Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) has recently forged a strategic partnership with Ceylon Beverage International, a major player in Sri Lanka’s beverage can and filling industry. This collaboration will entail the co-packing and manufacturing of RCPL’s Campa soft drinks cans, as disclosed by knowledgeable executives. Notably, Ceylon Beverage International is promoted by former Cricketer Muthiah Muralitharan, adding an exciting dimension to the partnership.
A co-packing agreement has been established between Ceylon Beverage International and the Campa soft drinks portfolio in India. Although the co-packing arrangement has been finalized, Ceylon Beverage International is currently in the process of formalizing a deal to establish manufacturing facilities in India for the production of Campa’s soft drinks.
As per the executives, Reliance Consumer Products is expected to obtain distribution rights for a few of Ceylon Beverage International’s brands in India as a component of the partnership.
According to details available on the company website, the Ceylon Beverages plant is equipped with the ability to fill 300 million beverage cans per year and has established partnerships with international, national, and regional companies.
“While Reliance is currently importing the cans of Campa from Sri Lanka, Ceylon Beverage International plans to also set up manufacturing units in India for RCPL,” one of the executives said.
“Additionally, RCPL may also get distribution rights for some of Ceylon Beverages’ brands in India as part of the partnership,” he added.
Emails seeking comments from the offices of both Reliance Consumer Products and Ceylon Beverage International have gone unanswered as of the Sunday press deadline.
For Campa, this is its inaugural large-scale manufacturing collaboration in India for cans.
According to its website, Ceylon Beverages was founded in 2020 as a beverage processing and filling firm that provides cans to beverage businesses in Sri Lanka and around the world. The firm collaborates with companies that produce mineral water, energy drinks, soft drinks, hot-fill juices, and flavored milk in cans, with a production capacity of over 48,000 cans and 34,000 bottles per hour.
Following his record-breaking career as a spin bowler, Muthiah Muralitharan is currently serving as a coach. Additionally, a biopic about his life is set to be released in the near future.
Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL), which is the FMCG subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures, is expanding its reach by partnering with small and mid-sized distributors. The company’s goal is to enhance the national presence of Campa, thereby increasing competition with industry giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
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Last year, Reliance Retail acquired Campa from the Pure Drinks group for an estimated INR 22 crore.
In January of this year, Reliance Retail also purchased a 50% stake in Sosyo Hajoori Beverages, a Gujarat-based company, along with its key beverage product, Sosyo. Apart from Sosyo, Hajoori has other brands such as Kashmira, Lemee, Ginlim, Runner, and Opener. Sosyo is a prominent player in the Gujarat region.