 bottles), according to analysts.

However, 90 per cent of the market is in the unorganised sector.

While Coca-Cola has Maaza and Minute Maid — which was launched in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in February this year — in its portfolio, Pepsi flaunts Tropicana.

Viraj Chauhan, general manager, marketing, of Coca Cola, said, “We have sold more than one million bottles in the south in the last month.”

“We will take Minute Maid to the rest of India in a phased manner,” he added.

“Our strategy is to acquire a strong market leadership in the juice drink segment through Maaza and Minute Maid.” A 400-ml bottle of Minute Maid costs Rs 25 and a 1-litre bottle costs Rs 60.

Coke claims that it has a 37 per cent share of the packaged juice market with Maaza. The product is also available in cartons to compete with Frooti.

Pepsi launched Tropicana about five to six years ago. The products in the company’s juice range have about 85 per cent fruit content and those in the nectar range about 20 to 40 per cent.

The company also has ‘Slice’ in its portfolio, which is a 10-15 per cent juice drink.

A Pepsi spokesperson said, “Fruit juice and fruit-based drinks have a combined Rs 1,200-crore market and are growing on a month-to-month basis. Tropicana is growing the fastest in this category.”

Both Pepsi and Coke are planning to introduce a wide range of products.

The juice market is divided into two categories in the country: fruit juices and fruit drinks.

Technically, any product that has more than 85 per cent juice comes under the fruit juice category, while those with less than 15 to 20 per cent content is a fruit drink.

The 100 per cent fruit juice market is estimated to be worth around Rs 80 crore and is dominated by Dabur Foods’ Real and Pepsi Foods’ Tropicana. Mother Dairy with Safal and Ladakh Foods with Leh Berry have recently entered this market.